Submitted by and Lynne Smith, OSB (she/her), and Everline Jeruto, OSB (she/her)
Benedictine Women of Madison

Last week, we set out on a two-day road trip to Waverly, Nebraska – an adventure filled with both anticipation and purpose – as we journeyed to attend a five-day gathering of the Benedictine Monastic Congregation of St. Gertrude. Founded in 1937, this vibrant Congregation traces its roots to the rich heritage of Benedictine women’s monasteries in Germany and Switzerland. Today, it brings together 11 Catholic monasteries and two ecumenical communities spread across the United States and Canada. Each monastery is autonomous and guided by its own prioress, yet all share a common heartbeat in the Rule of St. Benedict.

Every three years, this shared life finds a special expression in the gathering of the Chapter. It is a time to pause, listen, reflect and look forward together. At the most recent Chapter, the Congregation gathered under the inspiring theme: “Growing with Christ in Love for the World.”

This gathering was not just about meetings and reports – it was a sacred opportunity to listen deeply to the Spirit and to one another. With the guidance of Sister Carol Zinn, SSJ, executive direction of LCWR, the sisters explored what it means to live Benedictine life faithfully in today’s world.

One of the central invitations was to continue growing with Christ – not only through prayer, but through honest reflection and discernment. Growth, as it turns out, is not always comfortable. It requires openness to uncertainty and trust in God’s presence, even when the path ahead is not entirely clear.

Another key focus was synodal living – walking together as a community. This means shared responsibility, active participation and mutual support. It is about building a culture where every voice matters and where decisions are shaped through listening and collaboration.

The Chapter also emphasized that vocation is never static. Even after many years in religious life, the call continues to unfold in each of us. Ongoing formation remains essential, helping sisters respond thoughtfully and creatively to the changing realities of the world around them.

And at the heart of it all lies a simple but profound call: to love the world as God does – with compassion, courage and a willingness to engage deeply with the challenges of our time.

The sisters acknowledged both the challenges and the signs of renewal present in religious life today. While the world may be complex and ever-changing, Benedictine life offers a steady foundation rooted in prayer, community, obedience and stability.

These timeless values provide not only a way of life for the sisters, but also a gift to the wider world – a witness that a life centered in God can bring peace, purpose and hope.

With eyes toward the future, the Congregation is beginning preparations for a remarkable global celebration: the Benedictine Jubilee in 2029, marking 1,500 years since St. Benedict founded Monte Cassino.

The theme of this Jubilee, “Places of Hope since 529,” beautifully captures the enduring spirit of Benedictine monasteries around the world. For centuries, monasteries have been places where people can find quiet, clarity and connection – spaces where prayer is lived, hospitality is offered freely and community is deeply valued. The Jubilee will celebrate this legacy while inviting a renewed vision for the future.

As part of this celebration, monasteries across the globe will open their doors even more widely, welcoming visitors and pilgrims to experience Benedictine life firsthand. It will be a unique opportunity for many to step into these sacred spaces and discover their rhythm of prayer and hospitality.

The journey toward 2029 has already begun. As a Congregation, the sisters are embracing this moment with intention and creativity. Preparation includes:

• Deepening spiritual life – nurturing a strong and faithful relationship with God
• Expanding hospitality and outreach – welcoming others in new and meaningful ways
• Strengthening collaboration – building closer connections among monasteries
• Engaging oblates and wider communities – recognizing that Benedictine life extends far beyond monastery walls
• Sharing the Benedictine witness creatively – finding fresh ways to tell their story and invite others into it

The Congregation of St. Gertrude stands at a moment filled with grace and possibility. Rooted in centuries of tradition yet open to the future, the sisters are embracing their call with renewed energy and hope.

As they continue to grow with Christ, strengthen their communities and respond to the needs of the world, they do so with a deep sense of purpose – and with joy as they prepare for the Jubilee. Together, they carry forward a powerful vision: that their monasteries will remain true “places of hope” – not only for today, but for generations to come.

The Sisters of Holy Wisdom Monastery will gather a group of representatives from each of our communities to plan ways to celebrate the Benedictine Jubilee. We will invite people to experience Holy Wisdom as a “place of hope.”

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Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery.

James Rissler tried to prepare for his first Contemplative Renewal Immersion, and first visit to Holy Wisdom Monastery, by reading the Rule of Benedict. As a Mennonite Pastor from Georgia, he was not quite sure what to expect. He had some uncertainty about where he was heading in his vocation and a desire to explore more contemplative practices. He was concerned that St. Benedict seems to discourage humor and laughter. He wondered, “What kind of place will this be?”

