Reconnect, reflect, and reimagine faith and family at Sacred Connections, a transformative five-day retreat at Zephyr Point. Designed for parents and young people (ages 13-18), this retreat invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and nurture meaningful conversations about spirituality, identity, and connection. Through guided workshops, creative activities, and reflective practices, families will gain practical tools for integrating faith into daily life while exploring sacred moments of wonder and joy.
Whether you’re seeking to heal past wounds, deepen your understanding of faith, or simply grow closer as a family, this retreat provides a sacred space for growth, connection, and transformation. Leave with fresh insights, a stronger sense of togetherness, and personalized practices to bring sacred listening into your everyday lives.
This retreat is for parents and their young people (ages 13-18) who are curious about exploring faith, fostering deeper relationships, and opening up conversations about spirituality. Whether your family is well-versed in spiritual practices or just starting to explore what faith means, this experience is designed to meet you where you are and guide you toward greater connection and understanding.
Sacred Listening is a practice of intentional, nonjudgmental listening that invites deeper understanding, empathy, and connection. By setting aside distractions and listening fully to one another, families can create spaces where stories, values, and spiritual experiences are shared authentically and safely.
For families, Sacred Listening is transformative. It strengthens bonds, fosters curiosity about each other’s beliefs, and provides a way to approach even the most challenging conversations with compassion and respect. This practice becomes a foundation for navigating the complexities of faith and life together, enriching family dynamics and creating lasting memories.
Come as you are. This retreat is open to families of all backgrounds, affiliations, and practices. Whether you identify with a specific religion, are spiritually curious, or simply want to explore faith and connection in new ways, this workshop welcomes you. Together, we will cultivate curiosity, joy, and wonder about faith through Sacred Listening and deeper relationships. No specific religious practice or belief is required—just an open heart and a willingness to engage with your family and others in meaningful conversations.
Adults and teens will be invited to participate in three-days of workshop content facilitated by staff from Future of Faith. Throughout the day, there will be breakout sessions for parents and teens where they can have time for reflection, practice, and relationship building with their peers.
While the Sacred Listening tools are specifically designed for parents and youth ages 13-18, younger children are not excluded from the fun of this incredible retreat.
Children who have completed Kindergarten but are not yet old enough to participate in the main retreat are invited to participate in Camp Zephyr, an on-site day camp program run by the Zephyr Point Summer Staff. Camp Zephyr runs M-F 7:45AM-5:15PM daily. After the conclusion of camp, children will be able to rejoin their families for evening dinner and other evening activities. Children of this age group will automatically be enrolled in this program with registration for the Sacred Connections Family Retreat.
There will not be all day activiites planned for the littles, we will offer short childcare windows during the retreat during parent-focused sessions.
Zephyr Point is excited to partner with Future of Faith to offer this transformative event. Future of Faith develop and curate resources to help connect current and future generations with their faith lives. Our tools and resources support future connections to faith life by fostering sacred listening, gathering information with wonder and curiosity, and scaling meaningful relationships. We also elevate the work of others who are listening deeply and are committed to building the pathway to the future of faith.
Megan Bissell, M.A.Megan Bissell is the co-founder and Executive Director of Future of Faith and an applied sociologist and researcher who specializes in the lives of young people, relationships, and group dynamics. She has spent her career turning research into actionable insights that people can use to make meaningful impact. She has extensive experience leading research, facilitating workshops and educational programs, and consulting with organizations who want to enhance their relational and organizational dynamics.
Megan was previously Head of Research for both the Social Research Lab at the University of Northern Colorado and then at Springtide Research Institute. She served as the Vice President for Research at the National Catholic Educational Association. She has a B.A. and an M.A in Sociology.
Megan lives in Greeley, Colorado with her family of creatives, where she has no choice but to be inspired by those around her.
Josh Packard, Ph.D.Dr. Josh Packard is the co-founder of Future of Faith and one of the foremost experts in the spiritual lives of American youth and religious trends in the United States. He is an accomplished researcher in the sociology of religion and new forms of religious expression. He has authored numerous books and articles in both popular and academic outlets including Church Refugees: Sociologists reveal why people are DONE with church but not their faith, Meaning Making: 8 Values That Drive America’s Newest Generations, and the forthcoming Faithful Futures: Sacred Tools for Engaging Younger Generations.
Josh was previously a professor, founding Executive Director of Springtide Research Institute and Vice President of Strategy with the National Catholic Educational Association. He has a B.A. in English from Texas Lutheran University and Ph.D. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University.
He lives in Greeley, Colorado with his wife and teenage son where he is quickly becoming the third best golfer in his family of three.
