The moss green Edwardian house with the high turret at 720 E. Greene Street, Waynesburg has a sign in the front yard that says “Servant Song.” For years I’ve wondered about it as I zipped by on my way to go shopping. I had never stopped to read the fine print at the bottom – “Retreat House and Spirituality Center.” Like many astonishingly wonderful things to be found in Greene County, it hides in plain sight, waiting for serendipity to draw you in. Just ask the Kollers, whose own spiritual journey was one of the seeds that helped grow this very special place “where those who come experience God’s love, mercy and His deep abiding peace.”
Donna Koller remembers standing in the doorway of her ceramics studio in Ruff Creek with “light coming through the window.” The car accident that crushed her leg had been a painful transition from the day to day of having a job that had her working on her feet to staying home to slowly heal. “I read a lot and wrote. I was in a deeply spiritual quest.” She also revived her old hobby of ceramics and “began to see more beauty in them than before.” In that transformative moment in the light she realized something had been added to her artistic skills, something… “I called it a touch of Spirit….”
Donna and husband Larry opened Touch of Spirit gift shop in Ruff Creek in 1980 and soon began adding Christian books of every kind. When the business moved to Waynesburg in 1991, ceramics were disappearing from the shelves as Donna gave them away. “God brought people in and the conversations turned to faith in individual lives and thanking God.” People came in from different churches and different faith traditions but their spiritual quest was bringing them together.
Ecumenical – from the Greek oikoumene “the inhabited world” – strives to unite the many divergent orders and sects of Christianity.
People sometimes ask, “What have we been doing? We followed God’s call.” Donna says.
By 2005 there was enough strength of spirit and cooperation between people, pastors and churches in Greene County to open Servant Song as a nonprofit with an independent ministry team that includes ordained ministers, priests, licensed clergy and qualified lay persons. It offers spiritually guided retreats, days of prayer and reflection, healing services and ecumenical celebrations. It shares its name and mission with First Song of the Servant, Isaiah 42: 6 – 8 “I the Lord have called you for the victory of justice…”
On February 15, Servant Song held an open house celebrating 15 years of service to the thousands who have come from more than a dozen states and as far away as Italy and China to retreat and heal inner wounds and leave to take the seeds of unity with them. It was a shout out to the many acts of charity between local churches made stronger by cooperation. It was a moment to look forward to an upcoming year of events to promote greater community participation.
Less than a month later the COVID-19 epidemic put the world on hold.
What does the future hold in store? For now, all retreats and gatherings have been canceled but online meetings and individual spiritual consultations continue by phone. There will be a lead-in discussion for an online Advent Retreat on November 22. The retreat itself is November 29. Read all about it on Facebook @SSMRetreats.