On the first day, James was walking by the gardens and heard another pastor in his cohort, Amy, laughing loudly. He told Amy how much her joy put him at ease after reading Benedict’s discouragement of laughter. Amy shared her concerns over the upcoming 24 hours of silence, a practice that is comfortable for James.  This exchange confirmed for him the strength of being together in a cohort. “I’ve always been someone who appreciates processing things in relationships, so coming to Holy Wisdom and engaging in contemplative practices with other clergy from across the country and different traditions was attractive.” The diversity of the group and the way each of their gifts supported one another deepened his understanding of how important it is to be present for others, not just as a pastor, but as a person.

When it was time to write a Rule of Life in the Winter Immersion, James wrote a rule that reflected his desire to keep working not on specific practices, but on his presence. “My rule doesn’t commit me to any practices. It commits me to a kind of presence in the world. I’m clearer on a sense that who I am as a leader and a pastor is a person who tries to show up with a particular kind of presence to remain grounded in God’s love and sharing that love with those with whom I engage.”

James’ rule has a larger form, but it is the simple version that he references regularly: “I try to live with love, joy and presence.” Over five years have passed since James’ wrote this rule and shared it with his cohort and the sisters. James reflects, “Immediately and over the last five years, it facilitated, it deepened, it pointed me on a path that I’ve continued to walk…. The kind of person I am now, as a leader, was planted at Holy Wisdom and continues to grow.”

This ongoing growth comes through experiences outside of Holy Wisdom Monastery and through his monthly small group online gatherings with four members of his cohort, regular reunions with his full cohort and ongoing connection to the wider community of communities. “There is a kind of community that Holy Wisdom is as a whole, of which the Center for Clergy Renewal is an important part. But it’s a mutually beneficial relationship. I think neither would be what it is without the other. The space, the community, feels like it has a certain charism.”

Thank you for being part of the nurturing environment that can help James and other pastors find grounding in how they are being called to show up in the world.

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Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery.

“I don’t know if burned out is the right word,” reflects Julane Nease when recalling what led her to apply to Contemplative Renewal Immersions, “but I was feeling the stress of my call. There’d been a lot of difficulties that had happened within the life of the people in the congregation.” When she arrived for her first immersion in July 2021, she realized she was not alone. “I remember at that first session being struck at how emotional it was, several people, and I think probably me, were crying when we were talking about what had been going on and all the stress points in our lives and ministries.”

Julane felt the welcome and embrace of the cohort community in the group sessions. In Centering Prayer, she found a welcome and embrace from Christ. “I remember sitting in the oratory sinking into Centering Prayer and saying to myself, ‘OK, Jesus, here I am.’ And then I saw Jesus’ eyes right in front of me. I heard him say, ‘I’m here too.’”

By the end of the first immersion, Julane knew the contemplative way of praying and understanding God was needed in her life. The encouragement to look inward helped her to see the need to care for her own spiritual health. She is an extrovert and generally tends to be outward facing in her life. Paying attention to the internal was amazing, but hard. She entered the second immersion tender and ready for care. “It was okay because it was really a soft place to land. I knew that if all I could do was cry that was okay and people would be there to support me. I’ll always be tremendously grateful for that space.”

Beyond the two immersions, it is Julane’s ongoing small group that has provided a deep ongoing connection. “They are people that will show up for me whenever I need them, and they know that I will do that for them too.” It is also in her small group where Julane continues to develop her understanding of what it means to be a contemplative person and pastor. “We talk about it in our small group because we all feel we are walking contemplatives in this world. Thinking of myself that way reminds me to pause and be quiet, because how else am I going to hear God if things are so loud? Especially in this season in our country, everything is so loud. If I can remember to take five minutes of Centering Prayer, it is enough to refocus. Remember my breath. That’s been a big change.”

In her effort to be a walking contemplative in the world, Julane incorporates aspects of contemplative practice into worship. Worship now starts with silence, a form of Statio that Julane sees as particularly helpful for bringing the community together when some are online and others are in person. Reading Psalms aloud together has also shifted. “I remember Sister Lynne talking to us about how the sisters read out loud together. It’s about listening to each other. It’s not just about saying the words. I always try to let my voice be one voice among others. Sometimes I have the sense I’m going with the waves of the way the people are reading and speaking.” Thank you for being part of the community that supports the walking contemplatives in our loud world. The deep roots Julane developed through the Contemplative Renewal Immersions are continuing to feed Julane and her congregation, bringing forth new fruit as they continue to walk together through challenging times.

