Chrysalis Interfaith Retreat Center
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Long Lake is a perfect setting for morning and evening contemplation, along with the creeks and waterfalls found throughout Cosby Woods. There is healing found in nature's water.
Prayer
Reflection
Reflection
Church of the Covenant's Prayer Garden, with its gazebo and benches, is a serene setting for both walking and sitting in prayer.
Meditation
Reflection
Meditation
There are meditation benches found throughout the well developed trail system in Cosby Woods, with quiet places to sit and center oneself in God's nature.
A Sacred Space
our Grounds
Chrysalis Interfaith Retreat Center offers individuals and groups of any faith a peaceful place for the inward journey of spiritual growth and for renewal gained through reflection, meditation, or prayer. Located within the city limits of Lynchburg, Virginia, the Chrysalis Interfaith Retreat Center is surrounded by 50 acres of picturesque forest with trails, a lake, streams, and gardens. Chrysalis is currently available for one-day retreats and overnight stays for up to 6 people. Chrysalis Interfaith Retreat Center welcomes anyone who is committed to peaceful and loving spiritual practice regardless of their faith, spiritual tradition, race, gender, gender expression, immigrant status, or sexual orientation.
Our history
Our early 20th Century brick house (known as the Church House) contains a chapel, parlor, sun room, kitchenette, and three retreat bedrooms. It is the weekly meeting space for Church of the Covenant (a contemplative Christian Community) and is located in Cosby Woods (a 50 acre woodland), which is home to the Lodge of the Fishermen (Common Grounds Café) and Camp Kum-Ba-Yah. The camp's swimming pools and the Lodge's coffee house were both among the first racially integrated public spaces in Lynchburg upon their creation in 1961. Martin Luther King Jr. even visited the site when meeting with local leaders in 1962, just before giving his "American Dream" speech. The site has been a sacred space not only for the Monacan Indians who originally roamed it, but also for the 70+ years it has served as a special place for people from diverse backgrounds to come together in peace and love for one another and their Creator. Chrysalis Interfaith Retreat Center was created in 2006 to facilitate access for people needing sacred space to encounter their Creator.