March 12, 2016

Do You Know the Sea?

To the Sea, to the Sea! The white gulls are crying,
The wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.
West, west away, the round sun is falling.
Grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling? ~J.R.R. Tolkien

How well you do really know the Sea? The ocean is more than the summer frolic of colorful umbrellas, bathing suits and towels, or earnest adults fishing, running, walking, or watching bronze children digging in the sand. The Sea has a symphony for everyone, every day of the year.

There is a saying in North Carolina that if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute—it will change. The same could be said about the Sea. A never ending panorama of song, the Sea’s perpetual dance with the man in the moon plays to the audience of human eyes as tides ebb and flow, hiding and revealing the icons of life…an intricate shell here, a colorful bit of sea glass there, the solid and stoic lump of mangled iron, the occasional remains of unlucky sea creatures. The relentless rumble of the surf echoes the full cacophony of life crowding the dark depths of the beyond. To watch the sea is to see the hand of the Conductor God in motion.

In winter the Sea is desolate beauty. Heavy dirges of storm clouds chase each other for miles over empty sand and the wide expanse of the waterway to the other side of the world. One can see the edges in tangible contrast; a relentlessly moving line. Part of the fun is trying to guess just the right moment to slip away before receiving an unwanted cold shower. But if one needs to weep, there is no better time to weep than when the Sea weeps, and no better place than her shoulder of sand close enough to hear her heartbeat a capella.

In spring the storms march to a different beat. The energy of the brightening air is invigorating jazz. The updrafts whip enthusiastically, calling for kite flyers to come out and play. Then fickle Sea turns dark blue as the fine crackle of warm humid clouds confront stale dry air, and thunderheads rear, explode, then disappear in a shower of light rain under the freshly-washed-face of the smiling sun and the waters lighten to allegro green. It is no wonder we admire Benjamin Franklin for flying a kite in a thunderstorm.

In summer and fall, the sea is a deceptive thing of pastoral peace and tranquility hiding a possible crescendo of weather desiring its own name being born just over the horizon. Then the ocean truly shows its power even beyond the boundaries of land. But after the passing, the Sea is once again a tempo, our happy go lucky friend. The lullaby of sated waves sooth us in the warmth and safety of the sublime sunny day and we forgive all her atrocities.

Do you know, really know, the Sea?

Come share our Sea with us and learn the secrets of which she sings.

January 14, 2016

Spend Family Time at Winter Camp!

We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Trinity is offering something new this year for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Sound to Sea Winter Day Camp. We still have spaces available!

Give us a call at 888-874-6287

Day Camp and Family Time Retreats!

clams During the 2016 Winter Break over Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Trinity Center’s Sound to Sea Environmental Education Program offers a hands-on Science Day Camp January 18th & 19th for first through fifth graders. Come for Monday or Tuesday, or both (!), and learn about our Barrier Island.

Costing $50 per day or $90 for two days, youth will explore the habitats on Trinity’s 60+ acre property. Campers will wear chest waders and use dip nets in Bogue Sound to fin disecting class d out more about the biology on a barrier island. They will explore the beach habitat and learn what creatures spend their winters at the beach. Campers will fish in the pond and dissect a squid. We will also have fun, unique programs to learn about Whales and Sea Turtles!

Sound to Sea will provide all the the materials for your day at pond class camp. The schedule will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Campers will receive a hot lunch and afternoon snack. Campers will need to bring a back pack with a refillable water bottle, long socks, an extra change in clothes, and appropriate winter accessories like scarves and gloves, or rain gear, depending on weather.

Take a Winter Break Yourself!

Parents or Grandparents who also have MLK Day free may want to take the opportunity for some quality Family Time and stay over Sunday and/or Monday evening. ponies

The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (just a mile away on Hwy 58) offers free admission on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day so bring the fa Cluster room_Frank Leith Rd Scholar mily and enjoy the property as one of our Family Time Retreats. Guest rooms are available at our winter rates starting at $45 per night (restrictions apply).

