How Should My Student Dress?

In order to promote respect for ourselves and for the opposite sex, clear guidelines with regards to dress have been established for summer conferences. Please review these guidelines as you prepare your children for the conference and pack accordingly.

- Shirts should touch the waistline of shorts/pants/skirts and should cover the stomach and back. Furthermore, shorts should not be tight or low cut. There should be no exposure of cleavage or undergarments (this includes boxer shorts).

- Shorts/skirts should be no shorter than fingertip length (when a person is standing up straight with the arms hanging straight down, their fingertips should be touching their shorts/skirts).

- Clothing should not display sexually suggestive or offensive pictures or words.

- Modesty is the key! Respect the conference staff’s decisions concerning the appropriateness of your attire.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own for you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor
God with your body.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“But among you there must not be even a hint of sexually immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper
for God’s holy people.”

Ephesians 5:3

What Does My Student Need To Bring?

What To Bring:

- Modest seasonally appropriate clothes

           - Be sure to check the weather for Flat Rock, NC

- Sleeping bags/sheets, pillows, towel, and washcloth (if your student is staying in Bonclarken housing be sure to bring these!)

- Toiletries: soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant

- Bible and pen

Optional:

- For Ropes Activities: closed toed, lace-up shoes

- For the Nibble Nook: spending money for snacks

What NOT To Bring:

- Tobacco

- Firearms/weapons

- Alcohol

- Each church group makes its own decision regarding whether students may bring digital devices.

Who do I contact if one of my students gets locked out?

     We will give out the cell number of a Retreat Planning Team member at the Friday night leader’s meeting. 

What can our group do during free time on Saturday?

     At Bonclarken…
        - New Heights Zipline and Climbing Tower
        - Disc Golf
        - Youth “Back Porch”
        - Sports & Game Tournaments

     Off Campus…
        - Carl Sandburg House and Glassy Mountain Trail are in walking distance
        - Downtown Hendersonville
        - Blue Ridge Parkway

What time do we need to be out of our rooms on Sunday morning?

     Please bring your keys to Sunday morning worship to be turned in, and plan to leave with your group from there.  If for some reason you need to remain in your housing until after Sunday morning worship, you may do so, but you must turn your group’s keys in to the Bonclarken office before you leave.  Remember that churches will be billed for any lost keys.

Who do I contact if there is a medical emergency?

     Neither the Middle School Retreat nor Bonclarken staffs any trained medical personnel.  It is the responsibility of each individual church to provide for the medical needs of their students, should they arise.  If an incident occurs on Bonclarken property, please notify one of the Retreat Directors ASAP.

Nearest Hospital:

Pardee Hospital
800 N. Justice St.
Hendersonville, NC 28791

Who is in charge here?

     This retreat is a cooperative effort of the Christian Education committees of First, Catawba and Grace Presbyteries.  Those committees are directly responsible for the retreat.  Bonclarken Conference Center is our wonderful home for the weekend, providing housing, food, and recreational activities, however they do not administrate or “run" the event.

What do I do if I miss the Registration Deadline?

     We want to accommodate every group and every student, that they may hear the Word of God and be encouraged, but please keep in mind that our resources are limited, and we have to work closely with Bonclarken to be sure everyone is housed and fed.  So, please do everything you can to be registered on time.  You will help the retreat be the best it can be.  If too many groups register late, we may not be able to accommodate everyone.  Groups registering late will not receive retreat t-shirts if t-shirts are advertised. To receive our t-shirts in time for the event we place the order for them the day after the registration deadline. If your group registers late we are not withholding t-shirts as a punishment, we simply will not have them to give because they were not ordered.