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Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery

James Salimes was struggling with disillusionment when he heard about the Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery. As part of his disillusionment, he left ministry as a non-denominational pastor and started serving as a chaplain. James entered the immersions hopeful the experience would help him “work through my disillusion, but with an open mind to see where it would lead me.” As a part of the fourth cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions, he found a community of pastors from a variety of traditions. “It was a different experience for me to be with a group of pastors like that. Different from my own background. Not the group I’d normally hang out with.”

On the opening night of their first immersion, everyone was invited to take a rock and name something that they wanted to set down or let go of in their time at Holy Wisdom Monastery. James reflects, “I remember taking my rock and letting go of fear. That was a great way to start.” Another key moment from his second immersion was participating in a Clearness Triad, a practice built on the Quaker tradition of Clearness Committees. “It was something I longed to do but didn’t know I was longing for. It was like [being with] an especially good friend who will sit and listen. But those relationships are few and far between.  When we sat down and [I realized] there was a name for this, and there is a way to practice this, and it could be a part of everyday conversation…that was a big moment for me.”

In the spring after the second immersion, James found himself using these skills in his work as a chaplain. He remembers a particular conversation that spring, sitting with a grieving woman who had a lot of questions: “All these answers were coming to mind from college and the ministry I was a part of for so long. I was able to let that go and let her explore and listen to her without having answers or correcting her. I allowed the Holy Spirit to take the lead in our conversation. Since then, it’s helped me when I go to speak with people. I’m not the answer guy.”

The Contemplative Renewal Immersions helped James to see the work of the Holy Spirit in others and in himself. He came to “understand my own belovedness.” Awareness of his own belovedness opened James to an awareness of Christ’s presence in others. “If Christ is present than I can learn something from someone else no matter where they are from. I can see where God is at work. That is something I am trying to be more aware of, aware of how the Holy Spirit is working in the person next to me or whomever I meet that day. I keep calling myself back to that awareness, because it is easy for me to slip out of that awareness.”

Through the community of the Contemplative Renewal Immersions, James was able to strengthen the deep roots of his faith in Christ’s love and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. From strength of these roots, he is able to bring God’s love into the daily interactions of his ministry. Thank you for your support!

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The Thanksgiving season gently reminds us of the important practice of gratitude. Yet gratitude can be a challenging emotion during this time in the world and during a holiday that has a complicated history.

We have much to be grateful for at Holy Wisdom. We are blessed daily by our guests, our shared mission, the prairie, the sisters and one another. As those of you who attended the Annual Meeting in October know, we have much to be thankful for – our vital and growing organization is thriving. Yet this is a time in the world in which globally we are not seeing abundance. Our earth is hurting, our people are hungry and the public discourse is full of conflict and hate – peace seems far out of reach.

Several of the coworkers attended the Sustain Dane summit earlier this month, and the keynote speaker, Arielle King, spoke of the importance of joy during this time of relentless work as environmentalists. Her message highlighted how finding joy and protecting it will sustain us in our work to serve others and care for the earth. We often witness this here at the monastery. Our guests, our Center for Clergy Renewal pastors, our retreatants all replenish and restore when they visit the monastery. Holding fast to joy and filling our cups allows us to keep serving and working. It allows us to be there for one another, and it allows us to sustain ourselves during hard times. Holding sacred space to contemplate this complex juxtaposition is one of the many gifts the monastery provides.

The Thanksgiving holiday also inherently holds lightness and darkness in its history. It is a time marked by breaking bread, being together and experiencing joy – yet it is also a time that began a treacherous history of oppression and genocide of the Native American people by colonial settlers. How to hold that complexity?

We all know that Holy Wisdom Monastery rests on land that was originally cared for by the Ho-Chunk people (you can review our Land Acknowledgement here). Those who attended a talk earlier this month, by Melanie Tallmadge Sainz, enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk nation, shared her history and life as a nonprofit director, teacher and artist. She was a gentle yet fierce presenter whose message (at least I can say) empowered me to work to do better with representation and our relationship with the Ho-Chunk. Her presentation was an inspiring reminder of Indigenous People’s strength, resilience and strong presence in our world today.

