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ZEPHYR POINT
Presbyterian
Conference Center
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History
of Zephyr Point
A New
Beginning Continues to Dawn
For seventy-five years, two words have been at the core of Zephyr
Point: Christian Conferences. Thousands have gained inspiration
in faith, enjoyed the wonders of God in nature, and enhanced or
established Christ-centered lives as laity or clergy in the service of
Jesus Christ. The spectacular location has served as background
for hundreds of conferences embracing faith and life and Christian
influences.
While Presbyterian events have predominated, as might be expected, many
other denominations have made use of the grounds, along with
organizations such as the YMCA and YWCA, and even the U. S. O. in 1944.
Among the first to use Zephyr Point as a site for spiritual discovery
was the Chinese Christian Youth Conference from San Francisco, and that
tradition continues even today in the form of a family event, which
represents the longest continuing association with the Point.
Zephyr staff has planned and sponsored dozens of retreats, events and
special schools over the years. These have included choir
conferences for both voice and hand bells, as well as events for
Presbyterian Men, Presbyterian Women, an Art Retreat for several
disciplines, family holidays, spiritual retreats, ethnic events,
renewal programs for Pastors, and even a very popular annual event for
Grandparents and Grandchildren. The center also is used by
churches and other spiritual bodies as a facility for programs of their
own design. Public agencies, educational institutions, the
Elderhostel organization and others have discovered Zephyr Point as a
delightful venue for secular gatherings in a wholesome Christian
atmosphere. Families also have found the Point to be a pleasant,
reasonably priced location for reunions and other celebrations.
The increased activity on the grounds since the opening of the Tahoe
Center complex has been remarkable. With only Lake View and
Hubbard Lodges in operation, improved programs increased participation
in conferences from under 4,000 in 1988 to almost 6,000 in 1994.
But when figures for the Tahoe Center’s first full year of operation
were tallied, the impact was astounding. Living Water, Eagles’
Wings and Morning Star lodges had doubled the number of conference
center users over the year before.
In 1996, nearly 12,000 came to the Tahoe Center. In addition to
these, another 5,000 enjoy Zephyr Point every year renting rooms and
cabins for personal reflection and family getaways. But with
accommodations filled to capacity in all the more popular time periods,
nearly 200 group requests for conference dates have to be denied
every year. With the facilities maximized on weekends and summer
days, further growth in conference service was dependent on expansion.
The
Next Bold Step
A firm conviction came about, based upon the obvious faith and
dedication of those who built the rich Zephyr Point heritage over the
last 75 years. The commissioners took stock of past and
present to form a courageous plan for the future. They found
unacceptable the assumption that capacity had been reached with the
expansion of 1996. Literally thousands were being turned away
each
year
and denied the unique gift this pine-garnished lakefront offers to
bring people closer to their Creator. Prayerful consideration of
these and other factors led to a eight-and-a-half million dollar
expansion proposal.
A companion to the popular and successful Tahoe Center is rising near
the southern boundary of the grounds: The
Tallac Center, after a familiar
Indian name given to the great mountain
across the lake. [The Tallac Center has now been
completed and was formally dedicated on September 24, 2005.]
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The Christian Conference mission continues clear and foremost.
The spirit and destiny comes alive through God’s indoctrination of the
continuing dream in passionate, committed people. This we have
seen over Zephyr Point’s 75 glorious, if sometimes rocky years.
History is, by nature, a fragile instrument, but we have made every
effort to present a faithful account of what has brought us to this
75th Anniversary [in the year 2000]. May God have blessed us in
doing justice to those who worked so hard, loved so much, and believed
so fervently that Zephyr Point is a very special place with a very
special destiny in God’s kingdom.
And on this foundation of dedicated effort, we look with confidence to
the future. We pray that God will guide us to the further growth
of the Ministry of Christ Jesus through the unique medium provided by
our privileged location on one of God’s wonders, the Lake of the Sky,
Lake Tahoe.
Previous
Sections:
Leap
of Faith
Linn and Clawson Set to Work
Distribution of Leases
Roads
Buildings Appear
Dormitories
Pergola
Water and Electricity
The Beach
The Store
Dobbins Hall
Robin’s Flight
The Crews
A
Crisis or Two: Fire
A Crisis or Two: Sanitation
Sacramento
Presbytery Steps In
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Zephyr Point Presbyterian
Conference Center
P.O. Box 289
Zephyr Cove, NV 89448
Phone: 775-588-6759
Fax: 775-588-1095
Email: Zephyr@zephyrpoint.org
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