A Welcoming Spiritual Home in Greenbrier
Tucked into the heart of the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake, Virginia, Unity Renaissance of Chesapeake has been a hub for affirmative prayer, meditation, and practical spirituality since 1982. What began as a small book study group meeting in homes and rented buildings grew into an officially chartered church in 1988, and in 1993 the community moved into its own light-filled sanctuary at 1120 Eden Way North. Decades later, the building still feels open and unhurried, with bountiful gardens outside and a contemporary sanctuary inside that seats 212, surrounded by natural light and a newly built fellowship hall and kitchen.
Unity Renaissance is part of the worldwide Unity movement founded in 1889 by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in Kansas City. As a member of Unity Worldwide Ministries, the church holds to Unity's positive, practical and progressive approach to Christianity, honoring the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer while drawing wisdom from other spiritual masters. The congregation's vision is a spiritually awakened world living in peace, love and joy, and its mission is to transform lives that transform the world. The doors are wide: people of all faiths, backgrounds, orientations and family configurations are welcomed as full participants.
Sundays at 11:00 a.m.
The week's main gathering is the Sunday service at 11:00 a.m., running about an hour and fifteen minutes. A pre-service chapel meditation runs from 10:20 to 10:45 a.m. for those who arrive early and want to settle in. Each Sunday offers an inspiring message, heartfelt music, and a warm welcome - what the church describes as a place to reconnect, reflect and renew. Recent sermon series have drawn from The Way of Mastery and The Way of the Heart, with talks designed to support listeners in choosing love in everyday life and to explore the healing power of forgiveness.
The service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and a video archive of past messages goes back several years. The YouTube channel also features guest speakers from across the New Thought world. Visitors arriving in person will find a Prayer Chaplain team stationed before and after the service, identifiable by their purple prayer stoles, ready to sit with anyone who wants confidential prayer support.
First-Time Visitors
Unity Renaissance publishes a friendly visitor guide for newcomers. There is no dress code - whatever modest attire is comfortable is welcome. Some people arrive in shorts or jeans, others in dresses or suits. Parking is available in the church's own lot as well as the lot of the adjacent development, with designated spaces for the handicapped and elderly. The building is ADA accessible, with ample space throughout. Visitors can fill out a brief online form ahead of time to pre-register their children and save a step on Sunday morning.
Youth and Family Ministry
Children are woven into the rhythm of Sunday morning. During the 11:00 a.m. service, the Youth and Family Ministry offers nursery care for ages 0 to 3 and age-grouped classrooms for children and teens up through high school. Each room follows Unity's Living Curriculum philosophy: rather than pulling lessons from a single book, teachers and mentors help young people recognize their own divine nature. Co-founder Myrtle Fillmore's charge to the program is simple - we are here not to entertain the children, but to call them out.
Classrooms are organized by age and stage. Unitots (ages 3 to 6) introduce prayer, lessons and reflections, with plenty of movement and hands-on activities. Unikids (kindergarten through fifth grade) is the largest cohort, blending play and social connection with prayer, meditation, self-reflection and self-expression. Uniteens (grades 6 to 8) explore complex emotions, peer pressure and the practice of using prayer and meditation to build positive mindsets. Youth of Unity, Y.O.U. (grades 9 to 12), helps teens develop independence, deepen their understanding of Unity principles and prepare for regional retreats and rallies.
Mary Molinari serves as both Youth and Family Ministry Director and Sacred Service and Welcome Program Director. Sacred Safety protocols are a top priority - all volunteer teachers undergo background checks, nametags with matching security tags are issued to younger children, and allergen information is collected so classrooms stay nut-free.
Children with autism, ADHD, Down syndrome and other special needs have always been part of the program. Rather than a separate space, students are placed in the classroom where they fit best, and staff work with parents and volunteers to create thoughtful accommodations. Families are encouraged to mention specific needs during registration.
Older youth stay connected beyond Sunday morning through the Eastern Region of Unity Ministries. The region hosts a Uniteen Retreat typically at the end of June and YOU Rallies in spring and fall (usually the last weekend of April and the last weekend of October), bringing together teens from Unity churches around the region for prayer, meditation, music, drumming, team-building, talent shows and more.
