Hospitality Sunday
2025-05-25 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
All are welcome to Hospitality Sunday, following 9:00 am Sunday Assembly worship on the last Sunday of the month, for a time of fellowship and food. You are invited to bring refreshments to share. Please provide a small sign if your treat includes nuts or alcohol.

Forest Bathing Art Exhibit Reception
2025-05-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
The Japanese practice of Forest Bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is becoming a prevalent way for people to increase their well-being by connecting with the natural environment through their senses. This easily accessible activity can benefit all ages, and serves as a reminder to slow down and be mindful by simply immersing oneself in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature.
In Holy Wisdom’s new art exhibit, local artists Jennifer Peters and Annette Knapstein share their work inspired by Forest Bathing as a “tangible expression of our sensory experience in nature.” Please join us for the Forest Bathing Art Exhibit Reception on Friday, May 30, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.
Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception begins | light refreshments will be served
6:30 pm – Artists give brief talk about their work and invite questions
8:00 pm – Reception ends
The exhibit is on display in the Gathering Area of the monastery from May 21 – July 21, 2025. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Artists – Annette Knapstein and Jennifer Peters

“My family always encouraged creativity whether it was in music, art or any other endeavor.”
Annette Knapstein grew up in Oregon, Wisconsin, and now lives in Middleton. Annette earned a degree in Economics and worked in advertising and marketing for more than 30 years. “I definitely used my love for the visual arts in my career,” she laughed. Initially a photographer, Annette began exploring colored pencils, watercolors, and acrylic painting several years ago. “My work is based on my impression of what I see, rather than making an exact replica. My intention is to reflect how I feel about what I am experiencing and seeing.” During COVID, Annette spent a lot of time at Pheasant Branch Conservancy. “Being out in nature gave so much back to me – it was my safe refuge.”

Jennifer Peters, an expressionist photographer, said her work in this exhibit is quite different than the show she had at the monastery in 2017. “The photographs in this exhibit are much more ephemeral, serene, and delicate. By exploring a softer focus on what I experience in nature, the painterly aspect of our natural world is revealed, allowing us to see details that may go unnoticed.” Jennifer attended Stevens College in Columbia, Missouri where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, majoring in piano. She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree at UW-Madison. Jennifer taught French at Blackhawk Middle School for 31 years and retired in 2011. Jennifer has always taken photographs, has exhibited throughout the area and participated in art fairs for years. Jennifer volunteers curating the art exhibits at Holy Wisdom and several other local venues.

Registration
Please register by May 28, 2025, in order to have enough refreshments. Thank you!

Day of Rest & Reflection for Registered Nurses
2025-06-04 08:30 - 16:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
We understand how challenging and depleting it can be to be a healthcare worker when caring for others and having little time for yourself.
This day is designed specifically for registered nurses to rest and reflect on how their career choice brought them to where they are today. Your day will be guided by speakers who will offer you time to reflect with each other, feed your body with delicious food prepared by our chefs, and nourish your soul by exploring the grounds at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Please join us as we honor the gift you are to so many others. May this day be a day away for you to be cared for. Dress for the outdoors.
Schedule
8:30 – 9:00 am – Coffee, tea, and muffins
9:00 – 9:15 am – Welcome & introduction to day
9:15 – 9:30 am – Icebreaker
9:30 – 9:45 am – Leader story
9:45 – 10:45 – Sharing our stories
10:45 – 11:00 am – Break
11:00 – 11:30 am – Brief history of the Sisters of Holy Wisdom Monastery and Benedictine spirituality
12:00 -1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 -1:15 pm – What experience in your career was life-changing for you?
1:15 – 2:00 pm – Share your story
2:00 – 2:30 pm – Care for the Earth at Holy Wisdom Monastery
2:30 – 3:30 pm – Free time to walk the prairie/write in journals
3:45 pm – Spiritual /meditation activity. How this can be so beneficial as an everyday practice.
4:30 pm – Closing
Facilitator – Rita Emmenegger

Rita Emmenegger is a registered nurse who worked at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, WI, for 35 years in pediatrics and obstetrics. She understands the challenges of choosing a career as a care-giver and not having the time to nourish one’s own body and spirit.