Let the kids romp with Sound to Sea duri beaufort ng the day while adults rest and relax, or go gallivanting in our coastal towns enjoying shopping, museums, the Aquarium… in the evening go see Star Wars Episode VII The Force Awakens (again!) at our local movie theater at Atlantic Beach Station or watch a family movie in one of our living rooms cozied up by the fire eating popcorn. Or, enjoy roasting marshmallows at one of our campfire rings.

Winter is a fun time at Trinity Center. It is quieter, sure, but that only means the shell hunting on the beach is better….no competition!

We’d love to have you come visit! cloud cover 2

March 21, 2015

What if You Don’t Want to Wait?

Did you know Trinity Center frequently hosts Groups Retreats that are open to the public?

Phrases we often hear from departing guests are “I love it here; I can’t wait until our retreat next year!” or “It was great but we didn’t have enough time to enjoy the property!” But you really don’t have to wait until your particular group returns on an annual retreat or pine for missed free time. Trinity Center hosts several new and recurring events that have open registration and welcome new participants.

Anytime you visit our blog, check the right side bar for advertisements of upcoming retreats open to the public, or visit our (ahem) “Upcoming Retreats Open to the Public” page. These notices are our way of spreading the word that there may be new and unusual ways to visit one of your favorite places, or to make new friends while participating in a beloved activity.

Sometimes you have an opportunity to get in on something missed. Occasionally a guest will catch a glimpse of an interesting activity and will tell us they “always wanted to attend a [fill in the blank] but didn’t know in time.” Once in a while, Groups ask us to post vacancy notices after a registration window closes because one or more attendees have an unexpected change of plans.

Upcoming Retreats at Trinity Center:

March 27-30, 2015: Painting by the Sea – Spring Artists’ Workshop with Jane Filer. Work in the Studio or outside in the sunshine. Experience Individual Instruction and Painting Demonstration. Have time for work and Fun! Jane’s work has been included in numerous prestigious collections in international, corporate and private sectors. She has been hosting workshops at Trinity Center since 2007. Limited post registration vacancies available!

April 10-13, 2015: Yoga at the Beach with Lisa Amani to be held at the Trinity Center. This year’s retreat will include sessions in the beautiful oceanfront Morgan Beach House where one practices gentle yoga postures, breathing & meditation techniques in rhythm with the oceans waves and transform your body, mind, spirit, and your life.

May 1-4, 2015: Cathy Holt Yoga Spring Yoga Retreat. Spending concentrated time in retreat, we cultivate consciousness and nonjudgmental awareness. It is a gift to Self, a chance for mental, physical, and spiritual rejuvenation. We will spend several hours a day in a morning and afternoon practice of yoga, pranyama and meditation and some evening activities a couple of the nights. There will always be a long break in the afternoon for you to explore the beautiful beach, the sound side, and pretty little trails.

May 3-10, 2015: Resource Center for Woman & Ministry in the South – Writers’ Retreat. Two or three times a year, we reserve a house at the beach and sponsor a week of silence and writing for a group of about nine women. Our writing retreats at the beach have been an enormous success, providing time for small groups of women to gather and includes days of quiet and writing, and evenings of readings and conversation. These are not workshops but provide unstructured time for women to write.

May 15-17, 2015: Loving Inward – A Retreat for Women with Coach Elizabeth Love. Experience a weekend of discovery, nurture &rejuvenation because You are worth loving well…boundaries… self-care… coming back home to You. Reconnect with who you really are and begin living from your deepest truth. Limited spaces available!

May 31-June 4, 2015: Yoma Yoga 4th Annual Ocean Retreat at Trinity Center Pelican House. Join Sharon Cournoyer, Certified Yoga Instructor, for an opportunity to remember, surrender and open to what comes from exploring yoga, meditation, journaling & nature. Only two spaces left!

June 25-28 and July 23-26, 2015: Summer Interplay Untensive with Ginny Going and Tom Henderson. Want an extended time of creative play in a community of people who will affirm and applaud you? Then come down to the ocean for one of these multi-day experiences of InterPlay that includes time to relax, hang out and play in nature. Play, dance, tell stories, rest, walk on the beach, swim in the ocean and enjoy being part of a playful community. Life doesn’t have to be so hard!

