About Us

Our Story

Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Laurel Ridge Camp offers summer camps, mission camps, year-round programming, and rental facilities to communities of faith, non-profit organizations, businesses, and individuals for their use and enjoyment. Owned and operated by the Southern Province of the Moravian Church in America, Laurel Ridge has offered youth, families, churches, and organizations an incredible mountain location for relaxation, recreation, reflection, and renewal since 1960.

In May 1953, a group of dedicated members of the of the Moravian Church Southern Province had the vision to purchase land to serve as a place where the Province could hold summer camps and annual conferences. Uniquely positioned in the three counties of Ashe, Alleghany and Wilkes County (and rising 3500 feet above sea level), Laurel Ridge began with 115 acres of land purchased with a gift of $12,000 from the young people of the Moravian Church. Over time, with additional gifts and land purchases, the camp grew to a total of 688 acres. Since the opening of the Summer Camp in 1960, Laurel Ridge has seen many changes and much growth. We thank God for the vision and the faithfulness of the many people who were instrumental in starting and maintaining this ministry.

Our Board

Laurel Ridge Camp, Conference, and Retreat Center is led by a Board of Directors. Our Board is comprised of fifteen members who represent the congregants within the Moravian Church Southern Province. They work with the staff to provide guidance and direction so that Laurel Ridge remains true to its mission and focused on its vision.

Our Moravian Heritage

For Moravians, Christianity is grounded in the living experience of faith in Christ, active love for others, and joyful hope. We believe that this living relationship with Christ is born and nurtured in local faith communities, in relationship with and in service to one another and the world.

The Moravian Church is one of the oldest Protestant churches in the world. Followers of Czech reformer Jan Hus began what was known as the Unitas Fratrum 60 years before Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation. German religious reformers and refugees reimagined the church in the 18th century and became pioneers in mission.

When the early Moravian Church was founded in 1457, our spiritual ancestors embraced the idea that the New Testament tells us clearly what is essential: everything the church does should be for the purpose of building people up in faith, in love, and in hope.

Moravians share common beliefs with most Christian churches. Our guiding principle captures the essence of Moravians well:

According to Moravian teaching, these are the essentials:

• God’s grace: God creates, God saves, God blesses us; and
• Our response: We respond in faith, love, and hope.

We have faith in what God has done and is doing; we love God, love ourselves, love our neighbors and love our enemies. Above all, we face the future with hope because God is with us and we are with God now and forever.

The members of the modern Moravian Church embrace and practice these essentials throughout our daily lives, bringing us ever closer to living as God calls us to live.

The Moravian Church is a worldwide church, with over a million members across the globe, most in Africa, and about 40,000 members in North America.