Many of you have heard a term we affectionately say about this place: “the illusion of seclusion.” Our neighbors include a quarry, a railyard, and – yes – a gun club. We are a ten-minute drive from grocery stores, restaurants and more. Yet time and time again, people express the visceral feeling they encounter as they crest the hill and see the fields open up, the sense of the chaos of the world falling away. The land reaches out and embraces them. And we are so moved by how often the people who come to spend time here return that embrace, settle into the grounded be-ing of this container. Here’s a few glimpses of that:

Thank you so much for receiving us in this wonderful space. From the very first moment we set foot here we knew it was the right place for our retreat gathering. The care, love and intention poured in every corner is felt. Thank you for all the ways in which this space supports and sustains community building.
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So grateful for this peaceful place at a time of enormous unrest. We come to restore serenity and joy – thank you for this invitation.
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Words cannot express how thankful we are that you hosted us this year and were so generous with your pricing and resources….  One of our new attendees this year told me that they had experienced more personal growth in the span of that week than they had experienced in six years. Thanks to you all at Woolman Hill, we were able to both continue on a 60+ year legacy, and create something entirely new.… The accessibility of Woolman Hill was an absolute game changer. We had four wheelchair users this year, some of whom expressed how delighted and impressed they were with the accessibility of the space. We are so proud to have put together an outdoors retreat-like event that was both financially and physically accessible for folks who otherwise wouldn’t be able to experience something like this. 

We are so grateful for all of the support from the Woolman Hill community that allows this place to flourish. We need your help to continue offering this invitation into transformation, this precious re-set button, to all who need it. You may send a check to Woolman Hill or donate online at www.woolmanhill.org/donate/. 

With hope-filled blessings and deep gratitude,
Margaret Cooley
Executive Director

This time of year, the meadows and lawns on the hill are so full of life! Birdsong, blossoms, baby bunnies and bears; the spirit of this place literally calls out with welcome. It invites us to step into a restorative and inspirational space, far beyond the chaos and pettiness all too common in our wider society. The slower pace and quieter conditions allow us to hear a soft breeze or notice a butterfly’s dance, pause to watch the fireflies or have a meaningful conversation.

As I type, a children’s camp spills out onto the lawns preparing to engage in nature exploration and peace-making. Also this summer we are hosting a radical autonomous young adult empowerment conference, an adult singing camp, a church group, and an “interdependence restival” (to nourish and sustain people and groups working for justice, economic democracy, and liberation). It is impossible not to feel hope for the world as all of these positive energies flow through the structures and pathways, fields and forests, nooks and crannies, of this incredibly powerful and grounding place. 

Once a Woolman Hill board member described Woolman Hill staff as like a swan: presenting a graceful, calm beauty to guests while underneath the surface furiously churning their legs. We need your help to keep paddling away at our busy work while maintaining the soothing inspiration of the hill for so many. 

Generous donors have offered a match of $15,000 for every donation between now and the end of our fiscal year. All gifts will be matched; gifts from new donors and increased amounts from returning donors will be double-matched! Your help in meeting the challenge will enable us to reach our Annual Fund goal of $51,000. Please consider doubling your impact before September 30th: make your gift today using the donate button below, or by sending a check made out to Woolman Hill (107 Keets Rd, Deerfield MA 01342).

We are so grateful for all of the ways the Woolman Hill community loves and supports this sanctuary of inspiration. Thank you for being part of our community!

With hope and blessings,

Margaret Cooley
Executive Director

 THANK YOU!

Dear Friend of Woolman Hill,

The incredible array of daffodils surrounding the conference center is bursting with sunny greetings! And while the yellow bounty gets lots of oohs and ahs, there is also more hidden, quiet beauty tucked into the fields nearby. Similarly, there are raucous red-tailed hawks frequenting the large sycamore in the middle of campus, as well as brilliant bluebirds and tiny wrens flitting quietly about. In a time of great angst and ugliness in the wider world, we are delighting–and finding promise–in all these signs of spring here on the hill.

Come nourish your soul at one of our upcoming events, and find the strength and clarity for your particular call in the work that lies ahead. There is still a last chance to register for an exploration of the Spirit’s stirring in creation! We’re also preparing for our spring volunteer workdays, some of our favorite experiences of many hands making light work. Looking ahead to autumn, there will be a chance to examine how to best free ourselves to do God’s work. And, as always, we welcome individuals for personal retreats and for midweek worship.

We would love to see you here on the hill sometime soon!

With spring hope, 

Margaret Cooley
Executive Director

UPCOMING EVENTS
Click the links below for specific events, or click here for information about all of our upcoming programs.

