Worship, dialogue, education, and community service in the Poconos. A welcoming space for reflection and connection.
Saylorsburg, PA, USA
Joined May 2020
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Today marks two years since the passing of Fethullah Gulen.
For nearly 25 years, Chestnut Retreat Center was his home. He spent much of that time in study, prayer, writing, and conversations with people from different walks of life. His presence helped shape many of the traditions of learning, reflection, and service that continue here today.
As we remember him on this anniversary, we also invite you to watch GULEN: Devoted to Education & Dialogue, a new documentary featuring perspectives from 35 individuals across 14 countries.
Watch the documentary:
youtube.com/watch?v=a-s9ZwVd…
You can also read more about his time at Chestnut Retreat Center:
chestnutretreatcenter.org/ab…
We were glad to join the Pocono cluster’s second Faith250 gathering, hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Stroudsburg.
Faith250 is a national initiative marking America’s 250th anniversary. We reflected on Emma Lazarus’s The New Colossus with neighbors.
We were delighted to partner with Peace Islands Institute Pennsylvania for the 13th Annual Cultural Celebration Day at the Pennsylvania State Capitol!
It was wonderful to see communities from across Pennsylvania come together to share their cultures, traditions, music, and stories.
We are grateful to all participating organizations, performers, volunteers, and everyone who helped make this celebration possible. We look forward to many more opportunities to bring communities together!
Earlier this month, on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, we joined members of local faith communities at St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish for the annual Stop the Hate Prayer Vigil.
The gathering also recalled the spirit of Pope John Paul II’s historic interfaith gathering in Assisi in 1986, when religious leaders from around the world came together to pray for peace. Through prayers and reflections, we shared a meaningful time of fellowship centered on peace, compassion, and mutual understanding.
We were glad to be back with our friends at the Slate Belt YMCA for Welcoming Week, where we joined the International Potluck. We brought baklava and Turkish delight to share and enjoyed meeting people from across the community.
Our Annual Friendship Picnic brought together friends, neighbors, and members of our wider community for an afternoon by the pond.
There was plenty of delicious food, along with a water balloon toss, sack races, community trivia, and a little friendly competition. Just as nice was having time to sit together, catch up, meet some new people, and enjoy the afternoon.
Today, on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we remember the lives lost and honor the courage of the first responders and all those who served in the days that followed.
May this day of remembrance deepen our commitment to peace and to standing together across our differences.
We were glad to join this Faith 250 gathering, which brought faith communities from across the Poconos together around Katharine Lee Bates’s “America the Beautiful.” As the United States marks 250 years, the conversation invited us to reflect on the values expressed in the poem and what they mean for the country today.
A new sign is now up at Chestnut Retreat Center. We look forward to welcoming friends, neighbors, and guests in the days ahead. – at Saylorsburg, PA
🇺🇸 Happy Independence Day!
As America marks its 250th year, we celebrate the enduring ideals of freedom, dignity, opportunity, and civic responsibility, values that inspire people of every faith and background to contribute to the life of our nation.
Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸
Shared Table, Shared Future.
Chestnut Retreat Center was honored to partner in the 2nd Annual PA Capitol Friendship Dinner, bringing together PA legislators, Capitol staff, state officials, community and faith leaders in friendship and mutual respect.
195 families in Monroe County received Eid al-Adha meat packages through Chestnut Retreat Center’s partnership with @EmbraceRelief, @LehighDialogue and local food pantry partners.
The distribution began at CEC Food Pantry in Stroudsburg, where 120 neighbors received packages, and continued at PVEN with packages for 75 more families.
To all our Muslim friends and neighbors who are celebrating, Eid Mubarak!
May this meaningful time be filled with peace, joy, and a renewed sense of compassion.
We were grateful to join this year’s Interfaith Celebration of the National Day of Prayer at Courthouse Square in Stroudsburg.
At least 19 faith communities came together to reflect on prayer and lift up shared hopes for our community.
Chestnut Retreat Center was honored to offer an Islamic perspective on prayer alongside many traditions across the Poconos.
Thank you to @raindropstv1 and everyone who helped make this 29-day Ramadan iftar series possible at Chestnut Retreat Center. We were honored to host a program that included in-studio conversations on Islamic ethics, along with voices and connections from different parts of the world throughout Ramadan.
The final episode also included a short video capturing the atmosphere at Chestnut Retreat Center, with remarks from our Board Member, Mr. Sablak.
We’re also thankful to @mctv_resmi and @Hizmettencomtr for broadcasting the program throughout Ramadan and helping it reach viewers in many different places around the world.