September 1-5, 2025
Lake Junaluska, NC
NOAC is a Spirit-filled gathering of adults 50 and older who love learning and discerning together, exploring God’s call for their lives and living out that call by sharing their energy, insight, and legacy with their families, communities, and the world.
NOAC DVD order form (Word)
NOAC DVD order form (PDF)
Find the cancellation policy here.
For all questions, please contact noac@brethren.org.
“Alive in the Spirit!”
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
—Romans 15:13 (NRSV)
Theme Statement
As the Apostle Paul came to the end of his letter to the Christians living in Rome, he shared his hopes for them. He knew they were strong, if imperfect, followers of Jesus Christ. He knew the church communities had their ups and downs. He knew life was hard for Christians. He also knew that they didn’t have to handle life alone. His hope for them was in the power of God which would bring joy and peace. The fuel of their faith was the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.
We too are called to be “Alive in the Spirit!” We too are called to claim the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit which empowers everything we do. When we are alive in the Spirit we live with hope, with gratitude, with power, and with joy. Our world needs to experience the transforming love of God. Let’s welcome the wind and the fire of the Holy Spirit into our lives and into our Church so that we may truly be alive in the Spirit.
Preachers
- Monday- Greg Davidson Laszakovits
- Tuesday- Rebecca Dali
- Wednesday- Herb Smith
- Thursday- Samuel Sarpiya
- Friday- Audri Svay
Keynote Speakers
Cole Arthur Riley
Cole Arthur Riley is a writer and poet. She is the author of the NYT bestsellers, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us and Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, Guernica, and The Washington Post. Cole is also the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a project that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body.
Ken Medema
Our good friend and honorary Brethren, Ken, is one of the most creative and authentic artists performing today. For five decades, he has used music as a vehicle for creating conversation through storytelling and reflection. Ken custom designs each performance, integrating new and old music with his gift of improvisation to suit the occasion. With an ever-growing circle of friends around the world, Ken’s vocal and piano artistry and imagination have reached audiences of 50 to 50,000 people in 49 United States and in more than 15 countries on four continents. Ken is a team player…loves working with event planners, spiritual leaders, teachers, and other artists.
Ken Medema and his wife, Jane, have been married since 1965 and live in the San Francisco Bay area of California, close to their two grown married children and four grandchildren. Ken has not begun to slow down. He is on the road about 50% of the year. When at home, he and Jane work together on commissioned projects and the development of material for concert performances. They remain active in a local church, and are invested in good food, good books, good movies, and good friends.
Ted Swartz
A regular at NOAC, Ted, is a playwright and actor who has been mucking around in the worlds of the sacred and profane for over 20 years. Ted fell in love with acting and theater on his way to a traditional pastorate in the Mennonite church. Coupling theater and seminary education, Ted became a theologian of a different sort. He discovered that at the intersection of humor and biblical story we often find new or different understandings of Scripture.
Ted’s love of acting, comedy, and collaboration with creative partner Lee Eshleman took him to performances in 45 states in the US, Canada, as well as shows in Kenya and Japan. Ted & Lee became known for a quirky and gently askew view of life, building a loyal following. Despite the tragic loss of Lee in 2007 Ted continued the search for the intersection of comedy and faith, grief and loss deepening that exploration. In addition to acting in solo and multiple cast original shows, Ted is an accomplished speaker and teacher, melding theater and comedy with issues of creativity, theology and faith in a profound and engaging presentation.
Dominique Gilliard
Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church. He is the author of Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores, which won a 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press and was named Outreach Magazine’s 2019 Social Issues Resource of the Year. Gilliard’s latest book, Subversive Witness: Scripture’s Call to Leverage Privilege won Englewood Review’s 2021 Book of the Year Award. Gilliard is an adjunct professor at North Park Theological Seminary, and he was named as North Park Theological Seminary’s Distinguished Alumni in 2022.
