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SEPTEMBER 17th - 19th 2021

MARS HILL, NC

Discover yourself and the world around you in a new light, free of dogma.

It has always been the mission of Recovering from Religion to help those struggling with doubt, seeking answers, and moving away from religion and a religious lifestyle. In the 12 years we’ve been helping people, what has become abundantly clear is that getting through this transition and asking these questions isn’t enough. There has to be some light at the end of the tunnel. There has to be joy, community, and fulfillment for people on the other side of doubt and uncertainty.

The Recovering from Religion Fall Excursion is for people looking to find their way into that happiness.

Our Excursion is set amidst the tranquil mountains of North Carolina in a private venue where attendees can find guidance, friendship, and experience personal growth in a warm and accepting environment. We have planned events and workshops so that you can have fun, learn, relax, and do as little or as much as you like. We will have several trained volunteers as well as mental health specialists on site to make sure that everyone’s experience is just right for them.

Please take a moment to check out this video overview of 2019’s Fall Excursion from our special guest of that year, Sarah Rocksdale:

Friday, September 17th

• 4:00PM - Arrivals and Greetings: Guests check-in to their lodges and are greeted by their cabin hosts. All guests will have their temperature checked using a no-contact forehead thermometer. Cabin hosts will help to acclimate everyone to the grounds, their lodge, and their individual rooms and sleeping arrangements.

• 5:00PM - 7:00PM Tasting Reception: All guests are encouraged to enjoy an offering of small bites, seasonal fare, wine, beer, cider (alcoholic and non), soft drinks, tea, coffee, and hot cocoa. Guests will have an opportunity to meet each other and hear a few words from us about the rest of the weekend.

• 7:00PM - 8:00PM Dinner: It’s time for a cook-out! We’ll be offering hamburgers, hotdogs, fresh fruit and vegetables, baked beans, and an ice cream bar with toppings of your choice. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

• 8:00PM - 9:00PM - The Psychology of Religious Infection presentation from Darrel Ray. Get the weekend started off by delving into why religion can be so harmful and how to move forward after experiencing trauma.

Saturday, September 18th

• 7:00AM - 9:00AM - Breakfast: Fresh fruit, breads, sausage links, and a freshly prepared potato breakfast bake. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

• 9:00AM - 9:45AM - Morning group session and guided meditation with Candace Gorham focusing on relaxation and guided imagery to set the tone and prepare for a day of exploration and self and environment.

• 10:00AM - 12:00PM - Nature Hike with Darrel Ray: Join Darrel on a fun and engaging hike through the venue grounds and into the forest. Learn about native plants and animals and reconnect with nature through a secular perspective. The hike is about one and a half miles long and taken at a relaxed pace.

• 12:10PM - 1:00PM - The Causes and Costs of Religion with Travis McKie-Voerste.

• 1:00PM - 2:30PM - Lunch: Soup and sliders with an accompaniment of chips, fresh veggies, and cookies. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

• 2:40PM - 3:40PM - The Neuroscience of Mystical Experiences with Alice Greczyn: What does being slain by the Spirit, Kundalini rising, and qigong deviation syndrome have in common? They're soberly-induced mystical experiences—that is, altered states of consciousness with no drugs or plants ingested. Join Alice as she discusses the science behind these kinds of experiences and her own journey through religious trauma.

• 3:50PM - 4:40PM - Afternoon group session and guided meditation with Candace Gorham focusing on relaxation and guided imagery to encourage reflection of the day (Second session. Feel free to take both or either).

• 4:50PM - 5:50PM - Death, Dying, and Disbelief with Candace Gorham

• 6:00PM-7:00PM - Secular Sexuality with Darrel Ray

• 7;10PM - 8:30PM - Dinner: Chicken Parmesan with marinara and spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and vanilla cake Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

• 8:30PM - 10:30PM Karaoke Party - Join us for some (safe) singing, dancing, and even instrument playing (please bring them along if you like!) Mandisa Thomas, President of Black Nonbelievers. will be kicking off the party by hosting karaoke. Get your songs ready! If you prefer a small fire circle, feel free to enjoy a campfire and make smores.

Sunday, September 19th

• 7;00AM - 9:00AM Breakfast; Fresh fruit, breads, bacon, and a freshly prepared french toast bake. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

• 9:00AM - 10:00AM - Creating New Traditions Workshop with Gayle Jordan and Dave Warnock - Learn how to mark significant life events and milestones that are meaningful to you. This workshop will help you to think of these events without religious or dogmatic constraints so that you are better able to celebrate in ways that resonate with your beliefs and values.

