Missing Mount Hermon?
I woke up on this beautiful Palm Sunday morning thanking God for sending His Son to live on this earth, go to the cross, and rise from the dead to reconcile us with Him. But I must admit, my heart was also heavy with sorrow and grief over not being able to celebrate this holy day at my beloved Mount Hermon. Sitting in that beautiful sanctuary singing hymns with my wonderful writer friends. Then wandering among the redwoods, listening to God’s voice, fellowshipping with old friends and new, and making the connections God had preordained so I could take the next step in the journey He has planned for me.
Last February, when COVID-19 first hit, I received the heart-wrenching news that the Mount Hermon Association had decided to no longer sponsor the writers’ conference—not just until after the pandemic but indefinitely. Skipping 2020 was a necessity. This year, with restrictions on group gatherings still in place in California, I’m glad we didn’t try to schedule something for 2021. But with the end of the pandemic finally in sight, the thought of not planning a Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference for next year—or ever again—seems beyond tragic.
I know many others feel the same way.
I don’t know whether there’s a chance that the Mount Hermon Association might reconsider. But I would like to let them know how much this writers’ conference means to those of us who have come to cherish it. If you’d like to join in this effort, please email me at KathyIde@ChristianEditor.com with whatever you’d like to say to the decision-makers about what this conference means to you, what it has done for you, how you believe it has affected the family of God, and why you long for it to return. Your response can be short or long, observations or anecdotes, a prayer … whatever you feel led to share. I will combine all the responses I get and then forward them to the people I worked with at Mount Hermon when I was directing the conference.
The reason I was given for cancelling our event was that Mount Hermon wanted to focus on their core ministry: families. The writers’ conference was viewed as a professional event, and there are many similar conferences across the country. So while what you might value most is that you found your agent there, you may want to include in your comments something about the uniqueness of the Mount Hermon conference and how the connections you made there can greatly impact God’s kingdom.
Please send me your thoughts on what the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference means to you, what’s so special about it, and why you want it to return no later than April 10. I’d like to compile the responses and send them to the folks at Mount Hermon by April 15. If they decide to bring the conference back in spring of 2022, we’ll need to start planning right away.
Please pass this on to anyone you know who has been impacted by the Mount Hermon writers’ conference and may want to add their comments. Share about it on your social media, in your newsletter, however you think it will reach the most people. The more we can show the eternal value of this special event, the greater an influence we might have on changing this decision.
Above all, please pray for the future of the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference. God can work a miracle to bring it back if it is His will.
March 29, 2021 @ 10:22 am
Hi. Years ago, my husband surprised me with a trip to Mount Herman for Chuck Swindoll’s family camp. We had a wonderful time of fun (I braved the through-the-trees zipline), fellowship, and faith lessons. As a writer who lives in Arizona, I attended two ACFW conferences, which were wonderful, but so far to travel. I put Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference on my wishlist. If the conference is available in 2022, I will most likely attend.
June 1, 2021 @ 10:05 am
How wonderful that you got to go to Mount Hermon for family camp. And good for you to brave the zipline! I’ve enjoyed the canopy tour there myself a couple of times. Love it! Mount Hermon has decided not to sponsor the writers conference anymore, which is why I am putting together a writers retreat there as a guest group in November. Fellowship and faith lessons, specifically for those in the writing community, is what this retreat is going to be all about!
March 31, 2021 @ 2:33 pm
Mt Hermon is a touch of heaven. The writers conference was a blessing beyond words. The warmth and love was evident in the speakers, workshops, and on the face of everyone in attendance. God was there and met each one of us where we were. We were refreshed, not only in our writing, but in our spirit. We came home to share the blessing with our family.
June 1, 2021 @ 10:03 am
That’s how I feel about Mount Hermon too, Diane. Although Mount Hermon is no longer sponsoring the writers conference, I believe folks who attend the writers retreat I’m putting together there in November will experience the same warmth and love from fellow attendees. I am confident God will meet each person who comes in a special, personal, powerful way. And that they will be refreshed in their writing and in their spirit. And then come home to share those blessings with their families.
May 31, 2021 @ 1:03 pm
Back in April I did send you my professional and personal take on the enormous place the Mount Hermon Writers’ Conference holds (held?) in the publishing world; the ABA as well as the CBA. Did your pitch get any traction, do you think?
I hope so!
June 1, 2021 @ 10:09 am
I received a LOT of powerful comments from past attendees of the writers conference and forwarded them to the decision-makers at Mount Hermon. At this time, they are focusing on their core ministry: families. That’s why I’m putting together a writers retreat there as a guest group. I don’t know whether Mount Hermon will sponsor the writers conference again in the future. But while we’re waiting and hoping, I wanted those in the writing community to have an opportunity to get together for fellowship and to connect with God in that anointed place!