Embodying Hospitality - Tales from the "Off Season"

Tales from the Off Season Roughly twenty years ago, Montreat Conference Center was a non-profit heavily dependent on church-related, summer programs. Over the past two decades, as the conference center moved toward a year-round model, activities in the off-season increased. For missional reasons, this has been a positive trend. For financial reasons it has been essential, building resilience in times of disruption and a stable foundation for the present and future… READ THE FULL ARTICLE NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS Spend Thanksgiving in Montreat! While it is just now springtime in Montreat, we already have Thanksgiving on the brain! We offer a number of ways to celebrate if you would like to join us this November. Rooms can be reserved in Assembly Inn from November 24-28, or you can join us on Thanksgiving Day for our lunch buffet. Plan your visit by clicking here. The Newly Renamed Katherine McKay Belk Dining Room Earlier this month, we announced that Assembly Inn’s dining room would be renamed in memory of Katherine “Kat” McKay Belk. Kat played an instrumental role during the renovation of Assembly Inn in 2014, ensuring that the facility would serve as a place where visitors could experience Montreat’s hospitality for generations to come. We invite you to read more about Kat’s impact on our website. Thank You, Kitchen and Dining Room Staff! During the month of March, we recognized all kitchen and dining room staff as our “employees of the month!” This team goes above and beyond to extend hospitality to our guests by introducing new recipes, adapting to guest needs, making people feel at home, and generally providing top-notch service. Be sure to thank them the next time you visit the Katherine McKay Belk Dining Room! Coming Soon to Moore Center: The Good Steward We are excited to share that a new retail experience is coming soon to Moore Center! Aptly named “The Good Steward,” this extension of The Montreat Store will offer curated items from local and global artisans, celebrating craft, art, and embodying ethical stewardship. Learn more. Experience Transformation and Renewal Escape to Montreat this spring and let us provide the space, serenity, and inspiration your group needs to reconnect and recharge. Start planning your retreat today and discover how our mountain setting can transform your time together. Visit our website to learn more! RETREAT AT MONTREAT One of Montreat Conference Center’s core values, “embodying hospitality” refers to our belief that our witness is grounded in welcome and belonging and that all people are created in the image of God and possess great capacity for growth and transformation. You can learn more about Montreat’s mission and values by clicking here.

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This Week in Religion - Canterbury Cathedral ceremony celebrates the first woman to lead the Church of England

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Lead story

Cancer nurse turned archbishop celebrates election as first woman to lead Church of England

Editor's note:

Sarah Mullally, a one-time cancer nurse who became a priest at the age of 39, has been installed as archbishop of Canterbury, publicly celebrating her election as the first woman ever to lead the Church of England. The ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral was attended by Prince William, Princess Catherine and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While Mullally formally became the archbishop in January, Wednesday’s event marked the beginning of her public ministry as both the head of Church of England and spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The communion is an association of independent churches, including the Episcopal Church in the U.S., that together have more than 100 million members. Mullally’s election may deepen rifts within the communion, whose members are deeply divided over issues such as the role of women and the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. 

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Religion News

Pope Leo moves Father Flanagan of Boys Town fame closer to possible sainthood

The Rev. Edward Flanagan founded the renowned Boys Town home for at-risk youth in Nebraska. Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed the 'heroic virtues' of Father Flanagan. By Peter Smith and Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press

Progressive faith leaders found new power in protesting ICE. Can their movement survive success?

Not since the Civil Rights Era has the religious left so publicly and collaboratively protested in the name of a social question they regard as a spiritual one. By Yonat Shimron and Jack Jenkins/Religion News Service

UK police arrest 2 men over arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity

British police have arrested two men over an arson attack that destroyed four ambulances from a Jewish charity. They're treating the fire as an antisemitic hate crime. By Jill Lawless/The Associated Press

Syrian authorities' new limits on alcohol sales in Damascus spark backlash

Crowds rallied to protest authorities’ efforts to limit the sale and consumption of alcohol. The protest reflects rising anxiety in the cosmopolitan capital that Syria’s new Islamist government may threaten long-held secular freedoms. By Omar Sanadiki/The Associated Press

What are starseeds? The alien subculture offering a conspiratorial spiritual escape

Starseeds say they’re not from this planet. Online, they’re sharing mythologies and rituals that, for some, are taking on the trappings of religion. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service

 

Commentary and Analysis

Young Latinos – and their commitment to social justice – are shaping the future of the Catholic Church

Young Latinos’ activism for immigrant rights over the past few months has put a spotlight on their importance for the future of the Catholic Church. By Timothy Matovina and Hosffman Ospino for the Conversation

A dehumanizing immigration policy requires a robust theology of protest

Religious leaders cannot only improvise acts of resistance against authoritarianism. By Michael Woolf/Religion News Service

The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them

The Burmese meditation master Sayagyi U Ba Khin played a key role in shaping the meditation retreats that are popular today. By Daniel M. Stuart for The Conversation

What an ancient devotional text means for the women of Nepal

Swasthani holds a central place in Nepali culture. Its female characters uphold ideals of faithful wifehood – seen by some as patriarchal and by others as a source of strength. By Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Eid celebrations, Buddha's birthday preparations and more

A family celebrates after performing Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, India, Saturday, March 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

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RNS Morning Report - Inside the ‘TikTok masjid’s’ social media stardom

The ‘TikTok masjid’ A few years ago, the Islamic Society of Baltimore began taking its social media presence seriously, mostly to bring more people to the mosque. But its candid videos highlighting everyday aspects of Islam in America have exploded — boasting almost 300,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 200,000 on TikTok. As Aminah Malik, an RNS/Interfaith America fellow reports, ISB’s rising access to a global audience places the masjid within a larger digital culture committed to advocating for and humanizing the Muslim experience. Read the full RNS story below. Top Stories ‘We’re not strangers’: How a Baltimore masjid’s relatable videos led to Instagram fame (RNS) — The Islamic Society of Baltimore’s videos highlight the everyday aspects of Islam in America. Iranian Duke scholar: War will increase religious fundamentalism around the world DURHAM, N.C. (RNS) — Mohsen Kadivar, an Iranian dissident who teaches Islam at Duke University, is as critical about what the Iran war is doing to American democracy as he is of the Islamic Republic. What are starseeds? The alien subculture offering a conspiratorial spiritual escape (RNS) — Starseeds say they’re not from this planet. Online, they’re sharing mythologies and rituals that, for some, are taking on the trappings of religion. Meet the African women bishops attending the archbishop of Canterbury’s installation NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — The five are attending in defiance of the wishes of GAFCON bishops, who rejected Mullally​’s appointment at a gathering in Nigeria in early March. Opinion Christian nationalism makes our rights conditional — just look at the SAVE Act (RNS) — As Christian nationalism increasingly shapes public policy, proposed voting restrictions could erode the equal citizenship George Washington promised to minorities. At 250, Congress must act to protect our fundamental freedoms  (RNS) — Lawmakers must act now to reinstitute the checks and balances our democracy has provided for two and a half centuries. ICYMI As GOP revives threat of Shariah, Muslims call the campaign a gambit for votes (RNS) — As midterm elections approach, GOP leaders in Congress have accelerated anti-Islam rhetoric. For Doug Wilson’s neighbors, CNN documentary a reminder Moscow is Christian nationalism’s ground zero MOSCOW, Idaho (FāVS News) — ‘I’m hopeful that this exposure will help people recognize the signs of Christian nationalism in their own spaces,’ one Moscow resident said. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

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