Lodging Fees
Each family is required to register for at least one Tahoe Center hotel room. Depending on the needs of your family, you may desire to purchase additional room(s). You will be able to indicate this at the time of registration.
The Tahoe Center offers private hotel-style guest rooms on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Bed configurations vary, but most rooms are furnished with two Queens, but some rooms have additional twins as well. Each room has a private bathroom. The Tahoe Center is ADA accessible.
| Details | Rate (4 nights) |
|---|---|
| Tahoe Center Rooms (max 4 to 5ppl per room) *Rooms with a 5 person capacity are limited. | $600 per room /week |
| Additional rooms | $600 |
Individual Registration Fees:
Each family member must register for the event, which secures their room/board and participation in event activities for the week.
| Age | 2025 Rate |
|---|---|
| Baby/Toddler (0-2) | $0 |
| Pre-K (2-5 years) | $150 |
| Child (6-12) | $500 |
| Teen (13-18 years) | $650 |
| Adult (18+ years) | $650 |
Sample Registration Fee Breakdown:
A family of 4 (2 adults, 1 teen, 1 child) plans to attend the Family Retreat
1 Room: $600
Participant 1: Adult Participant – $ 650
Participant 2: Adult Participant – $ 650
Participant 3: Youth Participant – $ 650
Participant 4: Child Participant – $ 500
______________
TOTAL FEES = $3,050
*THIS SCHEDULE IS FOR REFERENCE ONLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE PRIOR TO THE 2025 EVENT*
Day 1: Arrival Day (Sunday)
Day 2: Reconnecting with Values and Spiritual Heritage (Monday)
Day 3: Embracing Ambiguity in Faith (Tuesday)
Day 4: Creativity and Connection Through a Sacred Lens (Wednesday)
Day 5: Departure Day (Thursday)
Check-in begins promptly at 4pm on the first day of your scheduled event. We are not able to accommodate early check-ins as there is much to prepare prior to the event.
If you are planning to arrive after 6pm, please refer to your welcome letter (distributed by email 30 days prior to arrival) for more information on how to acquire your keys.
All deposits are non-refundable after payment is made. Cancellations one month before the start date of the program are eligible for a refund or transfer of entire registration fee minus deposit to a different program within the year. Cancellations within one month before the start date of the program are eligible for a 50% refund or transfer of entire registration fee minus deposit to a different program within the year. Cancellation within two weeks of the start date of the program will receive no refund. Registrations paid will be eligible to transfer to a different program within that year.
Zephyr Point can accommodate any combination of Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-dairy, and Non-gluten* diets. We are not able to make special accommodations for food allergies, but invite you to ask food service staff for meal ingredients! Zephyr Point has an excellent salad bar available for all lunches and dinners as an alternative to the regularly scheduled meal.
* Zephyr Point does not have a celiac certified kitchen.
Zephyr Point is located in Zephyr Cove, NV just 3 miles away from the California/Nevada state line.
Arriving by Flight: Zephyr Point encourages participants who are flying to the conference to arrive at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), a 55-minuted drive to Zephyr Point. For those looking for transfer from Reno to the South Lake Taho area, we recommend scheduling a shuttle with the South Tahoe Airporter. This service will take you from the Reno/Tahoe International Airport into Stateline, NV (a quick 5 minute Uber/Lyft away from Zephyr Point). We recommend booking your arrival trip from RNO to the Golden Nugget, and your return from Bally’s to RNO. Zephyr Point does not offer shuttles to/from the Airporter stop.
Arriving by Car: The entry to the Zephyr Point property is located on US-50.
If you are traveling east on Highway 50 through South Lake Tahoe, we recommend passing Zephyr Point and turning around in Zephyr Cove to avoid making an unprotected left turn into the property.
If you are traveling west on Highway 50, pay close attention for the entry to Zephyr Point after passing through the street light located at the Zephyr Cove Resort. You will see our wooden entry sign approaching on your right.
Weather: Zephyr Point is located at 6,225ft elevation on the shores of Lake Tahoe. August in Tahoe generally has clear skies and comfortable temperatures ranging from daytime highs in the low 80s to overnight lows in the mid-to-low 50s to. Occasional thunderstorms visit as well. Please check the weather in advance of arrival and be prepared for rain.
Miscellaneous Items to Add to your Packing List:
Zephyr Point has high-speed internet access available in all indoor spaces across the property, including hotel-style rooms, lodges, cabins, Cabin 28 coffee shop, and meeting spaces.
To Register click on the “Registration Portal” button at the top of the page. Be sure to make a note of all dietary needs, mobility issues, and roommate requests during the registration process.
