Community of Peace in Louisa, VA (CPL) is an ecumenical, Christ-centered monastic community and retreat center that is welcome to people of all faith backgrounds. This community does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap or familial status. Members of all religious backgrounds are welcome here, and this will not impact your ability to join or live within our community.
CPL sits on 260 beautiful acres of mostly wooded property with rolling hills, a pond, and a creek. Currently there is a main building, “Sophia House,” in which most activities are held, and which serves as a dormitory for our long-term members and visitors. There are also two small, single-room cabins for people to stay in. There are hiking trails, a fire pit by the pond, and a labyrinth for people to enjoy.
We live in a monastic rhythm of sung prayer, silence, work, and study. Prayer is held in Sophia House three times a day at 8:00am, 1:00pm, and 7:00pm. We hold a period of silence each day from 12:00pm to 3:00pm, and a day-long period of silence on Fridays. Our members work 4 hours a day, 4 days a week, with Fri, Sat, and Sun off. We also eat breakfast and dinner together as a community.
CPL is still in its early stages of planning and development. We hope to someday build more accommodations for members and guests, and expand our capacity for food production. Our long-term vision is to have a space for monks to practice their life-long commitment to God, other spaces for visitors to have personal retreats, and additional spaces for those in need to be fed and housed, all united together in a self-sustaining spiritual community. We are always seeking new members, volunteers, visitors, and donors.
The mission of CPL is to heal the broken-hearted and to transform the world one step at a time. Here’s how:
In the midst of violence and war, CPL offers a prayer for peace in the beauty of silence and song. In the midst of growing economic suffering and inequality, CPL offers a place of retreat for all people regardless of financial means. In the midst of widening political divides, CPL offers a respectful meeting and ongoing dialogue between people of different and diverse political and religious views. In the midst of painful racial, ethnic tensions and injustice, CPL offers and interracial and multiethnic gather for relationship and reconciliation. In the midst of the struggle for equality by women and the LGBTQ Community, CPL offers a multi-gendered conversation of inclusivity, affirmation and empowerment. In the midst of intergenerational misunderstandings, CPL offers a gathering of young and old praying, working and eating together to build a more diverse and delightful Community of Peace. It all begins in the shared, sacred silence of our hearts; it grows to embrace the heart of the world.
Our Pillars:
Radical Welcoming
Sung Prayer
Learning to Dialogue
Service
Living in Harmony with the Earth
The mission of CPL is to heal the broken-hearted and to transform the world one step at a time. Here’s how:
In the midst of violence and war, CPL offers a prayer for peace in the beauty of silence and song. In the midst of growing economic suffering and inequality, CPL offers a place of retreat for all people regardless of financial means. In the midst of widening political divides, CPL offers a respectful meeting and ongoing dialogue between people of different and diverse political and religious views. In the midst of painful racial, ethnic tensions and injustice, CPL offers and interracial and multiethnic gather for relationship and reconciliation. In the midst of the struggle for equality by women and the LGBTQ Community, CPL offers a multi-gendered conversation of inclusivity, affirmation and empowerment. In the midst of intergenerational misunderstandings, CPL offers a gathering of young and old praying, working and eating together to build a more diverse and delightful Community of Peace. It all begins in the shared, sacred silence of our hearts; it grows to embrace the heart of the world.
Our Pillars:
Radical Welcoming
Sung Prayer
Learning to Dialogue
Service
Living in Harmony with the Earth
Right now we do not have a membership process. When we have more prospective members, we can start to create that with open communication.
For a visit, please contact Sabrina via email or telephone (I don’t actually have great service here but try me). We can talk more about what we have to offer here along with your needs in community. I look forward to hearing from you!
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
Organized in circles or domains with distributed authority.
Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.
Monthly fees/dues: Yes (amount not specified)
Labor required: 4 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes
Common House, Garden(s), Vehicle Share, Swimming pond or pool, Large Scale Kitchen, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Internet
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
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