• 10:00AM - 11AM - Farewell remarks

More about our speakers:

• Mandisa Thomas: Mandisa Thomas, a native of New York City, is the founder and current President of Black Nonbelievers, Inc. Although never formally indoctrinated into belief, Mandisa was heavily exposed to Christianity, Black Nationalism, and some Islam.

  Mandisa has many media appearances to her credit, including CBS Sunday Morning, CNN.com, and Playboy, The Humanist, and JET magazines. She has been a guest on podcasts such as The Humanist Hour and Ask an Atheist, as well as the documentaries Contradiction and My Week in Atheism. Mandisa currently serves on the Board for the American Humanist Association and American Atheists. She previously served for Foundation Beyond Belief, the 2016 Reason Rally Coalition, and the Secular Coalition for America.

  Mandisa was the Unitarian Universalist Humanist Association’s 2018 Person of the Year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation’s Freethought Heroine for 2019, and the Secular Student Alliance’s 2019 Backbone Award winner.

  As President of Black Nonbelievers, Inc., Mandisa works to encourage more Blacks to come out and stand strong with their nonbelief in the face of such strong religious overtones.

• Candace Gorham: Candace Gorham is a licensed professional counselor with a background in middle and high school education. A former evangelical minister, she founded the Ebony Exodus Project to explore the reasons record numbers of black women were leaving the church and in 2013 published The Ebony Exodus Project: Why Some Black Women Are Walking Out on Religion and Others Should Too and is releasing a new book this year on October 2nd: On Death, Dying, and Disbelief. She is on the advisory council of the Black Humanist Alliance of the American Humanist Association and is a member of the Secular Therapist Project and the Clergy Project. She currently lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her fourteen-year-old daughter.

• Alice Greczyn: Alice Greczyn is an actress, author, and the founder of Dare to Doubt, a resource site for people detaching from belief systems they come to find harmful. She’s Midwest-raised and LA-based.

• Dave Warnock: Dave Warnock was an Evangelical pastor and church leader for over 35 years. He left that behind a dozen years ago and is now an atheist activist. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with ALS- a terminal disease, and his organization, Dying Out Loud, was born shortly thereafter. Dave's goal in his time remaining is to be able to reach out to as many individuals and communities as possible, both religious and secular, to show value in this one life we do have without a need for an afterlife, to talk openly about death and dying, to educate on the dangers of religious fundamentalism, and to promote a less judgmental, more tolerant worldview that does not condemn or shun others based on faith beliefs.

• Travis McKie-Voerste, Ph.D.: Travis McKie-Voerste is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Dalton State College, where he teaches clinically focused courses to undergraduate Psychology students. He also serves as a faculty advisor to the Secular Student Alliance at Dalton State. He completed his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision at the University of Georgia, where his dissertation focused on the experience of Atheists receiving Counseling in the Bible Belt of the United States. His research in this area continues and focuses on how religion impacts the counseling relationship. Travis also owns a private practice specializing in working with secular clients, as well as providing clinical counseling supervision.

• Gayle Jordan: Gayle is a former Southern Baptist who left the faith years ago when her then-teenagers began asking questions she could not answer. Her research led her (and her children) into the light of reason and rationality. Years later, she still feels the effects, both positive and negative, of that dramatic shift in perspective and attitude. It is this sympathy and compassion that drives her to reach out to help others navigate the emotional and physical process involved in leaving one’s faith.

  Gayle lives in Oregon and is an estate-planning attorney. She raises goats and chickens, and is trying her hand at grape-growing at her sunny hillside home affectionately known as Peak Heathen. She blogs about a variety of topics at Happy. Healthy. Heathen.

• Darrel Ray: Dr. Ray is the founder and President of the Board of Directors of Recovering from Religion. He has been a psychologist for over thirty years and is the author of four books: two on organizational teamwork as well as "The God Virus-How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" and "Sex and God-How Religion Distorts Sexuality".

  Dr. Ray has been a student of religion most of his life and holds a Master’s Degree in religion as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology/Anthropology with a Doctorate in Psychology. 

Each Lodge on Memory Mountain is outfitted with modern amenities to include all linens, kitchens stocked with appliances, dishes, and cookware, plenty of seating, and cozy fireplaces. In addition to these comforts, each lodge will also have a designated cabin host to make sure that guests are comfortable and that all needs are met. Cabin hosts will also have some snacks and supplies as well as plenty of information about the event and venue should guests have any questions.

Below, you will find information and several pictures of each lodge. Click on the lodge to see what rooms and sleeping areas are available as well as additional pictures of each lodge. Accommodations of each room or sleeping area will vary. These variances are reflected in the pricing and individual descriptions of each room or sleeping area. Lodge reservations may only be made for the entire weekend (two nights). Pricing includes both nights. Check-in for lodges is at 4PM and check-out is at 12PM. Guests who stay onsite are able to purchase their event registration at a reduced rate.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO PURCHASE YOUR EVENT REGISTRATION IN ADDITION TO YOUR LODGING.