IF QUAKERS WERE WITCHES… An Exploration of Eco-Spirituality
with Sara Jolena Wolcott, Hayley Hathaway and Elaine Emily
May 2nd-4th, 2025 (Friday through Sunday)
What are some of the resonances between Quakerism and pagan/animist earth spiritualities? Might such resonances deepen our spiritual journey? Join us to engage the historical and contemporary overlaps between these traditions through historical teachings, collective inquiry, worship sharing, arts, song, ritual, and a decolonial lens.

VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS
tentative dates Wednesdays, May 14 and June 18
Join your friends on the hill, rub elbows, whistle while you work, engage in wide-ranging conversation while removing storm windows, tidying up the garden beds, stacking wood, deep cleaning, and generally sprucing up the place… We’ll shower you with gratitude and feed you a tasty lunch and snacks! And if you’d like to stay overnight, let us know to reserve a bed for you at no cost…

POWER OF ENOUGH
with Traci Hjelt Sullivan and Jackie Stillwell
New dates: September 26-28, 2025 (Friday through Sunday)
How can we balance our use of time, energy, and “things,” to free us for action to do God’s work and to contribute to right order in our community? We’ll explore this question in various ways, and by the end discern concrete actions in which this “power of enough” can manifest in our day to day lives.

WEEKLY MIDWEEK QUAKER WORSHIP
Each Wednesday from 5:30-6:30pm we host unprogrammed Quaker worship, followed by a period of worshipful sharing. Worship is open to all.

And from our friends at the Nelson Legacy Project:
Nelson Legacy Project Open Houses
Sundays, May 18 and June 8
For those interested in upcoming events hosted by the Nelson Legacy Project, you can find more information on their website. Their May 18th and June 8th open houses will offer opportunities to explore what can we learn from the Nelsons that might be relevant to the times in which we live.

Meetinghouse at dusk, November 5, 2024

Dear Friend of Woolman Hill,

As we pass the Solstice and begin turning back towards the sun, we are so excited for the year ahead here on the hill. From extended worship to election grounding, we’ve had an incredible 2024; we need your support to continue carrying forward the vibrant ministry and welcoming spirit that characterize Woolman Hill.

More and more individuals and groups are finding this special place and delighting in our simple, comfortable indoor spaces as well as the stunning beauty of the meadows and woods surrounding them. One recent guest wrote: “I am brought to tears by the power of this place, and have so much gratitude for what you and everyone does to steward it.” The care of Woolman Hill is carried by many, many people – including all of you who add your financial support to the solid foundation of love that strengthens physical and spiritual structures.

In a country and world aching for connection, authenticity and peace, we need the reflective pause of our year-end silent retreat or our “On the Threshold of the New Tomorrow” retreat in January. We need the inspiration and discernment of extended worship, or spacious gatherings with our faith communities, professional teams, volunteer boards and even families. We need time to listen to the Spirit, to hear what next step is ours to take. Woolman Hill is the sacred container inviting all of that to occur, restoring our souls and sending them out into the world ready for the work ahead.

We rely on donations for a third of our income each year. Please help Woolman Hill continue to thrive; you can make your gift today by sending a check or by donating online.

We’re looking forward to hosting transformative events this coming year and hope to see many of you here on the hill soon!

With deep joy and abundant gratitude,
Margaret Cooley
Executive Director

Woolman Hill is a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS tax code; our federal tax number is 04-2197159.

ON-LINE
You can use the “donate” button above to make a one-time or recurring payment with a credit card or a PayPal account. To set up monthly payments, simply click on the donate button, then check “make this a monthly donation” and proceed according to the instructions.

BY MAIL
Checks, made out to Woolman Hill, can be sent to 107 Keets Rd, Deerfield MA 01342.

THANK YOU!

We’re looking for a fabulous person to join our crew as a full-time Retreat Center Coordinator.

This person will be our primary office staff who gets to interact with all of the wonderful folks who come to Woolman Hill and gets to work in an incredibly beautiful natural setting (see below)…

Could this be the right next step for you? Or do you know any caring, competent, committed folks who might be the right fit? Please send them our way!

You can read more about the position here.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5
9:00AM-5:00PM

Come hang out with your friends on the hill!
Join us for fellowship, fun, and physical labor!