Cost
$60/person
Register
Please register below by May 28, 2025.

Spring Oblate Retreat & Promise Ceremony
2025-06-06 15:00 - 2025-06-08 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Reflecting, Revising, Renewing: Rededicating Ourselves to the Benedictine Rule
This event is open to Oblates of Holy Wisdom Monastery and Oblate Candidates. Registration on the oblate password protected site by clicking the button below. If you are an oblate of candidate and need the password, please contact Pam Shellberg at pshellberg@holywisdommonastery.org. Registration closes May 30, 2025.

Blessing and Rededication of Monastery Piano
2025-06-15 14:00 - 15:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Last year, the Monastery’s custom built Schimmel grand piano was refurbished with a generous gift from oblate and Sunday Assembly member Sherri Hansen in memory of her late husband, Scott Shimanski. Join us on Sunday, June 15th, at 2:00 pm for a free concert celebrating this gift to our community. There will also be a formal dedication of the instrument by Sister Lynne Smith, OSB.
Participants on the program will include Bill Frederick, Sherri Hansen, Grace Rosholt, George Teague and Patrick Terry. Works by Saint-Saëns, Bérlioz, Debussy, Schubert, Schumann and many more! Please join us for an afternoon reprieve and reverie in the midst of these angst-filled times, celebrating not only this gift, but the power of music to soothe, comfort, and heal.
Cost
There is no cost for this event
Register
Please register by June 14, 2025.

Conversations About Our Benedictine Life: Humility
2025-06-17 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-06-22 10:30 - 11:30, 2025-07-09 13:00 - 14:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Deeper your understanding of Benedictine spirituality by joining us for one or more of the Conversations About Our Benedictine Spirituality: Humility sessions. These gatherings offer time for reflections, for the reading of short pieces on humility from the Rule of Benedict and other authors, an exploration of how Benedictine humility differs from our every day understandings of it, and conversations about the gifts and challenges of living this Benedictine value in our lives.
These sessions are open to any adult who relates to any of the Holy Wisdom Monastery communities.

The Houston Accordion Orchestra Concert
2025-06-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
For the past 10 years, Stas Venglevski has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra. He is bringing his group to Holy Wisdom Monastery in June for a retreat. They have so kindly offered to host a free concert for us on Friday, June 20 at 6:30 pm in the Assembly Room. Expect music by Danny Elfman, Russian and Japanese folk songs, original music by orchestra members, The Flight of the Bumblebee, and more …
We hope you can come!
Leader – Stas Venglevski
Stas Venglevski is a bayanist, composer, conductor, arranger, entertainer and a teacher and his extensive repertoire includes his original compositions and a broad range of classical, contemporary and ethnic music. He has toured extensively as a soloist throughout the former Soviet Union, Canada, Europe and the United States and most recently in South Africa. Numerous U.S. performances include performances with Doc Severinsen, Steve Allen and Garrison Keillor on the Prairie Home Companion Show. He has performed with symphony orchestras in Europe and throughout the United States, including the Anchorage, Grand Florida and Detroit symphony orchestras in the opera production of Frida, and with the University of Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2003 for the official World Premiere of the Concerto No. 2 in D minor. It marked the first time the piece had been performed in its entirety with a symphony orchestra. He has performed the concerto on multiple occasions since, with the Tacoma, Colorado Jefferson and Racine symphony orchestras, and with that of Nurenberg, Germany. For over 25 years he has been a regular participant in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Arts in Community Education program (ACE). He’s done television commercials and performed in theater and opera productions; produced 31 recording albums, including a transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite for Bayan, as well as original compositions. Additionally, he has published several books of original compositions. For the past 10 years he has been the Artistic Director of the Houston Accordion Orchestra Retreat and in 2021 he was named Artistic Director of A World of Accordions Museum (AWAM) in Superior, Wisconsin. He is a past President of the Accordionists and Teachers Guild and currently serves on its board. Most recently, he has joined the faculty of the Music Department of the University of Wisconsin, Superior, WI. In 2023, he established the Stas Venglevski Music Foundation, SVMF. The aim is to revolutionize the world of accordion by inspiring young people to embrace the fine arts, empowering them to create music, honing their performance skills as soloists and with orchestras, and giving them opportunities to compose and debut new music. In addition to the core mission, the foundation is committed to expanding public knowledge of art and music and supporting impactful cultural initiatives worldwide. In February of 2025, Stas performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall.
Register
Please register by June 19, 2025.

