Lake Junaluska Assembly Inc

LAKE JUNALUSKA ASSEMBLY, INC. IS AN AGENCY OF THE SOUTHEASTERN JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. LAKE JUNALUSKA ASSEMBLY, INC. UNDERSTANDS ITS MISSION TO BE A COMMUNITY OF CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY, BEAUTY, AND MINISTRY, HELPING ALL PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE GOD AND GROW AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORLD.

A PLACE OF SANCTUARYLAKE JUNALUSKA ASSEMBLY CONTINUES TO LIVE INTO ITS MISSION TO BE A PLACE OF CHRISTIAN HOSPITALITY WHERE LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED THROUGH RENEWAL OF SOUL, MIND AND BODY. AS WE HAVE EMERGED FROM THE ECONOMIC DISASTER CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, WE HAVE RESUMED HOSTING EVENTS AND PROVIDING HOSPITALITY FOR INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL ACROSS THE U.S. PURCHASE OF PROPERTYIN JANUARY 2021, WE WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THE WORLD METHODIST COUNCIL (WMC) HAD DECIDED TO MOVE ITS MUSEUM AND SELL ITS TWO PROPERTIES AT LAKE JUNALUSKA. ONE OF THE PROPERTIES WAS THE MUSEUM, WHICH HOUSED AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT ARTIFACTS TO THE METHODIST HERITAGE. THIS BUILDING HAD BEEN A GIFT TO THE WMC BY THE LAKE JUNALUSKA COMMUNITY IN 1955. THE OTHER PROPERTY WAS THE REYNOLDS WORLD HEADQUARTERS BUILDING. THE EXTERIOR OF THIS STRUCTURE IS A REPLICA OF THE RECTORY AT EPWORTH ENGLAND WHERE JOHN WESLEY WAS BORN. IT HAD BEEN GIFTED TO THE WMC BY ROYCE AND JAYNE REYNOLDS. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF DISCUSSION WITH THE WMC, LAKE JUNALUSKA WAS ABLE TO REACQUIRE THESE BUILDINGS FOR $1.25 MILLION. PLANS TO CONVERT THE FORMER MUSEUM BUILDING TO A MULTI-PURPOSE EVENT CENTER, NOW RENAMED THE WARREN CENTER, ARE CURRENTLY IN DEVELOPMENT. RE-OPENING RETURN OF LARGE GROUPS HOSPITALITY REVENUE IS THE CORE REVENUE FOR THIS ORGANIZATION. THE PANDEMIC HIT US HARD. IN 2020 WE FELL BELOW NORMAL LEVELS, AND IN 2021 WE WERE STILL BELOW NORMAL BUT BETTER THAN DURING THE PANDEMIC IN 2020. IN AUGUST 2021, THE SALVATION ARMY WAS THE FIRST LARGE EVENT TO RETURN. WE HOSTED OVER 75 EVENTS IN 2021 AND PROVIDED SPACE FOR MORE INDIVIDUALS SEEKING PERSONAL RENEWAL IN AT LEAST 18 YEARS. WE HAD OUR BEST-EVER OCTOBER AND DECEMBER IN 2021 DUE TO LEISURE TRAVEL.LAKE JUNALUSKA DID NOT ESCAPE THE IMPACT OF THE NATIONWIDE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY STAFFING SHORTAGE. IT HAS BEEN A BUMPY ROAD AT TIMES, BUT THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO MORE WITH LESS STAFF. BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THE STAFFING LEVEL WAS 275 OR MORE EMPLOYEES IN THE SUMMER SEASON AND 190 IN THE WINTER. DURING 2020 THE STAFF LEVEL DROPPED TO FEWER THAN 100 EMPLOYEES. THROUGHOUT 2021 STAFF WAS REHIRED AND, IN AUGUST 2021, THE LEVEL WAS AT 217 EMPLOYEES. PROVIDING SANCTUARY FOR THE COMMUNITY DURING CRISIS IN AUGUST 2021, HAYWOOD COUNTY EXPERIENCED A DEVASTATING FLOOD AS A RESULT OF HURRICANE FRED. ANTICIPATING THE STORM, LAKE JUNALUSKA WAS IN CONVERSATION WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS AND EXTENDED ITS FACILITIES TO ALL IN NEED. SWIFT-WATER RESCUE CREWS ARRIVED AS RAIN WAS STILL FALLING. LAKE JUNALUSKA PROVIDED THE FIRST RESPONDERS WITH LODGING AND MEALS. PRAYER MINISTRY LEADERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY PRAYED OVER EVERY SEAT BEFORE EACH MEAL. THE IMPACT WAS PHENOMENAL. THE LAKE JUNALUSKA STAFF AND COMMUNITY PROVIDED A SANCTUARY FOR THE RESCUE WORKERS WHILE THEY HELPED THOSE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE STORM. LAKE JUNALUSKA ALSO PARTNERED WITH HAYWOOD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SHELTER TO RESIDENTS WHO LOST THEIR HOMES AS A RESULT OF THE STORM. THE LAST OF THOSE RESIDENTS MOVED OUT OF TEMPORARY HOUSING IN DECEMBER.CHARITABLE GIVINGIN 2021, WE MET AND EXCEEDED OUR AMBITIOUS ANNUAL FUND GOAL OF $475,000. WE FINISHED THE YEAR WITH $629,754 IN GIFTS TO THE ANNUAL FUND, MORE THAN $154,750 OVER OUR GOAL. THE LAKE JUNALUSKA SOCIETY SAW CONTINUED GROWTH IN 2021, WITH 235 DONORS GIVING $1,000 OR MORE TO THE ANNUAL FUND. OF THESE 235 DONORS, 44 OF THEM WERE FIRST-TIME SOCIETY MEMBERS IN 2021.OVERALL CHARITABLE GIVING TO LAKE JUNALUSKA WAS UP IN 2021 FROM 2020. TOTAL CHARITABLE GIVING IN 2021 WAS $2,384,979 FROM 1,536 DONORS, COMPARED TO $1,823,608 FROM 1,443 DONORS IN 2020. THE LAKE JUNALUSKA LEGACY CIRCLE, OUR NEWLY NAMED PLANNED-GIVING PROGRAM, WAS LAUNCHED IN SPRING 2021. TO DATE, THE LAKE JUNALUSKA LEGACY CIRCLE IS MADE UP OF 25 HOUSEHOLDS.WE CONTINUE TO SEE CHARITABLE GIVING RESULTS THAT EXCEED HISTORIC AVERAGES.INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTSA GRAND TOTAL OF $927,928 OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OCCURRED IN 2021 AND INCLUDED IMPROVEMENTS AT THE GOLF COURSE, LAKE JUNALUSKA OUTFITTERS, WATER AND SEWER LINES, AS WELL AS RENOVATIONS AND NEW DECK FURNITURE AT YORK DINING COMMONS, ELEVATOR REPAIRS AT THE TERRACE AND RENOVATIONS TO LAMBUTH INN.FUNDING FROM NORTH CAROLINA FOR REPAIRS OF THE LAKE AND DAMLAKE JUNALUSKA RECEIVED A PROVISION IN THE NC STATE BUDGET TO REMOVE SEDIMENT FROM THE LAKE. STATE FUNDS WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR SHALLOW WATER DREDGING FOR NAVIGATIONAL PURPOSES. ALTHOUGH NOT ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR OUR LOCATION, THE PROVISION HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO LAKES. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT IT IS LEGAL FOR US TO RECEIVE $1.5M IN STATE FUNDING THAT WE CAN USE FOR BUILDING ROADS TO ACCESS THE LAKE AND FOR REMOVAL, TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL OF SEDIMENT.CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO OUR VISION ASPIRATION 1: TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE LAKE AND GROUNDS SO THAT MORE PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF GOD'S CREATION. ASPIRATION 2: TO BE A CONFERENCE CENTER THAT RIVALS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY LEADERS BY EXCEEDING GUESTS' EXPECTATIONS THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN STAFF AND FACILITIES. ASPIRATION 3: TO BE THE PLACE THAT CONNECTS MORE YOUTH TO CHRIST THROUGH MEANINGFUL MINISTRY, RECREATION, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. ASPIRATION 4: TO IDENTIFY, UPHOLD, AND STRENGTHEN THE LAKE JUNALUSKA TRADITION OF IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE, SHARED EXPERIENCES FOR BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT CELEBRATE FAITH, RECREATION, THE ARTS, AND EDUCATION. ASPIRATION 5: TO BE AN INVOLVED, INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS AND GUESTS.