July 17-19, 2015: Dr. Z Yoga Retreat. Join us for our 6th annual weekend of yoga and the beach! All Inclusive price includes lodging, three meals per day, Happy Hours, twice daily Yoga instruction, and Saturday night Zumba® party! All levels of experience and both men and women are welcome!

December 9, 2014

Hoofing It To Trinity!

New Year’s Eve brings a break in the normal tranquility of Trinity Center. A long standing tradition, the sounds of live music and dance beats, stomping feet, and shouts of glee ring through the maritime forest as one of our most energetic groups rings in the New Year. Welcome to the 17th Annual Bogue Banks Boogie!

The “Boogie” is sponsored by the Triangle Country Dancers (TCD) which is a nonprofit organization that promotes the enjoyment, preservation, and study of contra dancing and other English and American traditional and historic dance, music, and song. TCD is a group affiliate of the Country Dance and Song Society.

Contra dancing is a form of North American folk dance in which the dancers form two parallel lines that run the length of the hall. In its simplest form, it is danced by pairs of couples. Eventually each couple dances with every other couple in the set. Normally, the caller teaches each dance before it is actually done to music. This gives everyone an idea of what to expect, and an opportunity to practice the figures.

THE IVORY BOYS AND BREE KALB!

This year features the high-energy combination of The Ivory Boys and Bree Kalb. The Ivory Boys feature almost all original music and non-traditional arrangements that’s all about the groove. Described as “rocking” and “funky” the trio includes pianist George Paul, David DiGiuseppe on accordion, and Jim Roberts on drums. The band is influenced by Swing & Jazz and African, Cuban, and Rock rhythms.

Twenty year veteran Caller, Bree Kalb, thinks a great band makes her a better caller so is thrilled to be working with The Ivory Boys. She loves the challenge of creating a program that is varied, interesting, and delightful.

DANCE, DON’T DRIVE!

Dancing from the time they arrive December 31st through the next day, the dancers will waltz in 2015 while enjoying Trinity’s unique beach setting with great live music, home cooking, late night games, snacks, or moonlight walks and comfortable rooms–all without having to drive during the prime risky traffic holiday.

Many dancing couples make the New Year’s celebration into a mini-vacation to recuperate from the demands of the season and arrive early or leave a day or two later.

While you do not have to be a member of a dance club to attend, the “Boogie” is designed for those with some contra dancing experience, little or large. Depending on space available, beginners are encouraged and dancing children are always delightfully welcomed.

If you want to waltz in the New Year at The Bogue Banks Boogie and Trinity Center, click on the link below for registration information.

October 17, 2014

BIG SWEEP Saturday, October 18th

Come Sweep the Beach at Trinity!

During the month of October, communities of Carteret County are participating in the 28th Annual Big Sweep. Although the kick-off statewide is the first weekend, we extend participation throughout the month. Saturday, October 18th is the day Trinity Center and our Sound to Sea program contributes to the Pine Knoll Shores Big Sweep as part of our ongoing effort to keep our beloved beaches and waterways clean.

If you love our beaches, please join us on the Beach at 10:00AM, Saturday, October 18, 2014. Trinity Center will provide work gloves, trash bags and other tools. You bring the sunscreen and water bottle.

Volunteers will also log the amount and type of items collected, and how many animals suffered entanglements, to add to the statewide record tracking the types of trash ebb and flow over our waterways.

In 2013, 645 volunteers covered over 24 miles resulting in the removal of over 2500 pounds of trash from Carteret County waterways.