I Choose Peace – Sound Healing & Guided Meditation
2025-06-21 10:00 - 11:45 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Discover a transformative journey with I Choose Peace – Sound Healing & Guided Meditation. This uniquely enchanting guided meditative experience invites you to explore the depths of world peace through soothing poetry, the calming resonance of sound bowl healing, affirmations of peace and love and reflective journaling. It’s more than just meditation; it’s a pathway to self-love and a deeper connection with your heart and the Earth.
Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or completely new to the practice, this program offers a safe and accessible path to personal peace. We welcome all peace seekers ages 18 and above.
Be still, reconnect with yourself and contribute to a more peaceful world, one mindful moment at a time.
Embrace your path to peace and empowerment while nurturing your spirit and mind.
Join I Choose Peace to be in community with like-minded souls dedicated to making the world a better place.
We look forward to you joining us to experience the healing power of I Choose Peace and transform your life.
Please bring the following items to make the most of your meditation:

Comfortable clothing: breathable, flexible garments for various temperatures. Light layers are suggested.
Blanket, pillow, yoga mat: create a comfortable space to rest by having your own items to support your body needs.
Journal: any journal or notebook (and writing utensil) will do to capture your reflections.
Water bottle/personal beverage: hydrate!
Personal care items: natural toiletries, sunscreen and insect repellent (if meditation will be outside)
Any additional personal items you may require to comfortably sit or lay down for two hours.

Schedule
10:00-11:45 am – Sound Healing
12:00 pm – Lunch (optional)
Instructor – Takeyla Benton
Mystic on a mission, Takeyla Benton has spent 25 years unlocking her own divine potential – and now she’s here to help you do the same. With a lifetime of spiritually directed studies and personal experiences, Takeyla infuses her wisdom and passion for storytelling, holistic healing and spirit-centered self-mastery and divine love into her sacred soul work at Key Transformations. As a trusted guide, she offers transformative spiritual consultations, Goddess-guided Reiki energy and sound healing, empowering yoga and meditation coaching, notable podcasts and workshops  – empowering those “sick and tired of being sick and tired” to bravely live on purpose.
Dates/Times
Join us June 21, 2025 from 10:00-11:45 am. If you can’t make this date, consider coming at a later date. Takeyla will also offer a class on Sep. 20 from 10:00-11:45 am. More details coming soon.
Cost
$35/person
Register
The registration deadline is June 14, 2025, or when the registration reaches 30 people. There is no refund for cancellations.

Kids on the Prairie
2025-06-22 10:30 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Explore nature’s beauty and surprises!
Kids on the Prairie (KOTP) is for children and their adult family members. Experienced volunteer educators and guides will facilitate a short hike to learn about nature and explore the grounds and trails. This free event is open to members of Holy Wisdom communities and the general public.
June 22 – Explore Wisdom Prairie
See what’s blooming and buzzing. Look for flowers everywhere even on shrubs and conifers. Make a flower rubbing. How many different kinds of flowers will we find?

CCR Contemplative Renewal Immersion
2025-06-23 - 2025-06-30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
The Center for Clergy Renewal’s (CCR) cohort 6 pastors will be here for their first immersion.
The Contemplative Renewal Immersions are designed to offer early and mid-career clergy the opportunity to nourish their spiritual center by developing life-long, covenantal relationships between clergy peers. These deep connections create spiritual companioning, renewal of calling, and revitalization within the congregations they serve. Participating clergy cohorts will be diverse in many ways including but not limited to age, gender identity, ethnicity, theological training, denominational affiliation, years in ministry, and spiritual practice.
Click here to learn more about the Clergy for Spiritual Renewal

Center for Clergy Renewal Gratitude Brunch
2025-06-29 10:05 - 11:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery*, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Each year, 18 pastors from across the country come to Holy Wisdom to experience a Contemplative Immersion. At this Gratitude Brunch, you will have a chance to hear how they have been impacted by their time at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Please join us for this uplifting event that takes place after Sunday Assembly worship on June 29 from 10:05-11:15 am in the Monastery Guest Dining Room. All are welcome.
Schedule
10:00-10:20 am – Transition from Sunday Assembly worship and get food
10:20 am – Welcome
10:30 am – Pastors share
Cost
There is no cost for participants to attend this event.
Registration
Please register by June 22, 2025, so we know how much food to prepare.

