Mt. Cross Ministries

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Mt. Cross Ministries Mt. Cross is a summer camp and retreat facility that provides profound experiences in God's creation.

100 acres of land with hiking trails through coastal Redwood trees in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Five different living facilities with either bunks or higher comfort beds.

Join us November 20–22 at Mt. Cross for a free, intergenerational family retreat for Pan-Asian families across the Sierr...
10/13/2026

Join us November 20–22 at Mt. Cross for a free, intergenerational family retreat for Pan-Asian families across the Sierra Pacific Synod! This weekend is an opportunity to gather, build community, deepen our faith, and enjoy time together in the redwoods.

Our featured speaker will be Rev. Teresita “Tita” Valeriano, ELCA Program Director for Asian and Pacific Islander Ministries. A third-generation Lutheran from the Philippines, Pastor Tita has served in congregational, synod, and global ministry settings, including most recently as Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to the Bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod. She brings a wealth of experience in Asian and Pacific Islander ministry, racial justice, cultural competency, immigration advocacy, and congregational vitality.

The weekend will include speaker sessions, rock climbing, taiji, yoga, dumpling making, and plenty of time for fellowship and fun. All ages and generations are welcome!

Register by scanning the QR code or visiting mtcross.campbrainregistration.com.

This past weekend, 15 youth from across the Sierra Pacific Synod, along with their 4 adult leaders, gathered at Mt. Cros...
10/07/2026

This past weekend, 15 youth from across the Sierra Pacific Synod, along with their 4 adult leaders, gathered at Mt. Cross for the SPSYC Leadership Planning Retreat. SPSYC (Sierra Pacific Synod Youth! Committee) is a youth-led ministry of the Sierra Pacific Synod, and these young leaders spent the weekend dreaming, planning, and preparing for their upcoming elementary and middle school retreat.

This year’s retreat theme is Trails to Tomorrow, inspired by Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 🕯️

We are so grateful for the time, creativity, and leadership these youth are bringing to this retreat. They have some really fun things planned, and we can’t wait to see it all come together!

Mark your calendar for November 6-8! SPSYC is excited to welcome campers currently in 3rd-8th grade to Mt. Cross for an amazing weekend of faith, community, and adventure. 🌲🥾✨

Thank you, SPSYC, for an incredible weekend and for leading the way!

09/23/2026

🍂 Fall is here at Mt. Cross! The redwoods are calling, and we’re ready to welcome you for your next rental or retreat.

Plan your next gathering with us: mtcross.org 🌲

Did you know? We have a new Meditation Pathway + Prayer Garden at Mt. Cross! 🌿An old, unused garden behind our Craft Cot...
09/21/2026

Did you know? We have a new Meditation Pathway + Prayer Garden at Mt. Cross! 🌿

An old, unused garden behind our Craft Cottage had become overgrown, worn-down, and forgotten. With support from the 2024 Prince of Peace Mission Endowment Fund Grant, we were able to give that space new life! The pathway now winds down the hillside with seven places to stop, sit, pray, and reflect:

Each word follows the letters of MT. CROSS and offers a different invitation to pause and notice God’s presence in creation: Mindfulness, Tranquility, Compassion, Resilience, Openness, Serenity, Stillness.

What was once an overlooked corner of camp is now a place for prayer, reflection, and connection. Come take a walk the next time you're at Mt. Cross! 🌲💚

While our summer camps were in full swing, another part of Mt. Cross was working just as hard behind the scenes! From Ju...
08/11/2026

While our summer camps were in full swing, another part of Mt. Cross was working just as hard behind the scenes! From July 3 through August 7, Mt. Cross welcomed Young Actors’ Theatre Camp (YATC) for six weeks of their summer program. Around 450 young actors lived, ate, rehearsed, and built community here throughout the summer, making YATC an important part of the rhythm and energy of Mt. Cross.

Behind it all, our kitchen team prepared nearly 12,000 plates of food, washed roughly 5,000 loads through the dishwasher, and put in more than 2,000 combined hours of work to keep everyone fed and cared for. That’s a whole lot of food, dishes, and early mornings!

YATC is one of the many groups that calls Mt. Cross home throughout the year. Our hospitality and rental ministry opens the camp to churches, schools, youth groups, nonprofits, and other organizations who use our facilities for their own programs and retreats. In addition to YATC’s summer program, they bring around 150 campers for ten days in the winter and about 30 campers each in the spring and fall. These partnerships are an important part of Mt. Cross’s ministry, helping this place serve people year-round.

And none of it happens without our incredible hospitality team. To our kitchen staff, thank you for the countless hours, meals, dishes, and behind-the-scenes work that made this summer possible. You helped make Mt. Cross a place where hundreds of young people could gather, grow, and belong!

As our 2026 summer season comes to a close, we give thanks to God for this incredible team of summer staff. Thank you fo...
08/11/2026

As our 2026 summer season comes to a close, we give thanks to God for this incredible team of summer staff. Thank you for the time, energy, joy, patience, and love you brought to Mt. Cross this summer. God called each of you by name to serve our campers, our community, and one another, and we are so grateful for the ways you answered that call. Go in peace! ❤️

This summer at Mt. Cross, our theme was Wear Love. Love isn't something we save for the big moments. It's something we c...
07/13/2026

This summer at Mt. Cross, our theme was Wear Love.

Love isn't something we save for the big moments. It's something we choose to put on every day in the way we treat one another. Whether we were in the cabin, on the trail, at the climbing wall, around the campfire, or in worship, we had countless opportunities to practice wearing love.

Thank you to every camper who brought this community to life with your laughter, curiosity, and willingness to try something new. And thank you to our summer staff for leading with patience, compassion, and joy each day.

We're grateful for an unforgettable summer and all the moments that reminded us what it means to wear love. 👕❤️

Today our new Day Camp vans are on the road, and we're feeling incredibly thankful!These vans were made possible through...
07/12/2026

Today our new Day Camp vans are on the road, and we're feeling incredibly thankful!

These vans were made possible through the Seeds of New Life Grant from Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church in Newark, and they're already helping us bring camp to churches and communities throughout the region.

Every trip means counselors arriving safely, supplies making it where they need to go, and more kids getting to experience the joy of Mt. Cross day camp!

Thank you, Holy Redeemer, for believing in this ministry and investing in its future. Your generosity is helping us reach more children and families all summer long. ❤️

Address

7795 Highway 9
Ben Lomond, CA
95005

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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