Some Big Sweep Tips for participation:

Take a hat or visor and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun.
Wear old, comfortable clothes. You will get dirty.
Take a snack and a drink along. You’ll probably get thirsty.
Bring some insect repellent and a pair of gloves.
Make sure your shoes are sturdy and have closed toes. Your shoes may get wet. Do not go barefoot.
Stay with a partner or group, and be sure that children are supervised by an adult.
Wear a life jacket if you’ll be in a boat. Do not wade into the water to gather debris if the current is fast. Never enter the water unless you know its depth and are wearing a life jacket. Be safe and careful.
Watch for snakes and spiders. Be careful of poison oak and poison ivy.
Watch out for steep, slippery, and unstable banks. If you are unsure of conditions, find a safer place or ask for assistance.
Do not touch medical waste, chemical containers, barrels, pesticides, or other dangerous items. Note their location and tell your site coordinator.
Do not touch any animals, dead or alive. Trapped or injured animals may bite, and they can carry disease. Alert your site coordinator.
Have a safe, fun time!

October 14, 2014

Aquarium’s Trick or Treat Under the Sea Oct. 29 & 30

NC Aquarium, Pine Knoll Shores

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores offers a bewitching evening of sweets and treats with the annual Trick or Treat Under the Sea, aka TOTUS, on the evenings of Wednesday, Oct. 29 and Thursday, Oct. 30.

Trick-or-treating headlines each night, as little ghosts, goblins, creatures and characters load up on goodies at decorated booths sponsored by local businesses. Also on the fun agenda: underwater pumpkin carving demonstrations, otters playing with jack o’ lanterns, face-painting and other Halloween hi-jinks with an aquatic twist. For the bolder bunch: See the dinosaurs after dark – if you dare.

Ticket sales at the door are 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. each night; $11 per person; $9.90 for members; ages 2 and under are admitted free.

Daily admission tickets, receipts and passes do not apply for this special event. Regular admission ends at 1 p.m. each day of the event.

Enjoy big Dino Discount Nov. 1-7!

The dinosaurs at the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores have delayed their destiny – extinction – through Nov. 11! See them up close and hear them roar any day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From Nov. 1 through Nov. 7, bring a little person with you for Dino Discount Days. Pay for one adult admission and an accompanying child ages 3-12 gets in free. Also watch for dino-mite deals on dinosaur gear in the Gift Shop through Nov. 11.

Dinosaur Adventure turns the Aquarium’s Marsh Boardwalk into a time machine. Step outside and travel back millions of years to meet these strange creatures that roamed the Earth during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

The fierce allosaurus, the long-necked apatosaurus, the fast and agile coelophysis, the ostrich-like citipati and other bygone beasts seemingly come to life among the trees and plants surrounding them. Watch out for the dilophosauruses –they spit.Dinosaur Adventure features 11 realistic, large-scale animatronic creatures representing seven species that move and call. Don’t miss the photo ops: a Tyrannosaurus rex out front, a baby T. rex near the waterfall and a dinosaur nest with eggs just before you enter Dinosaur Adventure.

The dinosaur exhibit has been enormously popular with summer visitors at the Aquarium. The fall extension gives more local and regional residents a chance to enjoy the experience. The dinosaurs also will add a new element to the Aquarium’s Halloween event for kids, Trick Or Treat Under the Sea, this year on Oct. 29 and 30.

Dinosaur Adventure is open the same hours as the Aquarium – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.Dinosaur Adventure features creations by Billings Productions. The exhibit is sponsored in part by Mary Katherine Lawrence.

October 11, 2014

Falling for Trinity

Fall is well and truly upon us, here at Trinity. Although the only real evidence so far is humidity, or lack there of. The days are still in the pleasant 80s but the nights are dipping into the low 60s which only makes an evening campfire all the more delicious–particularly those involving s’mores.

Camp Trinity is over for the year so weekends are again seeing groups down in the Dorms. These are a great Bargain for new groups and youth groups.

We’ve had a lot of Campus Ministries and other youth groups as well as a couple of new adult groups trying Trinity for the first time.

We’ve had Artists’ workshops and Yoga Retreats.

And, we’ve had several Women and Men Ministries, and a few much needed Pastoral Retreats. A sprinkling of Individual Retreats, especially clergy, are always tucked in among everybody else because Fall is also a good time to find a few days to run away from home before the full swing of the holiday season takes place.