Summer Plentitude: A Seasonal Retreat
2025-07-11 13:00 - 2025-07-12 16:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
A riot of color on the prairie welcomes you to seek and celebrate your own abundance. This summer retreat invites you to sit with the lush growth of the season – on the prairie and in your own life and heart. It will hold space for attention to both.
Conversations about the season, walks on the prairie, naps, art, movement, journaling, great meals and welcoming accommodations will all be a part of what you can expect when you arrive. A renewed connection to nature and to yourself, along with joy in the plentitude and abundance of the season are what you can expect to take with you when you leave.
Seasonal Retreats
Each season this year, we will offer a different seasonal retreat. They will open spaces where each different season can offer its unique wisdom to us in the changing seasons of our lives. Each retreat is a two-day, one-night experience at Holy Wisdom with cozy accommodations, delicious meals, spacious time periods for solitude, reading and rest and contemplative conversations with other retreatants. There will also be a variety of opportunities to explore the prairies and the season and discover their gifts for you.
Upcoming Retreats

Summer Plentitude – July 11-12, 2025 (F/Sa)

Fall Fallowing – November 19-20, 2025 (W/Th)

Summer Plentitude Date/Times
Fri., July 11, 1:00 pm – Sat., July 12, 4:00 pm, 2025
Arrive between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm on July 11 to check into your room. The retreat begins at 1:00 pm on July 11 and concludes at 4:00 pm on April 12.
$250 early bird until Jun 3, $295 general, until July 3
Cost
$250/person – Early bird registration until June 3, 2025
$295/person – Full price cost starting June 4, until sold out or July 3, 2025
The cost of the retreat includes program, meals (Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and lunch) and overnight room.
Register
The registration deadline for this retreat is July 3, 2025, or when the retreat fills.
Cancellation policy – if you register but must cancel your registration, you can receive a 75% refund up until July 3, 2025. After that, a 50% refund is available until the retreat starts.
After you register, if you would like to request a double room with another retreatant or if you have other questions about accommodations, please contact Brooke Livingston at blivingston@holywisdommonastery.org.

Celebration of Monastic Profession and Feast of Benedict & Scholastica Brunch
2025-07-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
You are invited to join us for the Celebration of Monastic Profession and Feast of Benedict and Scholastica Brunch on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Celebration of Monastic Profession
We will celebrate Sister Lynne Smith, OSB’s 25th anniversary of her monastic profession and the one year anniversary of her election as prioress. Sister Lynne will renew her promises to monastic life and the sisters’ community during Sunday Assembly worship. All are welcome.
Feast of Benedict and Scholastica Brunch
Stay after Sunday Assembly worship for the annual Feast of Benedict and Scholastica Brunch. The food will be provided by the sisters.
Schedule
Sunday, July 13, 2025:

Sunday Assembly Eucharist and Celebration of Monastic Profession – 9:00-10:15 am – Monastery Assembly Room
Feast of Benedict & Scholastica Brunch – 10:15 am-12:00 pm – Monastery Guest Dining Room

Reflection on 25 Years
Click here to read Sister Lynne Smith, OSB’s reflection on 25 years as a Sister at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Cost
There is no cost to participants for this event.
Register
Please register by July 6, 2025.

Conversations About Our Benedictine Life: Humility
2025-07-17 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-08-17 10:30 - 11:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Deepen your understanding of Benedictine spirituality by joining us for one or more of the Conversations About Our Benedictine Spirituality: Humility sessions. These gatherings offer time for reflections, for the reading of short pieces on humility from the Rule of Benedict and other authors, an exploration of how Benedictine humility differs from our every day understandings of it, and conversations about the gifts and challenges of living this Benedictine value in our lives.
These sessions are open to any adult who relates to any of the Holy Wisdom Monastery communities.