It’s finally SPRING! Join your friends on the hill, rub elbows, whistle while you work,
engage in wide-ranging conversation while removing storm windows, tidying up the garden beds, delineating the parking spots, deep cleaning, and generally sprucing up the place…

We’ll shower you with gratitude and feed you a tasty lunch and snacks! And if you’d like to stay overnight before or after, let us know to reserve a bed for you at no cost…

Come for part or all, one or both of the days… Great to let us know you’re coming;
do come even if you haven’t RSVPed in advance. OR tell us if you’d love to come but can’t make these dates – there may well be other opportunities…

You’re also welcome to join us afterwards for our midweek Quaker worship
(5:30-6:30pm, followed by optional worshipful sharing).

For more information or to RSVP:
info[at]woolmanhill.org
413-774-3431
107 Keets Rd Deerfield MA 01342

This was one of our busiest years yet – with groups of young people, faith communities, peer groups, activists, contemplatives, dancers, musicians, writers, and more… People aching for meaningful connection with others and with the Spirit; people longing for solitude and for time apart from the hustle and bustle of the world; people yearning to be surrounded by the beauty of meadows and woods, bird calls and coyote howls, soft breezes and starry skies. People experiencing profound moments of unity with the divine, unexpected insights, and tender explorations of new leadings. People engaged in productive sessions and community-building with colleagues, deep discussions and robust planning for tackling the world’s challenges.

This autumn an enthusiastic crew of volunteers planted 23 saplings around our main campus – including elm, birch, hickory, maple, oak, hackberry, and redbud. We are eager to see these new trees take root – imagining how they will greet future generations; and we likewise look forward to the growth of spiritual seeds that have been planted over the past year. After a long hiatus, we are joyfully returning to programs of our own with the well-loved year-end silent retreat, soon followed by a day of extended worship, and a family-focused weekend in the spring. With plenty of other ideas sprouting up, we’re excited for seasons to come.

We are committed to ensuring our spaces and programs are welcoming and financially accessible. We rely on donations to continue to offer nourishment to those hungering for spiritual sustenance, to maintain affordable rates, and to lovingly tend to our complex facility. Please join us in keeping this center for renewal and inspiration thriving; gifts of all sizes are welcome. Many thanks for your part in the Woolman Hill community.

With hope and gratitude,

Margaret Cooley,
Executive Director

DONATE HERE

For individuals and groups,
Woolman Hill is
a welcoming, peaceful home.
Cozy, simple, grounding.
A space to connect,
to be embraced by nature.
It soothes and revitalizes,
relaxes and energizes. 

Dear Friend,

In these harried and divisive times, the world so badly needs the loving energy the hill provides. As the pandemic recedes, we’re experimenting with new program models and continuing to grow into the possibilities our new space offers. We’re expanding staffing to provide these new opportunities in a way that is sustainable for the people who tend the hill on a daily basis.

Please join us in caring for the well-being of this spiritual home. Donations of all sizes are welcome. Many thanks for your support. You may send a check made out to Woolman Hill (107 Keets Rd, Deerfield MA 01342) or you may donate online.

With joy and gratitude,
Margaret Cooley
Executive Director

My stay was at times powerful, at times difficult, and definitely what I needed. 
Writing, reading, walks in the woods, silence, waiting worship…

I think everyone was very happy to be there again; one person said
“this feels like our home”  and I think she spoke for all of us.
The upgrade in the living area of the conference center is super nice. And it’s great that
all the quaintness of the buildings remains, as well as the great feeling of the Meeting House. 

The grounds are stunning, the energy and positivity more so.
This was a much needed pause and catching of a deep breath. We are so thankful and we will be visiting again. 

Though the cabin is rustic, it was very comfortable and from another era, I loved the simplicity.
What you have to offer there is a treasure and truly a refuge.
I found a fairy dwelling on the Ridge Trail that had a message – LOVE – written on a piece of bark – magic.

Photo by Kevin Lee

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

Tuesday, November 3rd and Wednesday, November 4th
8am to 8pm

Wednesday, November 4th
Midweek worship OUTDOORS
3:30-4:30pm, followed by worshipful sharing

During a time of fear, divisiveness and anxiousness, we are offering the Woolman Hill campus and Meetinghouse as a space for grounding, prayer, meditation and worship. Individuals are welcome to spend time outdoors or in the Meetinghouse.

We ask all who come to please observe the following COVID practices:
– Wear a mask while inside and anytime you are within six feet of others
– Maintain plenty of distance from anyone who is already in a space when you arrive (in the Meetinghouse, consider using the opposite side of the room when possible)
– You are welcome to leave all doors open (interior and exterior) and/or to open windows while you are in the space to increase air circulation. Please shut doors and windows as you leave in order to conserve energy while the heat is on.
– Please avoid buildings other than the Meetinghouse.

May connecting to the Spirit guide and strengthen us.
Blessings and peace to each of you and for our country.