BUCKHANNON, West Virginia – West Virginia Wesleyan College’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life will host the fourth annual WVWC Christian Ashram Jan. 24-26, 2025 at the Greek Alumni Room in the Virginia Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts.

West Virginia Wesleyan College is the only college/university in the United States to host a Christian Ashram for its students, faculty, staff and alumni. 

A Christian Ashram is a retreat to focus on one’s relationship with God. Christian Ashrams are designed to help the attendees grow in faith through worship, teaching and witness; receive spiritual renewal through prayer, healing and sharing; experience life in an ecumenical, Christ-centered fellowship  and enjoy a relaxed atmosphere as one experiences “the Kingdom of God in miniature.”

Ashrams are nondenominational, but the Christian Ashram was started by a Methodist missionary named E. Stanley Jones, who served in India and became close friends with Mahatmas Gandhi. Jones modeled the Christian Ashram after the Hindu Ashram. 

Registration starts at 5:15 p.m. in the Greek Alumni Room featuring a free coffee bar on Friday, Jan. 24 and the Christian Ashram concludes Sunday, Jan. 26 at noon in the Greek Alumni Room. Dr. Justin Bowers, pastor of New Community Church, will play during worship on Saturday. The Christian Ashram is free to all current students at WVWC. All others will need to pay for their meals if they choose to eat on campus.

For more information, contact Jonathan Acord, Dean of the Chapel, at acord.j@wvwc.edu or Dr. Becky Swisher at swisher_r@wvwc.edu. 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2025 Best Colleges in the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan ninth in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.