Six-legged Summit: An Insect Conference
2025-07-18 08:45 - 14:15 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us for a full day of learning all about the wonderful world of insects. This program involves multiple sessions, including outdoor field trips, indoor photo-filled presentations and family-friendly activities. All participants will receive lunch, and can expect to bring home resources and inspiration to take action on behalf of insects, as well as a renewed sense of awe and wonder.
For each concurrent session, you can choose from two options including indoor presentations and guided hikes outdoors.
Schedule

8:45 am – Doors open
9:00 am – Welcome & introduction
9:15 – 10:30 am – Concurrent session I

Robberflies with Mike Reese
Monarch Butterflies with Karen Oberhauser

10:45 am – 12:00 pm – Concurrent session II

Dragonflies with Edgar Spalding (outdoor tour)
Bumblebees with Jade Kochanski

12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 pm – Concurrent session III

Monarch Butterflies with Karen Oberhauser (outdoor tour)
Dragonflies with Edgar Spalding

Session Descriptions
Welcome & Introduction: Join us for a brief introduction to why we’re here today. We’ll take a whirlwind tour of insect diversity, be reminded of how much you already know about this large class of animals, and learn how important insects are to our lives and to the workings of the natural world.
Robberflies with Mike Reese: In this outdoor field trip, we will explore prairie and woodland trails in search of robberflies, an overlooked but amazing group of insects. Learn about robberfly ID, ecology and their amazing hunting abilities.
Monarch Butterflies with Karen Oberhauser (indoor): Monarch butterfly populations have been declining over the last 25 years—essentially the entire time that we’ve been monitoring them. It is important to move beyond documenting this decline, and focus on the challenge posed by monarch conservation and insect conservation in general. Come learn about the amazing biology of migratory monarchs, how we can use data collected by scientists and public to understand what is driving monarch numbers, and what we can do with that information. The take-home message will be how we can address species conservation—in our own gardens and beyond—in the face of climate and other human-driven changes.
Dragonflies with Edgar Spalding (outdoor): More information coming soon.
Bumblebees with Jade Kochanski (indoor/outdoor): This session will offer an exploration of Wisconsin’s native bumble bees, focusing on ecology, conservation, and identification. Participants will gain in-field identification experience and are encouraged to use their new knowledge to contribute to the WDNR Bumble Bee Brigade participatory science program.
Monarch Butterflies with Karen Oberhauser (outdoor): The odds are that there is milkweed, monarchs’ only host plant, growing somewhere in a neighborhood near you. Join us for a treasure hunt as we look for monarch eggs and caterpillars on milkweed growing in Holy Wisdom Monastery gardens and prairies, and check out the other interesting animals that find food or a place to rest on these amazing plants. We’ll look closely at the unique flowers found on all milkweed plants, and learn about the milky sap that gives the plants their name.
Dragonflies with Edgar Spalding (indoor): More information coming soon.
Leaders
Jade Kochanski is a pollinator and restoration ecologist whose work focuses on bumble bee conservation in restored tallgrass prairie managed with prescribed fire across Wisconsin. She is committed to community-focused outreach.
Karen Oberhauser has studied monarch butterflies for almost 40 years, using traditional lab and field techniques, as well as the contributions of a variety of audiences through participatory science. She is now happily retired, but spent most of her career at the University of Minnesota, before becoming the director of the UW-Madison Arboretum from 1997-2023.
Mike Reese has worked as a cook, botanist, high school math teacher, golf and basketball coach, and finally a high school librarian. While he has no formal academic training in the field of entomology, he has gained a tremendous depth of knowledge from spending lots of time wandering around, getting his feet wet and looking for whatever happens to be flying by.
Edgar Spalding grew up in rural Nova Scotia and became deeply interested in nature, and a life-long birder (including photography). But, in college he became interested less in nature and more in the physical and chemical aspects of life processes — physiology is the best word. So he returned to his native USA for grad school (Penn State), postdoctoral work (Yale), and joined the faculty at UW–Madison in 1994.
Who Can Attend this Event?
Open to all. Family friendly, children welcome to attend with an adult. Activities are most appropriate for adults and kids 5+.
Cost

$22 for adults
$12 for kids 12 and under

Register
Please register by July 10, 2025. There is no refund if you have to cancel your registration.

