We were born when the Wesleys asked their fellow baptized members of a state church: Are we going to take Jesus seriously or not? Now you see why I was hesitant to taint Mepkin with Methodists. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Add a bit of spirituality to your getaway at Mepkin Abbey. So far, Mepkin has shunned all forms of social media both individually and institutionally. It was a call for which I had been waiting, albeit not a call to vocation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. fbq('track', 'ViewContent'); Monks seem against all those things. The abbey grounds are huge and very well kept. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. The monks were giving us back our Methodism. The coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh from the oven cookies that are available during the Creche festival is a wonderful touch. We had unhurried time to talk. Copyright 2023 America Press Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Mepkin sits above the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, so its pre-AC builders did what sandlappers do and set the buildings at an angle. Mepkin Abbey used to be a plantation on the banks of the Cooper River, but it is now the home of Trappist Monks and a retreat center for those who want to take a break from the everyday stresses of life. Flickr/Davey Borden. (Several Trappist monasteries in Africa and Asia, for example, havent been plagued by the same decline in vocations and some, at least partly because of the stability of monastic life and the unfamiliarity of the message, Father Stan said, are brimming with young monks.) Mepkin Abbey was definitely showing off for us! Needless to say, bring along a camera. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I only had about an hour to spend here, but I cant wait to go back! Required fields are marked *. The sign asks you to sit in the back, but the request is only there, it seems, to be flaunted. But my Methodist friend Scott could hardly contain his smile. Stay a while and say hello! And, of course, things in my life need to change. I can't imagine a month with 7 at home. But enough of my talking, see for yourself how beautiful it was! This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. I was able to muddle through this dry spell, as I assume that all monks must do for various stretches of time, and the latter part of my stay at the monastery was replete with blessings. My love of these people is clear. Based in Charleston, SCContact me at catie@catherinehurtphotography.com. Pray like this, at this hour, in this way, and with these people. Ive known Jessica and Bobby for a few years now. Make promises to do better. He stage-whispered to each one of us with inappropriate loudness, When youre 102, Ill come pray for you. Abbot Stan stood off in the corner, his shepherds crook beside him, and openly wept. 2680 Lohr Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 843-819-9705; dennis@charlestonphotoart.com; I am also serving Hilton head, Columbia, Savannah, Myrtle beach; PORTFOLIO. I invited a few lay leaders and a few college students from the Methodist campus ministry, and away we went. Please visit ourmembership pageto learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation. It's very beautiful all times of the year and I plan to go as often as I can. Their openness has allowed them to be easy prey for, among others, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who objected to their chicken farm and forced its shutdown. So lets give them an experience of the place without a commitment, and see what happens.. A version of this article appears in the print edition under the title Revival at the monastery., . Naturally, I was involved in one of them. Only 13 monks remain, down from a peak of 55 in the mid-1950s. There is nice small gift shop which helps support the community.