Supporting Montreat
The Endowment
Let Your Light So Shine…
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16
We naturally associate light with well-being, good health, happiness, peace. Montreat is a place filled with light – children laughing at play, young people hearing God’s call, church leaders finding rare hours of quiet solitude and rest.
Today, we are called to carry the light of Montreat forward. We build, we plan, we dream about what the future will hold in this special place. Endowment provides a dependable and predictable source of income to supplement the Montreat Fund and conference revenue. It makes resources available to bring world-class speakers to our conferences; to offer scholarships; and to move forward on much-needed renovations for our stately but aging facilities.
As recently as 2005, Montreat Conference Center’s endowment was barely $2 million. Now, through the determination of many, the Montreat Conference Center Endowment has exceeded $10 million in gifts and pledges, and including deferred gifts is nearly $20 million. As a national mission center of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Montreat must stand at the cutting edge of conferencing. “We must continue to provide a special place of retreat for God’s people,” said Gilmour Lake, former chairman of the Endowment Committee. “Your participation in the Campaign for Endowment will help us reach our goal so that the light of Montreat will shine for our children, our grandchildren, and all who come here.”
Become a member of the Montreat “Firefly Society”…
The Montreat Conference Center Board has established guidelines to assist in creating permanent recognition for those who wish to be part of the Montreat legacy:
- $25,000 to name an unrestricted endowment fund.
- $100,000 to name a restricted endowment fund.
The Firefly Society recognizes those who have demonstrated their commitment to the future of Montreat by making current or deferred gifts of a minimum of $10,000 to Montreat Conference Center’s Endowment. You may become a member of the Firefly Society by making a current gift of $10,000 or more to Montreat’s Endowment or by putting Montreat Conference Center in your will or other estate plans at a level of $10,000 or more. There are five levels of recognition in the Firefly Society:
- Silver – $10,000 to $99,999
- Gold – $100,000 to $249,999
- Emerald – $250,000 to $499,999
- Platinum – $500,000 to $999,999
- Diamond – commitments of $1 million or more.
Download and complete the Endowment Commitment Form (PDF), or if you have questions concerning how to give a gift to Montreat’s Endowment, please contact us at 828.669.2911, ext. 313.