Nature Notes Summer 2014

Greg ArmstrongCare for the Earth, Nature Notes, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Prairie dock growing at Holy Wisdom Monastery We had a spring with lots of moisture. The good news is that all the plants are growing vigorously, providing cover and lots of food for all the critters that live at Holy Wisdom Monastery. The bad news is that the weeds, those non-native invaders of the prairie, savanna and woods, are also growing vigorously. So Paul Boutwell, many volunteers and I have been busy trying to rid the natural lands of these weeds. Garlic mustard in the shady places and reed canary grass in the open areas, are a couple of examples. …

The Prairie Has Much to Teach Us

Ann MoyerBenedictine Bridge, Care for the Earth, Monastic Life, Volunteers Leave a Comment

The prairie teaches us to take time to slow down, develop and nurture deep roots.  The prairie has much to teach us. During the winter months prairie plants experience an important period of dormancy. With spring will come a rush of new growth, but first the prairie rests, gathering strength, while nature lies in a deep freeze. What a privilege to be surrounded by the restored Wisdom Prairie lands here at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Restoration of native species provides spaces with unique beauty, a balm for souls and healing and care for the natural environment, especially our precious lakes. Prairie …

Community Workdays Provide Opportunities to Help

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Care for the Earth, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Help spring clean the prairie at an upcoming Community Workday. (Photo by Brit Cerdena) One Saturday per month, Paul Boutwell, groundskeeper and restoration ecologist at Holy Wisdom, holds a workday so that volunteers who enjoy helping on the prairie and grounds or with cleaning tasks can provide help. Held April through November, the day starts out at 8:30 am when participants meet in the monastery gathering area. Introductions and a synopsis of the tasks to be accomplished are shared. If participants wish, they can start the day with community prayer at 8:00 am on the lower level of the monastery building. Paul …

Volunteer Spotlight: Phyllis Lobdell

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Phyllis Lobdell volunteers at the monastery front desk each week. She answers the phone, greets guests, prepares mailings and helps with a multitude of other tasks.  On Wednesdays, Phyllis Lobdell can be found staffing the monastery reception desk where she spends five hours helping with clerical work in support of the development department. Phyllis began volunteering at Holy Wisdom about a year ago after she moved to Madison from Illinois. “I enjoy doing simple, repetitive clerical projects because I find it to be peaceful and I know I’m helping the staff and saving them time. This type of work gives me the time …

Volunteer Spotlight: Robert Bruck

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Robert Bruck (right) listens as Paul Boutwell (center) explains how the huge Christmas tree will be lifted up. For the past four years, Robert Bruck has helped to put up the Christmas tree in the assembly room. He says he has a great employer who gives him the latitude to leave work when necessary such as when it’s time to help with the tree. Robert says that the satisfaction of being part of the greater good is what makes him volunteer here. “Time is a finite commodity and one that can be given when monetary donations are more difficult.” He also …

Volunteer Spotlight: Sara Whalen

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Sara Whalen (right), with the help of her husband John, makes applesauce for the Holiday Fair from the apples she picked at a volunteer Community Workday. Sara Whalen can literally see the fruits of her labor in the apples that she picked in the monastery orchard during the volunteer Community Workday on September 21, 2013. A few days later, Sara and her husband John volunteered in the monastery kitchen turning the apples into applesauce to sell at the Holiday Fair and Angel Tea on November 10, 2013 from 12:00-3:00 pm. Sara has helped with the fair since she and John joined Sunday Assembly two and …

Volunteer Spotlight: Peg Davey

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Peg Davey (right) helps chef Barbara Wright prepare veggies for freezing. Peg volunteers in the kitchen when large groups are at Holy Wisdom.   Since January, 2013, Peg Davey has been helping monastery chef Barbara Wright when there are large groups and special events. “I’ve particularly enjoyed being a part of some very special events at Holy Wisdom. Several examples are the breakfast for over 200 in February when Sister Simone Campbell of “Nuns on the Bus” spoke at the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice annual gathering, a wonderful buffet dinner accompanying a concert by the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society and …

Volunteer Spotlight: Michael Belongie

Jill CarlsonBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Michael Belongie helps keep the monastery grounds looking groomed and well-tended. A long weekly drive hasn’t deterred Michael Belongie from volunteering at Holy Wisdom for the past 10 years. “The 96-mile round trip from Beaver Dam has proven more eye-opening and satisfying than 10 round-the-world trips I might have undertaken,” Michael related. Taking on tasks as varied as helping with controlled prairie burns, removing weeds from the gardens in front of the monastery and Retreat and Guest House, washing windows, taking out the trash and floor care keeps Michael busy when he’s here on Wednesdays. Prior to retiring from his …

Welcoming Volunteers in Community

Lynne Smith, OSBBenedictine Bridge, Monastic Life, Volunteer in Community Participant Blog Posts, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Four of the five Volunteers in Community work in the vegetable garden. Much of the produce from this garden ends up being served to guests at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This month the sisters welcome five women as Volunteers in Community between June 10 and July 6, 2013. Noreen and Mary will be with us the entire month. Noreen comes from Princeton, New Jersey where she works in the area of media and marketing. She has participated in domestic and international missionary trips for her church. Noreen grew up on a farm in Michigan and has gardening experience to bring to her participation …

Volunteer Spotlight: Margaret Sommers

Car McGinleyBenedictine Bridge, Volunteers Leave a Comment

Most Wednesday afternoons you can find Margaret Sommers in the lower level monastery workroom printing, folding and collating 200 copies of the Sunday Assembly worship bulletin and inserts. Holy Wisdom Monastery is blessed to have a dedicated group of volunteers. Many of the volunteers help outside on the 95 acres of prairie. Margaret Sommers, on the other hand, almost always volunteers inside doing a variety of tasks related to Sunday Assembly worship. Margaret came to Holy Wisdom sometime in the early 1980s for Sunday morning worship. In the late 1990s she learned from Mark Johnson who was director of worship and music at …