Personal retreats at the Red House increase during the pandemic

Dear friend of Woolman Hill,

We miss you! The joyful giggles of youth frolicking in the open field; the palpable energy of deep worship emanating out of the meetinghouse doors; the murmurs of earnest conversations beneath the apple tree; mementoes left by families marking significant milestones; the hum and bustle of focus groups envisioning and implementing better ways to address the climate crisis, racism and inequity; the vulnerability and relief of those engaged in pursuing genuine alignment with God, the Spirit, the Source, the Inner Light. We miss your comings and goings, and your being here.

To put it mildly, this has been a tough year for Woolman Hill and for retreat centers all around the world. A core part of our mission – providing spiritual and physical space for groups to gather – has been next to impossible due to the coronavirus pandemic. Yet the need and hunger for being together in person – in community! – in a beautiful natural setting will be all the more urgent when it is again possible. During this period of extremely limited group use, we’re making some proverbial lemonade. We are moving forward with major improvements to the main building, increasing accessibility and accommodations while maintaining the homey character of the space. We look forward to sharing more news about this ambitious project in the coming months!

And we are thrilled that despite COVID-19, we have still been able to safely offer space for individual and family retreats. Indeed, folks have been flocking to the Sunrise, Woodshop, and Saltbox cabins and to the Red House – choosing whichever cozy nook best suits their condition. In this time of confusion and unsettledness, of divisiveness and disarray, the grounding of the hill brings solace, steadiness, connection, inspiration.

We need your support to help Woolman Hill pull through this challenging year with strength. All of the searching spirits, the aching hearts, the tired minds seeking respite and discovery, need Woolman Hill to be here on the other side of the pandemic – and every moment between now and then!

With profound gratitude for the myriad ways you and so many others treasure what Woolman Hill is, and how it ministers, without words, to the anguish and the possibility of our world.

Margaret Cooley
Executive Director