The Chestnut Retreat Center (CRC), set on twenty-six landscaped acres in Saylorsburg, Eastern Pennsylvania, is a place where people from all faiths come together to further harmony in society. This is done by learning principles of inclusiveness, equality, religious acceptance and tolerance, and performing charitable actions in society.
Established by Turkish American Muslims on the philosophy of the Hizmet Movement, Chestnut Retreat Center offers retreats, study sessions, and seminars to help Muslims and non-Muslims learn respect for all other people. The founder of the Hizmet Movement, Fethullah Gulen, lives on the property and often gives lectures and sermons to visitors.
The retreat center offers educational weekend and summer programs for children that include sports and fine arts, plus spiritual and science classes. Seminars for adults and families based on the science of the Qur’an include discussion time for understanding the philosophy of Islamic Sciences.
Chestnut Retreat Center invites everyone to come and enjoy the center’s many regular programs. The center has two main buildings, a library, a well-equipped commercial kitchen that serves three meals daily, and several large meeting halls. There are eight guesthouses on the campus, suitable for families or two to three visitors.
The grounds are steeped in serenity, and guests can meditate in silence at the lake or among the landscaped gardens. There is also a soccer field and picnic areas for sharing a meal in the beauty of nature.