Our Sanders Point restoration is complete and once again our favorite outdoor Chapel is welcoming visitors.

For those of us whose thoughts always turn to new pens and clean notebooks (and calendars!), Fall is a time of classes and schoolchildren. Our new Sound to Sea staff are making themselves at home and our Schools’ programming is in full swing.

Trinity is still lush and green although the maritime forest is starting to look a little tired around the edges.

But after the hustle and bustle of summer, the sleepiness is welcoming and relaxing. Even the mosquitoes are relaxing their vigilance and are blessedly absent–for the most part–this time of year.

Over at Pelican House we are busy filling the last few vacancies for this year’s Advent Retreat and for the last Silent Retreat in December. New Year Resolutions aside, autumn has ever been a time of reckoning-up the year’s harvest and turning thoughts to plans and ambitions for the coming year.

There’s no better place to take stock and make plans than Trinity. Fall is lovely at Trinity. If your business staff or group needs to take stock and plan the next year, or your spiritual batteries need recharging, we hope you think of us.

You won’t find a better place.

May 31, 2013

Awaken your soul and take personal time at Trinity Center!

Friends of Trinity Center,

We would like to welcome you, your family and your friends to Trinity Center in early June for some Personal Time during this transitional time of year. Tell your friends who like the idea of retreating, but don’t want to attend a specific program, that this personal time is for them. Enjoy the sound, the sea, the beach, fresh air and sunshine! Come for 2 nights or stay for a week. From June 2 to June 14 we are extending the offer of only $65 per room per night. Meals are optional, but reservations must be made in advance. Costs for meals are $9 per breakfast, $10 per lunch and $14 per dinner. (Youth rates available for children under 12 yrs.) Tell your friends. This is a great opportunity for them to experience the center on their own. Walk-ins are not accepted, so have your friends call ahead to reserve their space. 888-874-6287. Ask for either Kristie Elliott at ext.11, or Chris Grenier at ext. 15.

Please share our blog with those whom you know would like to visit the center between June 2 and June 14th and/or would like updates on Trinity Center happenings..

We hope to see you soon! Thank you.

May 1, 2013

Space still available for the Second Annual Crystal Coast Christian Women’s Retreat! Reserve your space now!

Second Annual Crystal Coast Christian Women’s Retreat

Beside Still Waters

Friday, May 10th at 5 pm to
Saturday, May 11th at 4 pm

http://www.encclassicalconversations.com/womens-retreat.html

Registration Deadline May 2

Trinity Center
Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Come and partake in a weekend of intentional planning to create a place where women can engage with each other, experience Christ in a new and deeper way, encourage one another in our journeys, and be enriched to grow in Christ and the work of His kingdom.

Who are Crystal Coast Christian Women?

We are a group of women standing on the truth of God’s Word. We hold that God reveals himself through the Bible, and it is wholly accurate, reliable and authoritative. We unite under the Biblical truth that Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died and rose again for the remission of our sins. We desire to welcome any woman who wishes to explore God’s word and the teachings of Jesus Christ. We believe that God’s love is unconditional and all encompassing. Our deepest wish is to build bridges through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Teens Only Venue Offered

We are having a special venue JUST FOR TEENS ages 13– 18. Please don’t miss this opportunity for your daughter to be blessed by an amazing breakouts, testimonies and worship!! They will have their own bunk house and meeting area for the break out sessions.

Teen rate is $65.00 (does not include the bracelet). All teen girls must be accompanied by an adult.

Breakout Sessions

Option One: “Write Your Heart” – Krisan Murphy

Write Your Heart, designed for both novice and seasoned writers, is a fast-paced, fun writing workshop which focuses on both method and message. By the end of the session participants will have completed four writing assignments and received resources to promote writing at home.