The Recovering from Religion Fall Excursion is an event for adults on their own, partners, and families. We have registration options for adults, depending on whether you will be staying at our onsite lodges or offsite at a nearby hotel or other alternative accommodation. We also have registration options for children based on age. Although children three years of age and younger are free, we ask that you register them so that we can plan for your family’s comfort. Those who choose the onsite registration option will be checked against our lodge accommodation records, so please be sure to book your lodge first or soon after booking your event registration. All meals are included in the event registration and you will be able to inform us of any special dietary requirements in the registration form.

Our event schedule is subject to change and we may have to modify some activities due to weather or ask you to commit to certain activities in advance so that we can make sure it is properly staffed. In registering for the Fall Excursion, you also authorize us to send you periodic emails with updates and short polls as may be necessary for us to keep you informed and plan ahead.

COVID - RELATED REQUIREMENTS: All attendees to the 2021 Fall Excursion, whether staying on or off site, will be required to show proof before their arrival of being fully vaccinated for covid-19. Medical exemptions to this policy require an official signed doctor’s note. Due to close quarters and shared sleeping/bathroom areas, requiring full vaccinations is the only way we will be able to safely conduct our event. We will not require that masks be worn at the venue and will expect anyone venturing into town or other public areas to wear masks as required by local and state mandates.

If anyone becomes ill before the event and has to cancel, we will issue a full refund. If you are experiencing fever, loss of smell, or flu-like symptoms, we ask that you stay home and let us know so that we can send you a refund. Cabin hosts will be taking forehead temperatures at check-in for the safety of all attendees and volunteers.

Use the button below to submit your documentation. We must receive your documentation at least two weeks before the event. If you arrive without having submitted documentation, you will not be allowed to check in. We will not issue refunds for those who fail to send vaccination records or medical exemptions. We deeply appreciate your cooperation. These steps are vital to making sure that our event is safe and can stay open.

Please use the button below to email us your vaccination record or signed doctor’s note. Please remember to:

• Attach an image of the record or note.

• Include the name you used when you registered.

• Include records for all adults registered, whether staying offsite or onsite.

You MUST be fully vaccinated or medically exempted at least two weeks before the start of the event. We will not allow you to check in without this record on file. We will not refund attendees who are turned away due to a lack of vaccination or medical exemption. We appreciate your cooperation to help keep our event open and safe for everyone.

It is our goal to make the Fall Excursion accessible to everyone who would benefit from it. If you would like to attend the Fall Excursion, but need financial help to make it possible, we are happy to provide a subsidy that would reduce the cost of lodging and registration to $100. Subsidy awardees receive exactly the same experience as all other attendees. We will not divulge the identities of subsidy awardees. Subsidy awardees must secure their own transportation to and from the Fall Excursion. Please use the contact form on this page if you have any questions about our subsidy program or application process.

Subsidy Application

The Recovering from Religion Fall Excursion aims to help people in doubt and in religious transition to find a path forward that gives them a sense of hope, peace, and purpose. Our sponsors would be an important part of that journey not only in helping to provide financial support for this event, but in being included as resources, solutions, and supportive members of our attendees’ potential community.

Thanks so much to our sponsors!

Where is the venue?

The name of the venue is Memory Mountain at Wolf Laurel.

The address is: 2854 Puncheon Fork Road Mars Hill, NC 28754

The address will work properly using a GPS and there will be a sign for the “RfR Fall Excursion” as you near the entrance. There will be a large event barn and pavilion with the lodges located further up the entrance road. Each lodge will have a sign with its name near the parking area. We will have volunteers available to help you navigate the grounds and find your accommodations.

What should I bring with me?

All linens are provided and these lodges are fully modern homes with running water and electricity. No "roughing it" required. Please bring whatever it is you need to have a comfortable stay for two nights away from home. We will have both indoor and outdoor activities, so plan on staying cool, warm, or dry depending on the weather.

You might also like to bring books you enjoy, books you might want to reference during any of our workshops or talks, instruments to play around the campfire, or any favorite drinks or snacks. You are permitted to bring your own alcoholic beverages and smoking/vaping is permitted outside only.

What other accommodations are nearby?

The closest available hotel is the Best Western Asheville Tunnel Road, about a 35 minute drive away from the Excursion. You are welcome to stay offsite and drive in for the day. There are also several other cabins and lodges within 20 minutes drive of the Excursion. Guests staying at the Best Western Asheville Tunnel Road will be able to take advantage of a limited-run shuttle to and from the Excursion venue.

