Coordinated by South Church in Andover, The Giving Garden is an organic garden at Rolling Ridge that relies on volunteers from spring to fall. Together, they grow over 10,000 pounds of fresh, healthy vegetables each year for food pantries in the Greater Lawrence area. 90% of the harvest is donated, while the remaining 10% is served as farm-to-table produce in the Rolling Ridge dining room. It's a cycle of planting, tending, and giving back that nourishes the body, the human spirit, and the earth itself. Individual volunteers and groups are welcome to sign up to help!
The men in Illuman's emerging New England region gather as an informal independent association, seeking a transformative spirituality to become better, more authentic men. Informed by the wisdom of forgiveness, radical inclusivity, and contemplatives like Father Richard Rohr, they support each other's spiritual growth through monthly council gatherings. Their experiences show that unresolved pain gets transmitted, so they aim to transform it through the fellowship of men and a power greater than themselves. Illuman helps men pursue a life-changing journey toward authenticity and wholeness.
The Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy (ISHA) offers certificate training in Healing Touch Spiritual Ministries (HTSM). Participants receive comprehensive training in energy-based healing techniques that aim to restore harmony and balance within the human energy system. The program explores the use of gentle touch to influence the energy field and aromatherapy practices that employ essential oils to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Guided by experienced instructors, students delve into these holistic modalities integrating spirituality.
Nature Play With Kay offers engaging programs for children up to 10 years old. Led by Kay Milligan, these programs connect kids with nature through creative, play-based learning, helping youngsters build confidence and a healthy relationship with the outdoors. A core offering is the Tinkergarten curriculum, designed for children (18 months to 8 years) with their caregivers. This program uses the wonders of the natural world as a giant play space, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a love for the environment.
Founder Christine Cohne launched Nature’s Pace in 2018 to reconnect people of all ages with nature and inspire personal wellness. Their programs use sensory play to encourage exploration and mindfulness. Through constructive play and exploration, children can experience the joy of climbing trees, building forts, and playing in all weather conditions. Adults can participate in hikes, yoga, and forest bathing walks designed to heighten awareness of the natural world.
North Shore SING (Spirituality in Nature Group) provides monthly outdoor events via hiking/snowshoeing, kayaking/canoeing. Based on the North Shore of Massachusetts and Ipswich River Watershed, we explore beautiful trails and rivers, lakes, and ocean. We offer a contemplative, meditative experience for deepening spiritually in the midst of nature. North Shore SING is affiliated with the Center for Spirituality in Nature, a nationwide interfaith organization. Each SING is unique and deeply rooted in their local community, exploring the intersection of nature and the spiritual/contemplative life. North Shore SING (the first in Massachusetts) is rooted in our home watershed of the Ipswich River and within the communities of the North Shore.
Pray and Paddle, a kayaking and canoeing ministry of Rolling Ridge coordinated by Rev. Kent Harrop, invites you to a contemplative and meditative paddling experience on the serene Lake Cochichewick in North Andover, MA. Known as "cascading water" to the indigenous Pennacook people, this 565-acre natural reservoir is free of powerboats and is the perfect setting to deepen spirituality amid nature. Pray and Paddle offers guided opportunities for contemplation while paddling on the lake, based on the ancient Christian practice of lectio divina, and frequently focuses on the writings of ancient and modern authors, as well as poets, activists, and mystics.
The Northeast Retreat Center Network is an informal gathering of retreat center directors and professionals who meet for support and resourcing. We meet monthly online on the second Wednesday of the month at 9:30 am via Zoom, and we gather annually in-person for a retreat at one of our partnering sites.
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The Retreat Center Collaboration is a community of practice for retreat center leaders and their allies from across the United States and Canada. Community members are rooted in common core values, exchange best practices, and foster innovation to strengthen the retreat center sector.
The United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries Association (UMCRM) is a membership organization open to all who share our mission: "Committed to the mission of The United Methodist Church, UMCRM resources, advocates, inspires, and networks to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of camp and retreat ministries."
The New England Conference of the United Methodist Church (NEUMC) is a regional body of the United Methodist Church and the parent organization of Rolling Ridge. The NEUMC supports nearly 600 churches and ministries across six New England states and provides resources, guidance, and coordination for the United Methodist presence in this region. For more than seventy-five years, Rolling Ridge has served as a ministry of the NEUMC, as part of its large Camping and Retreat Ministry.
For more than twenty-five years, the United Methodist Foundation of New England has served churches, agencies, clergy, and individuals within the New England Conference. They strengthen churches and agencies through financial services and support, while equipping clergy with resources for effective leadership and personal development. They also help individuals embrace faithful stewardship through planned giving, as with our Arches Society. This website was made possible through generous grants from the UMFNE. Rolling Ridge is grateful for their partnership and support.
Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center
660 Great Pond Road
North Andover, MA, 01845
thestaff@rollingridge.org
Phone: (978) 682-8815
Fax: (978) 681-1162
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