Summer Stewards 2025
2025-07-22 14:00 - 2025-07-27 11:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
♦ Are you concerned about climate change?
♦ Are you feeling unmoored in the uncertainty of our world?
♦ Are you longing for something with deep roots to help you feel grounded?
♦ Would you like time away for reflection, discernment and prayer?
♦ Do you want to deepen your spirituality in a setting that connects your faith with care for the earth?
Be a Summer Steward at Holy Wisdom Monastery for six days in July. Live the monastic rhythm of prayer, work and rest in a progressive, inclusive community whose mission includes being in right relationship with the earth and one another. Join us for prairie and oak savanna restoration, gardening, reading and spiritual conversation. Share your experiences, reflections and questions with women on a similar journey – all this while living together in community on the monastery grounds. No previous experience required.

Wisdom Prairie Summer Tour
2025-07-24 08:30 - 10:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us for an experience for everyone to explore the seasonal beauty found on the monastery grounds in summer. Experienced tour guides will share the story of Caring for the Earth and help participants deepen their relationship with this land.
Meet at the kiosk in the monastery building parking lot. Tours will last 1-2 hours. We will proceed with the tour in the event of light to moderate rain but cancel for thunderstorms or other severe weather.
Cost
There is no cost to participants for this tour. Donations to Care for the Earth are always welcome.
Register
Please register with the button below so we have enough tour guides and can contact you in case we need to cancel due to weather.

Beyond Imagination: Community Art Exhibit Opening Reception
2025-07-27 10:30 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Join us on Sunday, July 27, 2025 for the opening reception of Beyond Imagination the newest art exhibit at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This exhibit features artwork by Holy Wisdom community members using techniques including painting, batik, stained glass, colored pencil, weaving, pastels, photography and block and monotype prints. In 2024, 28 people from a variety of monastery communities, had their work in the exhibit.
The opening reception will be held after Sunday Assembly worship, from 10:30 am – noon. Artists will be available to speak with attendees about their work. Light refreshments will be provided by the artists.
The exhibit will be on display from July 27 – September 20, 2025. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday, 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Register
Please register so we have enough refreshments.

No Other Land Film & Discussion
2025-07-28 18:00 - 20:00 | WI
Join us for the viewing and discussion of No Other Land, an Academy Award winning documentary between Palestinian activist and Israeli journalist about the destruction of the West Bank community. The event is sponsored by the Sunday Assembly Social Justice Committee and will take place in the Holy Wisdom Monastery guest dining room. Popcorn will be served. Those who wish may donate after the movie to Doctors Against Genocide.

Flower Market
2025-08-03 10:00 - 10:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Visit the Flower Market after Sunday Assembly!

Take home a beautiful bouquet, assembled by volunteers and the land care team, of monastery grown cut flowers* to enjoy. This market will feature zinnias and other wildflowers. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy the Benedictine value of beauty expressed through a bouquet of monastery flowers.
Suggested donation of $20; your donation will support the meaningful and continued work of Holy Wisdom.

Cash/check only
Checks made out to Benedictine Life Foundation

As a reminder, please never remove flowers or other natural items from the monastery grounds yourself. Our land care team makes informed selections of which prairie flowers can be used at the market based on their expertise and knowledge of our land & the ecology.
*Cut bouquets are limited. First come, first serve. We do plan to have a second flower market later in August.

Welcome & Presence: A Courage & Renewal® Weekend
2025-08-08 19:00 - 2025-08-10 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Welcome & Presence: A Courage & Renewal® Weekend
The renewal weekend will include creating a quiet, focused and enlivened space – a Circle of Trust® – where personal, inner wisdom can be heard. There will be a mix of time spent in large group, small group and individual reflection along with poetry, teaching stories, wisdom traditions, nature and activities for exploration.
We will use these experiences and other rich metaphors to symbolize and discover and explore life questions. Together, we will experience creating spaces in our lives to tend and nurture our desire to live fully with courage and resilience.