Krisan Murphy is Christian – a cheerleader of those who seek Jesus and a guide to those who don’t – a wife of 32 years, and mother of four. She holds a B.A. in English from UTA and works as a writer and homeschooling mom. Her love of writing began in the fifth grade when she received accolades for penning a not-very-flattering sketch of her teacher who yawned behind her history book. Krisan writes children’s literature, nonfiction, literary flash fiction. Her book reviews are published by Children’s Lit. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Parenthood 2013 published her essay, Outside My Reach. She has received awards and honors for her writing and is a member of Carteret Writers, Seascribes, and SCBWI.

Participants are asked to bring a spiral notebook and pen for this workshop.

Option Two: “Paper Water” Ann Boyer LePere

Part one: Brief presentation – “the Christian, the Arts and the Culture” Extensive handout and reading list.

Part two: Playing with paper to make a “still waters” collage in liquid blues, sea glass green, satin gold, shimmering silver and fluid turquoise.

Ann Boyer LePere was hardwired as a visual gal. With God-granted “artist eyes” she gravitated toward drawing and painting the human face and form. A career as a portrait painter was a natural and you can poke around www.annboyerlepere.com to learn all about that. But this breakout session will not involve portraiture…or drawing…or painting.

As a Christian, wife, mother, grandmother AND artist, Ann is troubled by the way a post-modern worldview uses the arts (music, movies, video games, books, etc.) to shape our beliefs and culture. Part one will outline the quotation handout and reading list. Topics: Art relating to God, the Church, the Christian and the culture. Part two will relax into a light-hearted time of play: cutting, tearing, pasting, sprinkling, chatting with your neighbor and sharing your markers.

Participants will be required to submit an $10.00 supply fee for this workshop.

Option Three: “Called to Worship with Movement…Banners” – Worship Team

One way to “move” and have our being in the Lord is through banners: an outward demonstration of an inward adoration to our Lord and Savior. The movement with banners that we will be presenting is worship, not pageantry. Join us simply to observe this form of worship for understanding or to participate in the movement. Learn to experience the presence of and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit through banner worship.

Option Four: “Personal Restoration” – Personal Quiet Time Alone with the Savior

We believe that as women we often engage in activity and play the role of a Martha when Jesus desires us to be Mary. For this reason we are offering the option for a breakout session specifically designed for you to have quiet time alone with the Savior or perhaps with one of the women from our shepherding team in prayer and time of soul restoration. It is vital for us to “be still and know that He is God” and in order to fulfill the knowing part of this command one must be still. Therefore, please feel free to choose this option as an opportunity for soul refreshment with the Savior. We respectfully ask that you are intentional in this focus, and utilize the amazing grounds of the Trinity Center to spend time with Lord.

Broadcast Share-Wear is “Prayerfully and Purposefully Designed, Scripture-Based Jewelry, a Tool for Witnessing and Sharing the Light of Christ.

Let the Rocks Cry Out…” …I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out…”
— Luke 19:40
To Broadcast the Seeds of the Gospel… “For just as rain and snow fall from heaven, and do not return there without saturating the earth, and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and will prosper in what I send it [to do].” Isaiah 55:10-11 (Hollman Christian Standard)
Designer’s Bio

Carla Weist of Emerald Isle, NC, has been designing jewelry since 1991. Inspired by her husband’s request to have her make a masculine necklace for his birthday and her dying grandfather’s encouraging words, who said she had “an eye for creative color and shape combinations,” Carla has developed and grown in her craft over the past twenty-two years. Formerly a high school English teacher, Carla has been home with her three children since 1996. She has enjoyed the blessing of homeschooling through the years and with Classical Conversations since 2009. Presently, she shares at women’s events and retreats where she leads the guests through a scripture-based design complete with a song, giving meaning to the jewelry on which her Broadcast Share-Wear pieces are based.

“When my husband and I were expecting our first daughter, we prayed for God to make a way for me to be home with her. Sixteen years later, the Lord continues to faithfully and abundantly provide above what we could ask or think. He guides our family to places where we are able to testify to the love of God we have experienced through the years in obedient faith. The call of our hearts is to encourage and sharpen others in their own personal journeys in relationship with Jesus Christ, rooted and grounded in the Word of God.”