We might ask if it is appropriate to experience joy during Thanksgiving, a time that also represents the start to the pain and oppression of a people whose only crime was tenderly and wisely caring for this honored land. I imagine that task is even more challenging for those in our community who are Indigenous or a member of a Tribal Nation. How might we, alongside this painful history, also hold space for the joy and gratitude that we need for our own sustenance? I think the answer is to be intentional. We must laugh and love during this holiday, but we can also (with the same intention we put into creating joy during this time) take action to repair relationships and educate ourselves.

I will offer my family’s intentions for this season. In addition to bringing back our Gratitude Tree (a vase of branches that sits out for the next week on which my family hangs little notes of gratitude they have written) we will also be committing to view an upcoming screening of Sacred Wisdom Sacred Earth. Holy Wisdom was invited by the LOKA Initiative this week to view this incredible documentary, which is described on their website as a compelling feature-length documentary on how the efforts of Wisconsin’s Native American tribes to restore their spiritual, cultural and environmental resilience is rooted in their sacred connection to the land and waters of the Great Lakes. Being in attendance during the viewing was an honor and a privilege that I can’t wait to share with my family at the first opportunity.

I also plan to borrow, with her permission, Board member Sally Bower’s reading she shared to open Thursday’s Board meeting. She highlighted Robin Wall Kimmerer’s work in designing a beautiful Earth honoring litany that I hope my family will read before our dinner. I have included this litany below, with her permission, for anyone else who would like to consider its place in their own intentional practices.

Finally, as a show of gratitude to our recent Holy Wisdom speaker, our family will consider making a donation to Melanie Tallmadge Sainz’s nonprofit Little Eagle Arts Foundation (LEAF), to support and sustain her creative work honoring Ho-Chunk people. With these actions, I hope to experience the sustainable gifts of gratitude and joy, while still honoring our family’s responsibility to actively work to learn more about the resilience and wisdom of Indigenous People and to repair those relationships.

How will you honor joy during these complicated times? How will you challenge yourself to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving? Consider sharing your ideas by visiting the blog version of this email.

Kindly,

Erin

This Litany was drafted and shared by Sally Bowers as the introduction to the Ministries Board meeting on November 20th, 2025. Light edits have been made in order to allow the litany to be shared and adapted by the larger community.

Introduction: As we approach Thanksgiving, I am reminded of a chapter in Braiding Sweetgrass, of which we will hear excerpts from here. Robin Wall Kimmerer writes – “This Thanksgiving address is a ‘river of words’ as old as the Indigenous People themselves. This ancient order of protocol sets gratitude as the highest priority. The Thanksgiving address is a powerful political document, a social contract, a way of being – all in one piece. But first and foremost, it is the credo for a culture of gratitude.

I have asked several of you to read one of the gratitude’s and our response after each one will be: Now Our Minds are One. Let’s say this response together to begin – Now Our Minds are One

Reader #1: Today we have gathered and when we look upon the faces around us we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now let us bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to each other as People.

RESPOND: Now Our Minds Are One

Reader #2: We are thankful to our Mother the Earth, for she gives us everything that we need for life. It gives us joy that she still continues to care for us, just as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother Earth, we send thanksgiving, love, and response.

RESPOND: Now Our Minds Are One

Reader #3: We give thanks to all of the waters of the worlds for quenching our thirst, for providing strength and nurturing life for all beings. We are grateful that the waters are still here and meeting their responsibility to the rest of creation.

RESPOND: Now Our Minds Are One

Reader #4: We are all thankful for the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

RESPOND: Now Our Minds Are One

Reader #5: We now turn our thoughts to the Creator, or Great Spirit, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our choicest words of greeting send thanks to the Creator.

RESPOND: Now Our Minds Are One

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Submitted by Janet Neurauter (she/her),
Mission Advancement Consultant

Join us Friday, November 14, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 pm for the opening reception of Beyond the Bloom, featuring work by Maron Massey. This exhibit will be available for viewing November 5, 2025 – February 3, 2026.

Some of Maron Massey’s first memories are of creating art with her family. “My mom, dad, and siblings were always making art together. We were constantly working on projects – even the ones from the ‘Highlights’ magazine for children!” By the time she was a senior in high school, she was allowed to create her own independent study class in art because she had already completed every class offered. “When it came time for a committee to evaluate my progress at the end of the year, my work filled the library.”

