Fall Mountain Retreat – 2026
By Jeff Philbrick, Headmaster
Each fall semester, JRHS prioritizes three days up in NH’s beautiful White Mountains. We have used quite a few different venues over the years, but recently, we have landed the retreat at the awesome Camp Shiloh in Jefferson NH. Facing the great northern peaks, Camp Shiloh offers peace and tranquilly, beautiful views, copious grounds for our games and activities, and beloved camp masters Greg and Geoffrey who are there to serve us.
Our goals for the retreat are threefold:
- Grow in spiritual maturity
- Grow the strength of the Jesse community;
- Experience the great outdoor classroom found in the mountains.
Our focus text this year was Psalm 8, and the teachings were well presented by Pastor Rich Clegg, from Faith Bridge Church in Manchester. Pastor Rich taught on the Majesty of God, our role in Creation, and our response to God with our gifts and talents.
The hiking day is an annual highlight, and despite a marginal forecast, this year did not disappoint. One group of less eager hikers found and explored the Arethusa Falls, the largest vertical drop in NH. Another group pushed up Starr King Mountain, and still others went a mile beyond this to Wambach mountain that looks both into Berlin and the Presidentials. This year’s summit seekers went up the famous Airline trail, then a quick dip down to Madison Hut, and then a quick ascent to the rugged Mount Madison.
Our third and final day began with the sunrise service down at the Adirondack Shelter. Headmaster Philbrick led the challenge from the Word this year, focusing on what does it mean to be created in the image of God. After breakfast, the outrageous fun began. Camp Shiloh has no shortage of options, including archery, riflery, shotguns, arts and crafts and volleyball.
Our thanks go our to our core team of leaders, Jacob Samuelson, Ellie Hyvonen, Susan Sicard and Carter Martens. Nice work leaders, bringing the Jesse mission to a whole new level! Overall, the retreat combined faith, community, creation, personal growth, and joyful shared experiences.
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