Classes, Workshops and the Wider Spiritual Path
Beyond Sunday morning, Unity Renaissance hosts a steady rhythm of classes and workshops on topics that range from Bible basics to mysticism, prayer, forgiveness, African spiritual history, and the Way of Mastery. Past offerings have included "Everyone Prays," a workshop built around Unity and the Religious Science five-step prayer model; "Hidden in Plain Sight: Discover the Origins of Faith in African History," an interactive exploration of ancient African civilizations; and Forgiveness workshops like "The Healing Code of Forgiveness: From Shame to Receiving" and "Forgiveness: The Nonnegotiable Bridge to Heaven You Cannot Cross Alone." Special concert events have featured the Sounds of Joy Choir's 25-year anniversary and a Motown & Miracles concert.
Classes are offered in a mix of day, evening, weekend and Zoom formats, with weekend workshops through the year.
Prayer Support, Pastoral Care and Prayer Chaplains
Prayer is the daily practice of Unity Renaissance. Visitors and members can request prayer in person before or after Sunday services, by phone during office hours, by writing a name on a slip and placing it in one of the prayer boxes in the foyer or chapel, or by submitting an online request through the church's prayer request page. Names placed in the church's prayer boxes are held in prayer by local Prayer Chaplains and then sent to Silent Unity to be held for 30 days.
The Prayer Chaplain team was first trained in the fall of 2003 and inducted during Sunday services on December 7, 2003. Chaplains are lay members who commit to a year of service, making monthly prayer and wellness calls to participating congregants, serving in Sunday services, attending monthly meetings and continuing their training. The congregation also partners with Silent Unity, the free 24/7 prayer ministry of Unity World Headquarters, available by phone at 1-816-969-2000 between 7 a.m. and 1 a.m.
Pastoral Care at Unity Renaissance focuses on helping people connect with the presence of God within them in order to tap into their own innate wisdom, guidance, strength and peace. A separate Congregational Care team offers prayer, compassion and companionship to congregants experiencing illness, surgery, disability, loss, hospice or nursing home care. The team handles hospital visits, home visits, nursing home or rehab visits and hospice visits, with members available to come once a person has given permission.
Community Outreach: From the Streets to the Schools
Outreach is one of the church's strongest expressions of its mission to transform lives that transform the world. The vision is a community uplifted and empowered through love and compassion. The Community Outreach team, led by longtime congregant and retired CPA Lynn Kline, runs a year-round calendar of service projects.
Each first Saturday of the month, four adult volunteers (plus children old enough to help alongside a parent) meet at 6:15 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk to help serve Breakfast on the Streets, a community breakfast for people experiencing homelessness sponsored by Norfolk Catholic Worker. Volunteers are encouraged to bring fruit for the meal, with reimbursements available through Unity Renaissance. There are no rain dates - breakfast is served regardless of weather.
Other regular initiatives include partnering with the Chesapeake Area Shelter Team (CAST) to provide meals and shelter during the winter months; preparing and serving meals at the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center; picking up surplus food donated by Panera and delivering it to area shelters; and a "No Child Wet Behind" diaper drive each May for the Greater Hampton Roads Diaper Bank.
Prison Ministry holds three prongs: writing notes of encouragement to people incarcerated in Virginia corrections facilities; collecting books, Bibles, Daily Word and Unity Magazine; and helping returning citizens re-enter the community, sometimes with yellow-ribbon baskets at release. The church has adopted Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Chesapeake, collecting backpacks and supplies and offering tutoring, and also supports Oscar Smith High School.
Seasonal outreach includes the Angel Tree gift drive for children in need and residents of the Virginia Home for Adults in Chesapeake; a stuffed animal collection for children and adults needing comfort, including those impacted by AIDS; and Christmas caroling at the Virginia Home for Adults with music, food and gifts. Each June, Unity Renaissance sponsors a booth at Hampton Roads Pride.
Weddings and Event Rentals
The sanctuary, fellowship hall and kitchen at 1120 Eden Way North are regularly used for weddings and special events. Unity Renaissance's wedding ministry is intentionally inclusive - ceremonies can be religious, spiritual, secular, interfaith, traditional or non-traditional, with Reverend René available to officiate and ministers licensed to marry couples of all backgrounds, faiths and orientations. Couples may also bring their own officiant.
