“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. Lord, You will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from You.”
Isaiah 26: 3-4, 12 (NLT)
Greetings from Carmel
I was blessed to be one of the facilitators for the women’s retreat with Suria Scholtz (Ethnos), Debbie Veysie (George Methodist) and the rest of the team. We spent the weekend reflecting on the seasons of our lives with a recognition that every season, whether we experience it as “good” or “bad”, is an opportunity for the LORD to draw us to Him, reveal more of His character and refine who we are in Him.
Currently we are all having chilly, winter days, and it may be a mirror of how we are experiencing our spiritual life. I would encourage us to keep our thoughts fixed on our Father no matter the season we are in, trusting that because He is our eternally faithful foundation, He will keep us in perfect and constant peace.
We honour the Lord for how He has ministered to those who came to the Ethnos Ablaze Kids Camp and the Women’s retreat this past month at Carmel. The testimonies of Him personally meeting with so many have been truly incredible. Our annual Prime Plus Ministry event takes place in September and you can read more below in our Ministry section.
School Holidays are a special time at Carmel for all to come together to create memories to last a life time. As we enter Spring, we have the September school holidays and then the Summer time December/January holidays. We are almost fully booked for the year-end holidays so be sure to book your camping or B&B accommodation soon to experience school holidays at Carmel.
GOD bless and keep you all,
Suzanne Mackay
The Carmel Trustees
Greetings from the Ministry Team
Earlier in July, we ran the annual Women’s Retreat and also had the privilege of hosting the Ethnos Ablaze Kids Camp. We give thanks to God for his incredible presence during these events and the blessings He brought upon all who attended.
From 16-20 September we will be running the annual Prime Plus week and our Pastor’s Appreciation Retreat runs until the end of November. Further details for these events can be read below with more info on our Ministry webpage.
Our annual Women’s Retreat held in July was a glorious celebration of rest, wellness, creativity, quiet, worship and fellowship all wrapped together.
Thanks to various speakers, the topics on “Navigating our Seasons and Cultivating our Hearts ABOVE All Else” were thoughtfully and creatively presented.
Participants could choose from multiple workshops and activities on Saturday before we came together to celebrate God’s faithfulness as He met each woman needing encouragement.
Through the gentle working of the Holy Spirit in each woman’s heart and a wild wind raging outside our chapel, we took holy communion on Sunday with joy and thankfulness – restored and repurposed!
From the 1st – 3rd of July we had the privilege of hosting a kids camp called Ablaze. We had about 150 children and teens from our surrounding areas in George, including: Conville, Pacaltsdorp, Rosemore, Borcherds and Golden Valley.
The theme for the camp was Amazing Race, based off of Hebrews 12:1-2. The camp provided the space to encourage the kids on how to run the amazing race of life, by helping them to realize that God has created them on purpose for a purpose. And making them aware of how God is so intentional by giving them specific gifts and talents to use for His glory. But also encouraging them with stories from the Bible and certain characters who were born for a specific purpose.
It was a week filled with lots of worship, learning about God, games and loving on the children! We are so grateful that we could host this Ethnos event and that Ethnos are just as invested in the next generation as we are!
Monday 16th – Friday 20th September 2024
Presented by:
Harry and Margie Munnings with Heather Davies
Designed for retired people, the programme will focus on the life of Joy. The topics covered will be introduced and then used individually as times of quiet reflection or discussed in small groups.
Each morning, we will start with a time of worship in the chapel. We will enjoy a lovely breakfast and dinner in the Carmel dining room, and the usual great times of fellowship around the tables.
There will be plenty of free time to relax and enjoy the gardens, or rest. Also fun, including a visit to Victoria Bay beach, croquet, and short walks, and in the evenings; games and a movie night.
To fully experience the Prime Plus week we encourage you to stay at Carmel for the 5 days but day visitors are also welcome to join over the time. The options and pricing to attend Prime Plus can be found by clicking the link below.
To book your place, please contact the Carmel office on 044-889-0019 or email bookings@carmelmail.co.za
Until 30 November 2024
Over the next 4 months, we desire to provide our appreciation for the integral role of all pastors in spreading the ministry of Christ, our Saviour to the world. Over this time we welcome all pastors and their spouse to take a time of rest (emotional, physical and spiritual) at Carmel to restore and reconnect.
There is a special rate offered for a 2 night stay, including Sea View accommodation, breakfast and dinner for 2 people sharing.
The time is not a organised retreat but a time for you to take rest at a time that suits your schedule, within the loving community of Carmel.
If you are a pastor of would like to sponsor a couple’s retreat, please contact the Carmel office on 044-889-0019 or email bookings@carmelmail.co.za to find out more.
September: 21 – 29 September 2024
Year End: 12 December 2024 – 14 January 2025
The School Holidays are a special time at Carmel, for all to come together for rest and a good amount of holiday fun. Enjoy Carmel’s many indoor and outdoor activities, garden trails and quiet spaces and let us take care of your daily coffee fix, breakfast, lunch and dinner at the The Table Restaurant and Shop.
For the full Carmel experience, book your camping or B&B accommodation or if you live nearby, join as us a day visitor to enjoy all that Carmel has to offer.
On select days, the Carmel team run activities for kids of all ages and adults too. To experience School Holidays at Carmel, watch our December holiday highlights video below.
To book your camping or B&B accommodation, contact the office on 044-889-0019 or email bookings@carmelmail.co.za
Experience our Group Hospitality
Break away from the bustle of life to experience Carmel for your next group retreat, conference or day-event.
Come together for a time of restoration, networking and growth. Make your group visit an experience to remember through our range of accommodation, dining and meeting venues, while enjoying our breath-taking Victoria Bay views, beautiful gardens and quiet spaces too.
Ethnos Ministry Events
Ethnos Ministry International will also be running their ‘Table Talks‘ and ‘PAUSE’ conferences on the below dates. You can contact Suria on 082 333 6201 to find out more and book.
Carmel Prayer Room
If you would like to be a part of the Wednesday Prayer Room, we pray in the chapel every Wednesday morning from 07h00 – 08h00.
We pray that God may continue to fill our guests with renewed hope, enthusiasm and restoration.
We pray that Carmel will continue to be fruitful place, bringing the much needed restoration our guests are seeking and that God’s blessings may be poured over them. May God’s presence be at Carmel as it is in heaven.
We would love for you to partner with us in prayer for Carmel. Please continue to hold the staff of Carmel and the Carmel Community in prayer.
If you would like to share any words the Lord has given you during your prayer time for Carmel and the ministries, we would love to hear from you! You can email us at news@carmelmail.co.za
Carmel's ongoing legacy
The shared testimonies over the many years of Carmel’s history inspire confidence. God continues to be at work and use Carmel for His ministry. So many leave rested, encouraged, and restored, by the love of Jesus. The ripple effects of Carmel continue into eternity. All praise be to God!
In being able to continue the work of Carmel for future generations to come, we are seeking our valued guests and friends of Carmel for donations or bequests, in leaving a legacy into Carmel’s future. There are many specific projects we have on our hearts to implement the mission of Carmel, and many ways in which to become involved.
If being a part of Carmel’s legacy is on your heart, we would love to share our vision and projects with you in more detail and how you can be a part of Carmel’s bright future.