The annual MK Thanksgiving Retreat is an event for stateside based, college-age Assemblies of God World Missions MKs. Thanksgiving is the first family-oriented holiday of the academic year. With parents on the field, we take this opportunity to create a place to welcomed, celebrate, and be loved. The MK Thanksgiving Retreat provides an environment where MKs can come together for a few days to build relationships, find support for cultural adjustments, and spend time together in worship.
All Assemblies of God MKs (active or non-active) that are:
1) Living stateside,
2) A High School Graduate, and
3) Between the ages of 18 and 22 by the first day of the retreat.
If this is your first year to attend Thanksgiving Retreat and your parents are active foreign missionaries, there will be no cost to you.
If you have attended in previous years, your family will be responsible only for airfare. Airfare is a (00) expense as funds are available. If your parents’ (00) is not healthy enough, the MK program will still cover the cost of airfare.
If your parents are no longer active missionaries, you are still invited to attend. The only cost to you will be airfare to Denver. All lodging, meals, and activities* are included in the retreat. The MK office does not pay for or reimburse the cost of luggage. You will be responsible for paying for your luggage. You will also need to bring your own spending money for snacks, shopping, etc.
*Skiing and snowboarding are considered major activities. The MK program will cover the cost of these activities for two of the three days of retreat.
Young Life’s Crooked Creek Ranch is a 1,000-acre lodge and conference center just outside of Winter Park CO. It is a beautiful facility with mountain views and clean comfortable accommodations. For more photos of the facility check them out on Facebook!
You will fly into Denver airport and a bus service will shuttle you to the retreat site.
November 22nd- November 26th, 2022
You will travel to Denver and on to Winter Park on Wednesday, November 22nd.
You will travel outbound from Denver on Sunday, November 26th. Most outbound flights are scheduled for mid- to late afternoon to allow time for the buses to come down from the mountains in daylight.
Registration goes live August 1st.
Fill out the online pre-registration form in FULL and submit it by October 14, 2023.
Registrations received after October 14th, will incur a late charge of $25, per week, based on the date the registration is received, plus any difference in airfare due to late registration. The late fee will be payable in cash (ONLY) at check-in and will be a personal expense.
For airfare and logistical reasons, we are unable to accept any registrations after October 26, 2023.
Before you click “Register” on the form, you will be asked to agree to a code of conduct for the retreat. We cannot process your registration for Thanksgiving Retreat without your agreement to this code of conduct. Please read the agreement in full before submitting it to the MK Office.
The MK Office will arrange all travel through Adelman Travel, regardless of billing. This ensures everyone arrives and departs within very specific windows of time to facilitate the shuttle buses to Winter Park.
Your ticket will be purchased electronically based on the information provided on your registration form. It will be emailed to you no later than mid-October, depending on the date you register. The email will come from Jennifer Hayes at Adelman Travel, and will contain “2022 ISMK Thanksgiving Retreat” in the subject line. Please monitor your email regularly, as sometimes the tickets get caught in junk mail filters.
The MK Program is not able to pay any baggage fees. Please plan on paying these yourselves. For most airlines, baggage fees will be due at the time of check-in on both your inbound and outbound flights.
On the day of travel, please do not get bumped off a flight to receive a travel voucher en route to retreat. If you do, you will be personally responsible for transportation to Crooked Creek Ranch from the airport. Any fees resulting from a voluntary bumped flight will be personal.
Also, please note that your return trip will begin at 6 am, as all MKs depart the retreat at the same time. The MK Office and staff need ample time to tear down and clean the facility before departing on the same day. If you have a flight after 5 pm, you will be given a second meal voucher by the MK Office Cashier.
You will need to tell us on your registration form, based on your location, which airport is most logical for you to fly out of. If you do not know, type “unknown” into the field and we will find out for you. School calendars vary, so please check if you will be flying from the airport closest to your school, or if you will be on break and need to fly from an alternate location. Failure to do so may mean a costly change of ticket.
Transportation to and from the airport is up to you**. If you would like to know if there are other MKs in your area going to the same airport who might be able to carpool, contact the MK Office and we will do our best to help you.
**SAGU students have traditionally been transported to the airport by the Missions program at SAGU.
The MK Office is open Monday-Friday, from 8:00 AM-4:30 PM CST. Please feel free to contact us at any time to let us know how we can help you. Our phone number is (417) 862-2781 x 2040, or you can email us at mkoffice@ismk.org.
Most flights are scheduled first thing in the morning on Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving to leave enough time not only for the flight but also the travel up into the mountains before dark. Even if you are scheduled for a class, most students find they are able to get an excused absence. Please talk to your professor well in advance. Explain the purpose of the retreat and ask for an excused absence. The MK office can provide an official letter to your professor if you need it. Nearly all MKs attending the retreat miss a class or two to come.
If, after speaking to your professor, you find that an early departure time still creates a problem for you, please contact us directly so we can work out a travel arrangement that will allow you to attend your class and still attend the retreat.
We are so glad you are coming! We will send you more information via email by November 1st. The emails from the MK office will always have “2023 ISMK Thanksgiving Retreat” in the subject line. Make sure to add us to your safe sender’s list.
Warm clothes:
Boots, a heavy coat (if participating in snow activities, we recommend a waterproof outer layer), sweater, sweatshirt, gloves, heavy socks, ear protection/or scarf, hat, and don’t forget to wear layers. (Also, there is a 40 person hot tub, so students are encouraged to pack a modest swimsuit).
(There is no need to spend a ton of money on expensive coats and accessories. Remember that secondhand and thrift stores often have items that you need for a fraction of the cost.)
Medication:
Be sure to pack prescription meds. We will have a nurse on call at the retreat, but she will not have access to pharmaceuticals. The MK Office is not allowed to dispense over-the-counter medications. If you decide not to pack them, there is a Safeway in Fraser, CO.
Insurance Card:
The MK Office and Crooked Creek Ranch need your insurance card or a copy of it to verify insurance information before anyone participates in any activities.
Spending Money:
There is a small snack shop that will be open after services each night. Please plan on bringing enough spending money for that. Fraser and Winter Park have several shops that students can go to as an activity.
Please keep in mind that the MK Office is unable to pay for or reimburse the cost of luggage. You will be responsible for paying for your own luggage beyond a carry-on and personal item.