Maron attended the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design for two years after high school where she concentrated on sculpture. She then worked with her family’s landscaping business for 17 years. “I probably planted 100,000 flowers during that time. Maybe that’s why I paint so many flowers today.”

Maron’s exhibit of acrylic paintings on canvas at Holy Wisdom is a perfect fit with the mission of caring for the earth. “My work is inspired by nature. Some of the paintings in this exhibit reflect time spent here at the monastery.” Maron wants people to be drawn in by her color palette first and then by the image. By using all the colors found in nature, she hopes her work will take people out of their daily concerns and recall what is really important. “I love incorporating many layers and textures in my paintings but it’s up to the viewer to interpret what the work means to them personally.”

Maron’s work can be found throughout the Madison area. She has 14 paintings in the permanent collection at Epic, the UW purchased three for their new Eastside Clinic and she recently completed 10 murals and 30 paintings for a downtown condominium association.

Jennifer Peters, our art curator commented, “Maron’s paintings are exuberant and make people happy. This exhibit will bring joy to everyone who sees her work!”

The exhibit is on display in the Gathering Area of the monastery from November 5, 2026 – February 3, 2026. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10 – 11 am.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025, from 6:00-8:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Registration is appreciated. Register below

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Submitted by Everline Jeruto, OSB (she/her),
Benedictine Women of Madison
Reprinted from Oblate News

In today’s world, everything is dominated by screens with images of people’s lives that have been carefully planned, from the posed photographs posted on Instagram to the rehearsed dance moves on TikTok. In the era of images, personal branding is the trend, and people have a habit of showing a perfect life. With so much comparison and the need to appear perfect, humility is a rare thing but a basic quality that can keep us from being lost in a shallow world. And it keeps us from believing that the image we project is who we really are.

While scrolling through our feeds, we compare our flaws with others perfectly posed pictures. We see flawless faces, perfect holidays, dream jobs and perfect families creating a cycle of self-approval. We feel obliged to keep up a “personal brand” that demands us to constantly seek public approval. In this situation, humility may appear as a disadvantage or a loss. Still, humility can instead become an assertive power to be lived out in this competitive culture.

The words of Benedict, which were composed more than 1,500 years ago, offer insights into the significance of humility. Benedict recognized the inclination in human beings towards pride and arrogance. His Rule highlights humility as a way to get true power and peace without cutting oneself off from the world. In his guidance for humility, he not only called for self-reflection and growth but also suggested the relinquishing of the ego as a result of personal freedom.

To be humble is to recognize our position in the world. To understand that our achievements are very likely supported by and/or contributed to by other individuals; and that our failures can also be fruitful in our own growth and development. This recognition helps us to motivate ourselves to stay open to learning, and to also offer up our thoughts for feedback. Humility should be regarded as one of the most valuable attributes to possess. It allows us to really be able to listen to other people and honor the various histories and perspectives of each person. When we understand the worth of the human being next to us, we bring improvement not only to ourselves but to our community and to how we understand one another and show each other compassion. When we exhibit humility together it allows us to connect and feel a sense of belonging to each other.

In a world where everything is judged by how it looks, humility is the answer. It allows us to give up the need for constant validation by others, and, instead, it creates a feeling of self-esteem that is based on our personality and our relationships. Consequently, it makes it easier for us to get the inner peace that comes from saying no to perfection and admitting our weaknesses, thereby making it possible for us to feel happy, not less, when others achieve.

In real life, cultivating humility in a visual culture takes several forms. It involves being aware of how the digital content we avail ourselves of is edited. It can also mean that we do not post certain parts of our lives so that we can have private moments. Recognizing the less glamorous aspects of life, such as learning and meditation, is also important, as they are the sources of true growth. Speaking genuinely in the form of questions and listening more attentively, rather than just waiting for our turn to speak, are also musts. Lastly, having humility in the image era is a form of quiet rebellion.

It is one way we go against the flow as we intentionally decide to give priority to depth rather than superficiality while at the same time focusing on quality rather than image only. We can thus create a sound self, which, although it is totally tuned to life’s complexities, still gives us integrity and tranquility. True strength is not in what the world sees but in inward growth, connecting with the real and living intentionally during these times. Benedict’s Rule impels the mind to go inward, telling us in effect that truthfulness and power come from our being, no matter what others may think. To do nothing else but be without masks or recognition is a revolt against the supremacy of the extremely visual world.