Ceremony-only weddings currently start at $1,000. Ceremony and reception rentals start at $3,000, with packages tailored to specific needs and budgets. The sanctuary seats 212 guests, the main banquet room seats 65 and opens up to 150 when paired with the adjacent Narthex and classrooms. A large, well-appointed kitchen supports outside catering. The wedding page sums up the church's posture succinctly: love matters; everyone is welcome; the choice of who officiates belongs to the couple.
Beyond weddings, the space is available for rehearsal dinners, military events, retirement and birthday parties, corporate retreats and holiday parties. The Special Events Manager, Marcie Ulses, can be reached at Marcie@unityren.org to schedule tours and discuss packages.
Social Groups and Sacred Service Teams
Beyond Sunday services and outreach, Unity Renaissance gathers smaller circles of friends and doers. The Mighty Men of Unity Renaissance is open to men 18 and older, meeting monthly on Saturday mornings at the church with twice-yearly off-site retreats, service projects and an annual Men's Group Auction that raises funds for facility projects. The Unity Sisterhood meets from 1:15 to 3:15 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month in Meyer Hall, welcoming women of all ages with a shared snack, a rotating theme and a focus on personal growth, friendship and supporting local charities. No childcare is provided at this time.
Sacred Service teams give members a structured way to volunteer behind the scenes on Sundays and beyond. The Sacred Service Team invites new volunteers, while the Abundance and Prosperity Team focuses on the church's financial stewardship.
Beliefs in Brief
Unity Renaissance holds to Unity's five foundational principles: that there is only one Presence and one Power active as the universe and as our life, God the Good; that our essence is of God and therefore inherently good, with this essence called the Christ and fully expressed in Jesus; that we are co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in mind; that through prayer and meditation we align our heart-mind with God, using denials and affirmations as tools; and that through thoughts, words and actions we live the Truth we know.
The Bible is interpreted metaphysically as a metaphor for the evolution of human consciousness. God is named in many ways - Life, Light, Love, Substance, Principle, Law and Universal Mind - and the church honors Truth found in every sacred scripture and faith tradition. Jesus is honored as a master teacher and way-shower of universal truths, with the term Christ denoting the divinity in all humankind. Affirmative prayer and meditation are seen as central practices for spiritual growth, healing and transformation.
Leadership
Reverend René serves as Senior Minister. A native of Toledo, Ohio, she holds a B.S. in Business Administration from The Ohio State University and a master's degree in Consciousness Studies from the Holmes Institute. Ordained as a Unity Minister in 2022 after years in corporate leadership and serving Unity and Centers for Spiritual Living communities in Ohio, Tennessee and Florida, she completed the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage from France to Spain and is writing a book about the experience. Reverend Ann DeMichael serves as Associate Minister, a long-time congregation member who was ordained as a Unity Minister in 2022 and leads the Prayer Ministry and Adult Education.
The day-to-day staff and ministry leaders include Marcie Ulses (Business Director and Special Events Manager), Tony Porten (Audio/Visual Director), Mary Molinari (Sacred Service and Welcome Program Director and Youth and Family Ministry Director) and Brittany Henderson (Music Curator and Coordinator). The Board of Trustees is led by President Christopher Naughton, a longtime Unity member and CEO of Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment in Virginia Beach.
Giving, Office Hours and Getting Connected
Gifts of any size support Unity Renaissance's ministries. The church accepts one-time and recurring donations online through Tithe.ly, text-to-give by texting "GIVE" to 540-418-1228, personal checks mailed to the Eden Way North address, automated bank bill-pay contributions, and stock transfers coordinated through the office. Questions about giving can be directed to Program Director Ellysia Flores at ellysia@unityren.org.
The chapel is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. for meditation, support or appointments, with Sunday morning meditation running 10:20 to 10:45 a.m. and the Sunday service at 11:00 a.m. A weekly e-blast keeps the wider community current with classes, workshops, concerts and outreach opportunities. With its blend of prayerful Sunday worship, year-round education, gentle pastoral care, hands-on outreach, and an open door to every kind of couple and family, Unity Renaissance is the Greenbrier gathering place that many long-time members describe as "a true sense of coming home."