FAQs

St. Mary’s Sewanee: The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development exists as a place where all are invited to respond to the invitation by God to “withdraw to a quiet place to pray” (Luke 5:16). Through quiet and simplicity, warm welcome and spiritual companionship, St. Mary’s Sewanee seeks to nurture the innate human capacity for relationship with God. Resting on 230 acres atop the Cumberland Plateau, St. Mary’s Sewanee provides a sacred space to groups and individuals for a wide variety of opportunities for spiritual growth. Individuals may come to one of our retreats or workshops or for a period of personal retreat. Faith communities and not-for-profit organizations may bring their own programs while St. Mary’s Sewanee provides hospitality.

Because “spiritual development” can be defined in various ways, our Program Director and Committee work toward creating a yearly program schedule that is diverse and interesting.

While honoring the Christian history and traditions that are the foundation of the Ayres Center for Spiritual Development, there is an assortment of other spiritual topics to choose from as well.

Offerings include one day workshops, weekend, five day and eight day retreats. Program topics are Centering Prayer, mindfulness practices, various arts, writing, meditation, and more.

Anna House is our newest building. It has 20 motel style-rooms, each with exterior doors opening onto a broad porch. Every room has two twin beds, a private bathroom, and air conditioning.

St. Mary’s Hall is a dormitory-style building with 31 rooms. Most rooms have two twin beds; a few have double beds. There are communal bathrooms on each hallway. This building is not air conditioned but all rooms have fans and large windows.

The Woodland Hermitage offers a cozy place to rest for individuals who would like to stay in an intimate wooded location on campus. Located a short walking distance from St. Mary’s Hall, the Woodland Hermitage includes air conditioning, a private bath and shower, kitchenette, queen-size bed, and living area.

For individuals: Call, email, or use our online submission form. A $50 deposit is required before we can confirm your reservation.

For partner groups: Call, email, or use our online submission form. A Group Contract will be sent via email. The signed contract and deposit are due within 30 days of the contract’s issuance to confirm the reservation.

For sponsored programs: Register online by visiting https://www.stmaryssewanee.org/calendar/

The fee includes single room (unless otherwise noted), all meals, program fees, and program materials.

Visit our Directions page to get links to Google maps as well as detailed driving directions from major cities in the area.

There are no car charging stations on the retreat center campus. However, there are charging stations close by:

University of the South Sewanee, 187 Alabama Avenue

Hannah Pickett Park, 16 Dixie Lee Avenue, Monteagle

Piggly Wiggly, 754 W Main Street, Monteagle

No, St. Mary’s Sewanee does not provide transportation to and from the retreat center. Various airport shuttle services are available from Nashville, Atlanta & Chattanooga airports. In addition, there are a few private transportation providers that serve this area. For referrals, please, contact the Reservations office at least 10 days in advance to the date of your arrival.

Yes, St. Mary’s Sewanee’s public meeting spaces are handicap accessible. The bedrooms on the first floor of St. Mary’s Hall are all accessible, as is one room in the Anna House.

However, it is important to note that there is a certain amount of mobility required when visiting the retreat center. Please, contact Reservations if you have any questions or concerns.

Yes. Each year, many churches, nonprofits, and schools use our facilities to host their own retreats. We provide a comfortable space and healthy, nutritious meals, while you organize the program. We host church gatherings, women’s groups, men’s groups, youth groups, nonprofit boards, cross-country teams, faith communities, meditation groups, quilting clubs, 12-step programs, or any organization needing a tranquil venue for rest and renewal.

In St. Mary’s Hall, there is the Fireplace Room, the Common Room, the Reading Room, and the Dining Room.

–The Fireplace Room, which has a gas-log fireplace and has a bluff view, seats up to 30 in an auditorium-like format.

–The Common Room also has a bluff view; it seats up to 100 in an auditorium-like setting. It can also be used for smaller break-out gatherings.

–The Reading Room is an intimate space with comfortable arm chairs that seats 10.

–The Dining Room is reserved for meals, which are served buffet-style. It seats 50 comfortably at tables; additional people can be seated at tables in the adjacent Common Room, or during seasonal weather, on the nearby screen porch.

–Adjacent to Anna House is the McRae Room which seats 35 in an auditorium-like format.

There is also an outdoor pavilion on the property, which is covered and overlooks the bluff; it seats about 12 people in this al fresco setting.

St. Mary’s Sewanee has chairs and tables, easels, projector and screen, dry erase boards, podium, and a sound system with a microphone available for your use. Please ensure your computer’s compatibility with our equipment before arriving. Wifi is available throughout campus and in all meeting spaces. Cell phone service is spotty and unpredictable. We do not have any televisions on campus.

We have different policies for individuals and groups. Please go to our Deposit and Cancellation Policies page for complete details.

Yes, we can offer supplies for communion for group retreats if scheduled in advance.

We welcome guests for private retreats, as well as those who are visiting family and friends at the nearby University of the South campus. We can provide you with information about area church services (including those at the nearby convent), maps of hiking trails, and information about area attractions. And we are happy to give you privacy during your stay if that’s what you prefer.

Although the retreat center can provide lodging for sojourners passing through, there are still some differences in here and a hotel. Reservations must be made when the office is open and cannot be made online or after regular business hours. There are no concierge services onsite, but employees can help with urgent matters after-hours if needed. The kitchen is only open for groups of 12 or more. We are closed on major holidays so that our staff can have time off.

Certified service animals for persons with disabilities are always welcome at St. Mary’s Sewanee during personal retreats, sponsored programs, or partner group retreats. St. Mary’s Sewanee is compliant with all policies under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Guests are asked to notify Reservations before arrival if you are bringing a certified service animal so that other guests in the same group can be notified in case of allergies.

Service animal owners are expected to keep the animal leashed, tethered, or harnessed, and to keep control of the animal throughout their stay. Owners are also expected to clean up all animal waste.

Pets are welcome to hike the trail and walk the grounds with their owners, but they are required to be on-leash. Owners are responsible for cleaning up all animal waste. Pets (that are not certified service animals) are not allowed in any of the St. Mary’s Sewanee buildings, even for guests who are lodging.

If you have any questions, please call us at (931) 598-5342.

Yes, responsible alcohol use is allowed for adults over the age of 21. We do not have alcohol available; bring your own.

We encourage families to enjoy the campus. However, because of the location and the nature of spiritual retreats, children of all ages must be strictly supervised at all times. SMS strongly recommends that adults visiting for a retreat find alternatives for child care.

St. Mary’s Sewanee is a smoke-free facility; smoking is only permitted outdoors in designated areas.

St. Mary’s Sewanee does not offer retreats or host partner groups during the weeks of Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

In addition, there are other holidays that the retreat center will be closed for groups including Memorial Day & Labor Day weekends.

Our staff works long hours during the year to provide spiritual experiences for sojourners who pass through.

The time the employees have for their own Rest, Renewal, and Reconnection is very important and vital to positive production throughout the year.

Although sometimes SMS can act as a hotel, we are more than that. St. Mary’s Sewanee is a spiritual development center, and the time off for our staff is critical to our overall mission.

Right now, we are not hosting weddings.

Yes, the next project will be a kitchen/dining room addition in St. Mary’s Hall. The work is currently planned to begin in the Spring of 2023.