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Submitted by Kathleen Owens (she/her), Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery

Michael Anderson stumbled across the Center for Clergy Renewal (CCR) while on a personal retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery. His interest in CCR led to joining the fourth cohort of Contemplative Renewal Immersions. In the Immersion he found “people who were speaking the same language.” Reflecting on his first immersion in the summer of 2023, Michael says, “What I experienced was no less than the presence of the risen Christ standing among us, breathing peace. It couldn’t be anything else because that presence surely wasn’t the result of any group posturing or effort – its source was assuredly, ‘not us.’”

Michael sees the difference in what is offered through Contemplative Renewal Immersions from other continuing education or pastoral renewal programs. As he puts it, “As appropriate and useful as those other things are, they are not helping you deal with what is going on in you at a faith level and a soul level.” The Immersions allowed space to share with other clergy openly and with vulnerability, creating a cohort that was unguarded. “The thing that just continued to bowl me over throughout the week was how so much love and ministry could be shared among people. Everybody was so grateful for the for the opportunity to be seen.”

Following the Immersions, Michael began to ask himself, “What do you do when you’ve had what feels like a Gospel of John moment where you’ve been individually, and as a group, locked away in a place of fear? What do you do when you’ve been in that place and you’ve had the risen Christ come among you and say, you know, it’s cool, right? Now I’ve had that experience and I can’t forget it. And the way this contemplative thing works is that what you receive in the experience ultimately makes its way out of you in love towards the world.”

Michael is staying close to this gift of unguarded love through the contemplative practices he learned in the immersions and the community that he gained in his cohort. In his ministry he is particularly aware that “there’s been an untangling. My sense of belonging to God is now totally separate than my experience of being a pastor which somehow frees me to be more of a pastor and more a lover of God.” He is also living in more unguarded ways as this love makes its way out of him. “I am dialed into taking time to check on colleagues. I’m deeply aware of how unsupported people feel.”

Michael’s experience of the Contemplative Immersion program also led him back to Holy Wisdom Monastery to become an Oblate. His interest in being an Oblate grew in part from a need to go deeper and understand the thing that incubated the CCR. “If CCR is the container that’s holding all these discerning, tender hearts, there’s also a container that’s holding CCR. Going down the path to becoming an Oblate for me is about needing to spend

more time getting my heart educated and kindles new appreciation for and deepening in the tradition that formed me.”

Michael is at the beginning of a new journey in his life educating his heart and supporting others, especially his colleagues in ministry, along the way. Thank you for your support as part of the container that holds the Center for Clergy Renewal so that pastors like Michael can find spaces to be unguarded and open to Christ’s presence and peace in their lives.

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It’s early spring. Tendrils of mist dance like sprites on the water. The lake’s surface is smooth like polished silver. Several ducks skim silently like shadows in the fog. This is Lost Lake, a relic of the glaciers, which covered much of Wisconsin until 10,000 years ago. Lost Lake is nestled in prairie and woodland just west of Holy Wisdom Monastery.

You hike along the trail, which meanders around the lake. To your right oak trees rise like pillars, leaves rustling in the spring breeze. On your left emergent vegetation creates a verdant foreground to the lake. You squint as the brilliant morning sun consumes the mist opening a cloudless azure sky. Bird song and insect buzz envelope you, producing a spring reverie.

Then a bizarre sound scatters your dreamlike state.

Cow-cow-cow-cow-cow-cowp

You pause.

With binoculars in hand, you scan the lake to no avail. You resume your hike, tucking the sound away in your memory.

You return to Lost Lake a few weeks later. It doesn’t take long to hear it the call.

Cow-cow-cow-cow-cowp

Once more, you scrutinize the lake with your binoculars. Several Mallards paddle lazily on the sun sparkled water. Swallows swoop and slide, acrobats hunting insect meals. But source of the sound remains elusive. Then as you’re about to turn away something catches the corner of your eye and pulls you back.

A tiny brown bird pops to the surface of the lake, appearing from nowhere. You note she’s smaller than the nearby mallards. Before you can study her more, she vanishes with a graceful dive. You wait. A minute later she resurfaces in a different spot. She glides across the water, slicing the glassy surface like a knife and drawing closer as if to give you a better view. She’s a Pied-billed Grebe.

Pied-billed Grebes are compact birds. A thick body, slender neck and large head make them appear comical. But their anatomy has a purpose. They’re built for water. Grebes’ Latin genus, podylimbus (Podilymbus podiceps), means “feet at the buttocks.” True to their name, their legs emerge near their rumps enabling them to swim like submarines but rendering them awkward on land.