Are pets allowed?

We allow service animals in the lodges and require that owners leash them and clean up after them properly. Because lodges are shared, and we can't know the temperament of every pet, we can't allow non-service animals in the lodges.

Will there be child care?

We will be planning activities for children who are registered so that adults may attend Excursion events that may not be kid-friendly while their children participate in a different activity. Guardians must remain onsite while their children participate in Excursion activities. Recovering from Religion volunteers will lead all children's activities.

Which airport should I use if I’m flying in?

The Asheville Regional Airport is the closest to The Excursion at only about 27 miles away. Additionally, our volunteers will be providing a limited shuttle service for those who are flying into this airport.

The Tri-Cities Regional Airport is about 46 miles away from the Excursion.

The Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is about 67 miles away from the Excursion.

I have a question that isn’t answered here.

We’re happy to answer any questions you have and thank you for reaching out. Click the button below to send us your questions. We will respond within 48 hours.

Refund Policy:

Event registration and lodge accommodations may be canceled or changed with a full refund and no penalty up to 60 days before the event begins. After this period and up to seven days before the event, there will be a 20% cancellation charge. Refunds will not be issued for cancellations that occur seven days before the beginning of the event or later with the exception of illness or emergencies. Any questions regarding this policy, concerns, or requests for specific accommodations may be sent via the contact form above.

Code of Conduct:

Substance Use, Alcohol, Smoking and Firearms: Please follow all North Carolina State laws regarding the use or consumption of any substance. Smoking or vaping of any kind is not permitted inside of any structure onsite. Please dispose of any ashes, butts, bottles, or any other garbage inside of garbage receptacles. Absolutely no firearms of any kind are permitted onsite or in lodges.

Littering: No littering of any kind will be tolerated. All garbage and/or food remnants must be properly disposed of in trash receptacles. In natural areas where a trash receptacle is not available, you must retain your garbage until you reach a trash receptacle.

Bathrooms: There are two bathrooms in the Lakeside event lodge and several in each lodge. Despite wooded surroundings, you must use bathrooms. If you are in a natural area that is not within reasonable sight or walking distance of a bathroom, please use discretion and keep all human refuse buried as is necessary and well away from any trails.

Pets: We do not allow pets to stay in the lodges with the exception of service animals. Owners are expected to keep their service animals leashed and owners must clean up after their service animals.

Noise: Please be respectful of the activities in session throughout the day and night and please be respectful of your lodgemates and neighbors. The time between 11PM and 7AM are considered quiet during which loud music, talking, and singing outside are prohibited.

Food and Drink: Attendees are permitted to bring food or drink with them anywhere onsite and may imbibe or snack as long as they are not being disruptive to any activities or other attendees. If there are spills, please clean it up promptly or ask for help if needed.

Name Badges: Please wear your name badge whenever you are outside of your lodge or elsewhere onsite. Name badges allow us to make sure that everyone is an Excursion participant. Name badges will also be color-coded according to whether participants want their presence noted in pictures, videos, or writing. Those wearing red badges should not have their picture or video taken, purposely or inadvertently, or have their name shared in writing on any social media, blog, or other website.

Harassment: The Recovering from Religion Fall Excursion is meant to be a welcoming and safe place for all people, regardless of their beliefs, non-beliefs, race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. We will not tolerate the harassment of any attendees in any form. Sexual harassment or misconduct is considered unwanted attention of a sexual nature and may include:

-Remarks about someone's appearance.

-Unwanted flirtations.

-Suggestive or sexual pictures

-Touching someone without their permission

-Coercive talk or behavior concerning sex

-Unwanted contact of any nature

Any attendee may report, at any time and without fear of reprisal, harassment of any nature to any Cabin Host or other Recovering from Religion Board Member, Staff to include the Executive Director, or Recovering from Religion Fall Excursion volunteer.

If you aren't certain whether your words or actions are welcome, it is your responsibility to seek unequivocal positive consent. If you do not receive unquestionable positive consent, you run the risk of making others uncomfortable, being removed from the event, or other consequences.

Discipline: It is our goal to achieve the best possible outcome for all of our attendees, which means contributing to an overall reasonable sense of comfort and safety. Attendees who violate this code of conduct may be advised as to their behavior, limited in what activities they may attend, or removed from the event as we see fit. No refunds will be provided for those who are required to leave due to their misconduct.

Emergencies and First Aid: Every lodge is outfitted with a first aid kit for the purpose of attendees to self-administer non-critical first aid as is necessary. If you experience an emergency, please call 911 and notify the nearest volunteer as you are able.