July 27, 2024
Senior Adult Homecoming Retreat is returning to the Golden Isles coast of Georgia in April. The retreat, geared for people age 55 and up, is a wonderful time of worship, Bible study/preaching, fun, and fellowship with other seniors from around the southeastern United States. One senior adult pastor likened the retreat to a “refreshing revival” while another said it had the atmosphere of an old-fashioned campmeeting.
The event will be held APRIL 8-10, 2024 at Epworth-By-The-Sea on Saint Simons Island, Ga. A $50 per person deposit will hold your spot. Space is limited and it WILL fill up quickly.
Program
The Homecoming Retreat is sponsored by music evangelist Jeff Cleghorn and Cleghorn Music Ministries, Inc. Jeff has been in full-time music evangelism for fifteen years and has shared his music ministry in eleven states and two foreign countries performing piano solo concerts, leading worship for revivals, and providing worship supply, as well as hosting conferences like this one. Jeff has a heart for senior adults and is excited to be your host for the retreat.
Our retreat pastor for the Spring is Dr. Emir Caner. Dr. Caner is one of the greatest Bible expositors of this generation and will be bringing God's Word to us in four messages during the retreat. The president of Truett-McConnell University in Cleveland, GA, Dr. Caner was raised a Sunni Muslim and became a Christian as a teenager. In addition to providing the preaching for our worship services, he will also be leading break-out sessions on Tuesday morning related to his Muslim heritage.
Chosen Road will be in concert on Monday night. Chosen Road is an exceptional band with a unique and captivating sound blending world-class Appalachian instrumentation with a passion for sharing and living the Gospel. Expect to enjoy Gospel music, classic hymns, and even some bluegrass--all with an Appalachian mountain flair.
Then, on Tuesday night, Ed Wiley will take the stage. Ed is a Christian family comedian from South Georgia and will be joined by his son for an evening of laughter (which God's Word says does good like a medicine) and clean entertainment.
Plus, there will be an old-fashioned hymn sing, break-out workshops covering a variety of topics, fun and games, lots of food, Christian fellowship, and a wonderful time of just pulling away and enjoying the presence of God for a little while. Perennial favorite Lee Hill, worship pastor at Maysville Baptist Church in Maysville, GA will be leading worship and helping with the hosting responsibilities.
Looking ahead to the October retreat if April is too soon for you, the event will be October 28-30, 2024 and will feature Dr. Jim Perdue as the retreat pastor with concerts by The Mark Trammell Quartet and The Erwins. Jeff Cleghorn will be your host and Lee Hill will be joining him as well.
Registration
A $50 per person deposit must be paid to secure your reservation. Final payments/balances must be paid by March 15, 2024. Group reservations are preferred, but individual reservations are gladly accepted as well. To register, call the Cleghorn Music Ministries office at (478) 396-8139. Do not call the conference center for reservations! Your registration must be done through Cleghorn Music Ministries for this event.
Rooms will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Most rooms have two queen beds. Some are available with one king bed, and a very small number have two twin beds. All of the rooms are nice and well-maintained, but the riverfront rooms with balconies are considered "premium" and have an additional fee. All hotels on property have elevator access, but there are a very limited number of "handicap accessible" rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis as well.
History
Originally sponsored as a ministry of the Georgia Baptist Conference Center in Toccoa, the retreat was suspended during the global pandemic in 2020. The Toccoa conference center was subsequently closed, leaving nothing for the 55+ crowd. Your host, Jeff Cleghorn, had been a co-host of the event at Toccoa since 2007 and felt an immense burden to continue the retreats in some fashion. After much prayer and searching, Senior Adult Homecoming was reborn under the auspices of Cleghorn Music Ministries with the first retreat held in April 2022 at Epworth-By-The-Sea on Saint Simons Island, GA. Subsequent retreats have been held each April and October since that time and seen growth in each of them. Past preachers have included Dr. Robby Foster from Valdosta, Dr. Mike Stone from Blackshear, and Dr. Jim Perdue from Warner Robins. Guests have enjoyed music by The Whisnants, The Mark Trammell Quartet, Allison Speer, The Mylon Hayes Family as well as entertainment by Jane Herlong and Gracie and Lacy.
To find information about upcoming retreats, visit the website at www.senioradulthomecoming.com. There is a Frequently Asked Questions page that you might find particularly useful as well as testimonials from previous attendees. Brochures for upcoming retreats are also available on the website as downloadable PDF files to use in promoting the event in your own church.
There is also a Facebook page. Search it out at Senior Adult Homecoming Retreat. When you find it, click Like/Follow to keep up with the retreat page. Share it with your friends as well. There are pictures and videos from past retreats, and current retreat information is available on the Facebook page as well. Make sure you Share and invite your friends to Like/Follow us.
God has blessed these retreats in the past, and there is expectation that they will continue to grow and be used by the Lord to encourage His people for many years to come. Start contacting your group today. Registration is open now for this Spring or next Fall. Come join us on the island in April!