Many waterfowl species that visit Lost Lake are transitory. Yes, Mallards stay all summer, and Wood Ducks hang around, too. But Buffleheads, Teals, Goldeneyes are all short timers. Like summer’s bookends, they appear in spring and fall for a brief rest stop on their migration.

Pied-billed Grebes have made cameos at Lost Lake, too. But they haven’t lingered long. But this year is different.

A small splash disturbs the placid water as the grebe dives again. In seconds the water is calm. You hear a call.

Kee-kee-keee-kee-kee

This call is grebe-like but higher pitched and whiny. Your curiosity is piqued so you search the vegetation on far side of the lake. In one spot the reeds stir then part like curtains. Something emerges. It’s like your grebe, but smaller. Then you realize. It’s a juvenile Pied-billed Grebe!  In short order the parent appears, and they start to swim together.

The parent dives again, disappearing for a few minutes while the youngster waits at the surface. She emerges with a shiny fish. The youngster takes the fish, struggles with it, then gulps it whole.

So, what’s different this time around? This season marks the first time Pied-billed Grebes have bred and raised young at Lost Lake. The family arrived early last spring and can still be found at Lost Lake.

Newly hatched grebes leave the nest quickly but stay close for the first few days. Then they begin to hitch rides on their parents’ backs. The young grebe at Lost Lake is older now and swims on his own but follows close behind his parent.

Soon winter will creep in. The green oaks will transform into twisted skeletons silhouetted against foreboding skies. The grebes will be long gone.  So be sure to visit Lost Lake this fall and look for small birds gliding on the water, diving for food and uttering their grebe calls. They can be hard to see, so follow their calls to find them before they’re gone for the winter.

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Ryan Wallace does not remember how he first heard about the Contemplative Renewal Immersions at Holy Wisdom Monastery in late 2019. He was already interested in contemplative practices and looking for a way to sustain his ministry. As he remembers, “I was in my early 30s and thinking this is what I plan to do forever. And I know that if I’m going to keep doing this, I’m going to need a way to approach ministry that will be sustainable through my entire career.”

As part of the second cohort, Ryan was among those that had to navigate the pandemic between being accepted into the cohort in February 2020 and arriving at Holy Wisdom Monastery for his first immersion in July 2021. It took him a bit to set down his work and fully arrive when he came. “The first couple days I was trying to finish a lot of stuff, and I wasn’t fully present. Then we had the day of silence. The silence forced me to be fully present. We gathered in the Oratory for a closing and the response was, ‘Thank you God, for finding me here.’ At the end, I broke into tears, and I stayed there by myself for a while. I remember this deep sense of relief in in finding God’s presence again with me.”

Ryan’s powerful sense of God’s presence helped him to develop the skills in contemplative practice he knew he needed to sustain his ministry. “Until coming to Holy Wisdom Monastery, the scripture that defined my lived Christianity and the way that I taught it to others, would be Matthew 10:34-39, ‘I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. And those who want to follow me must take up the cross.’ For me that means confronting the authorities and the empire, and this is still a central part of my spirituality.” During the immersions a passage from the end of Matthew 11, which speaks to Jesus teaching us the “unforced rhythms of grace” became a connection point for the whole cohort. “That passage now holds the same level of importance in my spirituality and my ministry. The two commands are only one chapter apart. I spent a few years reflecting on this. It is the same Jesus who said you have to be ready to give up your life if you follow me and who also said I’ll help you recover your life. It took me a long time to really understand that those things are not at odds.”

Ryan has brought this new understanding of the unity of contemplative presence and faithful action to his work at Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. The Rule of Life he wrote during his second immersion was based on Thomas Merton’s “Now. Here. This.” He shared his Rule with his colleagues and the church leadership. Over the last three years the focus on being present to God, present to each other, and present to the community has woven its way through worship themes, education, the writing of their new mission statement, and outreach in their city. The balance of action and

contemplation Ryan learned through the Center for Clergy Renewal is informing the work of the congregation from centering prayer to protests.

As Ryan notes, “If you asked me five or six years ago, if I thought I would still be deeply connected with Holy Wisdom. I probably would have said it’s not very likely. It’s a two-year program.” But the seeds planted here are flourishing in his ministry, carrying the presence of God more deeply into his congregation and empowering them to see and serve the people around them.

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