Mount Carmel Ministries · Alexandria, Minnesota

2026 Marriage Retreat

September 18–20, 2026

Step away from the busy for one weekend and reinvest in the relationship that matters most. Meaningful Christ-centered teaching, unhurried time together, and the beauty of a Minnesota fall on the shores of Lake Carlos.

Dates

Friday–Sunday
September 18–20, 2026

Price

$200 per couple

Guest Speakers

Dave & Andrea Wollan · Mark & Gladys Nissen · David Blackstad

Voices from every season

Meet Your Speakers

Each session of the weekend features couples and pastors from a different season of marriage and family life.

Friday Evening

Speaker To Be Announced

We’re finalizing our Friday evening speaker — check back soon for details!

Saturday Morning

Dave & Andrea Wollan

Brand-new empty nesters, Dave and Andrea have served in ministry for years while raising four kids — their youngest just left for college. Dave serves as a pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, MN.

Saturday Evening

Mark & Gladys Nissen

Mark and Gladys have two little ones at home. They’ll share about God’s faithfulness in the midst of joys and sorrows in the early years of being parents. Mark serves as the Pastor at Living Word Lutheran in Alexandria, MN.

Sunday Worship

David Blackstad

David Blackstad will bring the message at Sunday morning worship as we close out the weekend together.

Your weekend at a glance

Weekend Schedule

Draft schedule — subject to change

Friday EveningSeptember 18▾

4:00–6:00 pmCheck-in (Lodge)

5:30 pmSupper (Lodge) — please let Shae know if you’re arriving late

6:30 pmOrientation (Chapel)

7:00 pmOpening Teaching Session (Chapel)

9:00 pmFireside Fellowship: Warm Conversations & Sweet Treats (Lodge Patio — indoors if needed)

SaturdaySeptember 19▾

7:15–7:45 amMorning Prayer Walk — meet in front of the Lodge registration doors

8:00 amBreakfast (Lodge)

8:45–9:15 amWorship and Daily Texts (Chapel)

9:15 amTeaching Session (Chapel)

NoonLunch (Lodge)

1:30–3:00 pmAfternoon Activities — sign up at the front desk. Camp Store open 1:00–3:00 · Carlos Creek Winery trip at 1:30

5:30 pmTaste of Togetherness: A Marriage Retreat Meal (Lodge) — dress up for a night out together in the Mount Carmel Lodge

7:00 pmGod’s Faithfulness Session and Worship (Chapel)

8:00 pm“Laughs and Love”: Couples Game Night (Chapel)

SundaySeptember 20▾

7:45–8:00 amPrayer with Mount Carmel Staff (Lodge Library)

8:00 amBreakfast (Lodge)

9:00–10:00 amClosing Worship and Session (Chapel)

11:30 amLunch and Closing Blessing (Lodge)

The setting

A Weekend Away, Together

Tucked on the shores of Lake Carlos in Alexandria, Mount Carmel is the perfect place to slow down, be refreshed, and enjoy each other’s company.

Aerial view of Mount Carmel on the shores of Lake Carlos

On the Water

Set on the Shores of Lake Carlos

Wake up to the water, walk the grounds hand in hand, and let the pace of camp life slow you down. September at Mount Carmel means crisp air, fall color, and quiet moments you won’t find at home.

A beautifully set dinner table in the Mount Carmel Lodge

Saturday Night

A Night Out, No Reservations Needed

Dress up for “Taste of Togetherness” — a special dinner for two in the Mount Carmel Lodge. Great food, warm candlelight, and an evening that feels like a real date night.

Your Stay

Cozy Cabins, Room to Rest

Stay in one of Mount Carmel’s lakeside cabins — simple, comfortable spaces to unwind together at the end of each day.

See housing options →

Give Your Marriage a Weekend Away

Spots are limited — reserve your cabin for September 18–20, 2026 and join us on the lake.

Marriage Retreat