Registration
Registration fees are:
- Early-bird Registration: May 1-July 15- $220
- July 16-September 1: $250
- $20 off for first time in person attendees
- Virtual- $150 per household
NOAC Registration Cancellation Policy:
- Until August 3 you can cancel and receive a refund minus $25.
- From August 3- 30 you can cancel and receive a refund minus 50%
- After August 30- no refund
Room Rates for four nights:
- Lambuth Inn– Per Person Double Occupancy: $551.38
- Hillside Lodge– Per Person Double Occupancy: $462.58
- Note: Meal Plan is an additional $212 per person for all meals
For all questions, please contact noac@brethren.org.
Worship Offerings
The five worship services at NOAC will provide opportunities to support NOAC and Discipleship & Leadership Formation of the Church of the Brethen. Checks may be made payable to: “Church of the Brethren.” Thank you for your generous support of these important ministries.
Accessibility
Eder Financial has offered to fund a limited number of rented scooters for NOAC participants. Deadline for reserving yours is August 10. Contact Jeanne Davies at jeanned@anabaptistdisabilities.net to reserve yours.
Transportation
Atlantic Northeast District bus to NOAC
Bulletin inserts
NOAC bulletin insert (Word) – NOAC bulletin insert (PDF)
Daily schedule
See the 2025 NOAC daily schedule (PDF)
When you go through registration on Monday, September 1st, at the Bethea Welcome Center, you will have the opportunity to sign up for a number of activities.
CHAIR YOGA is a new addition this year. It will be held Tues, Wed & Thursday from 7-7:45 am in the Terrace Auditorium. Cost is $15 per session. Fee will be collected at the door each morning.
BOAT RIDES ON LAKE JUNALUSKA are available Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1, 2, & 3 pm. Cost is $10 per person. Tickets may be purchased at registration or in the Harrell NOAC Information Center. The boat does not have a roof so please wear a hat and sunscreen and bring a water bottle.
GARDEN TOURS are available on Tuesday & Thursday at 1 pm. Cost is $10 per person. Tickets may be purchased at registration or in the Harrell NOAC Information Center.
Planning team
Heidi Berkenbosch, Deanna Brown, Bonnie Kline Smeltzer, Leonard Matheny, Don Mitchell, Karlene Tyler, Christy Waltersdorff, coordinator
For questions, please contact noac@brethren.org.
Related News
- Lake J Jottings from Frank Ramirez: Finding hope through action
Thursday’s workshop, “Finding hope through action: Caring for immigrants in our community and our call to embody love,” outlined precise preparation and action to be taken by congregations and individuals committed to welcoming and nurturing immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and many others in various categories.
- Lake J Jottings from Frank Ramirez: Joyful blue
We’ve all grown old together with Ken Medema and Ted Swartz over the decades, as they have performed at National Youth Conference, Annual Conference, National Older Adult Conference. And in their new program, which they call “Curious and Clueless,” they did what we all do when we begin to feel our age.
- Lake J Jottings from Frank Ramirez: The Rose Walk
If you need to walk off a heavier lunch than usual, I recommend taking a walk around Lake Junaluska. It’s around two and a half miles, give or take. This time of year it’s not too hot, so it’s well worth your time--if you like roses, kids, and dogs.
- Lake J Jottings by Frank Ramirez: Welcome!
At this year’s Welcome Festival, offered during registration on the first afternoon of NOAC, a talented local bluegrass group—Upstream Rebellion—entertained folks while they waited for their rooms to be ready.
- Keynote speakers are announced for National Older Adult Conference
The keynote speakers for the 2025 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) have been announced. The event takes place Sept. 1-5 in Lake Junaluska, N.C., a Spirit-filled gathering of adults 50 and older. This year’s theme is “Alive in the Spirit!” (Romans 15:13).
- NOAC online registration will open May 1
The 2025 National Older Adult Conference (NOAC) Planning Team is hard at work preparing for the conference to be held at Lake Junaluska, N.C., on Sept. 1-5. NOAC online registration will open May 1 at www.brethren.org/noac.