Revitalize your commitment to the values that give meaning to your life.
Increase your ability to listen openly and be present.
Learn reflective practices to become more intentional.
Explore questions to build and sustain community.
Expand trustworthy and authentic relationships.

The Circle of Trust approach is based on the work of Dr. Parker J. Palmer, Founder and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal, who is a world-renowned writer, speaker and activist. Explore the principles, practices and resources from the Center for Courage & Renewal: https://couragerenewal.org/courage-renewal-approach/
This program is being independently organized and led by a Courage & Renewal Facilitator(s) prepared by the Center for Courage & Renewal and is part of a Year of Courage & Renewal® Weekend Experiences.
Using the Center for Courage & Renewal principles, practices and touchstones, we will begin with themes of welcome & presence (August), living the questions (November), grace & reflection (February), and wonder & hope (April). In the language of Benedictine values, the focus is on hospitality, patience & humility, prayer, communication & stewardship.
Schedule
Friday, August 8
3:00 pm – Check-in for Retreatants Staying in RGH
6:30 pm – Registration
7:00-9:00 pm – Session
Saturday, August 9
9:00-10:15 am – Session
10:15-10:30 am – Break
10:30 am-12:00 pm – Session
12:00-1:30 pm – Lunch and Free Time
1:30-3:00 pm – Session
3:00-3:15 pm – Break
3:30-5:00 pm – Session
5:15 pm – Dinner
Sunday, August 10
10:00 am-12:00 pm – Session
Leaders – Mary Louise Peters, MSE & Amy Christianson, EdD

Mary Louise Peters is a Courage & Renewal® Facilitator, providing retreats and renewal experiences since 2010. She has worked as an educator and consultant at local, state and national levels to improve early childhood and special education for children and families, teaching practices and conditions for staff, and state educational systems.

Amy Christianson recently completed the Courage & Renewal® Practicum Program. Amy has been a participant in a number of seasonal and Circle of Trust retreats. She has a long professional career in education within early childhood, K-12 and higher education settings. Amy’s background includes educational leadership, organizational change and working with diverse populations.

Cost
$250 commuter; $435 residential
Register
Please register by July 25, 2025. The maximum number of participants is 24 and registration will close when full.
Cancellation policy – if you register but must cancel your registration, you can receive a 75% refund up until July 25, 2025. After that, a 50% refund is available until the retreat starts.

Kids on the Prairie
2025-08-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Explore nature’s beauty and surprises!
Kids on the Prairie (KOTP) is for children and their adult family members. Experienced volunteer educators and guides will facilitate a short hike to learn about nature and explore the grounds and trails. This free event is open to members of Holy Wisdom communities and the general public.
August 10 – Butterflies and Bugs
Get up close to insects on flowers. Look for monarchs and other insects. Find out what they are doing on different common plants.

Eco-Contemplative Creative Writing Retreat
2025-08-17 08:30 - 17:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Three Creative Writing Workshops in One Day
Join three talented workshop facilitators who will guide you through contemplative and nature-based creative writing practices to inspire and generate your writing. No experience necessary, join us for a nourishing and creative day. Lunch is prepared by our chef, a simple yet nourishing meal from our gardens and local farmers. An optional guided prairie tour is included.
Schedule
8:30 – 9:00 am – Arrival and Coffee
9:00 – 9:30 am – Opening Circle and Intentions
9:30 – 11:00 am – Writing and Wellness with the Land – Megan Sharpless
11:00 – 11:45 am – Prairie Tour (optional)
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 pm – Listening to Land, Listening to Self – Rebecca Jamieson
2:30 – 3:00 pm – Coffee Break
3:00 – 4:30 pm –Observational Writing & Sensory Storytelling – Léna Remy-Kovach
4:30 – 4:45 pm – Closing Circle & Gratitude
Workshop Leaders – Megan Sharpless, Rebecca Jamieson, Léna Remy-Kovach
Megan Sharpless, creative writer, anthropologist, lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her family. She offers Writing & Wellness workshops and Creative Spark hikes in nature. She loves bringing people together in nature to inspire joy, creativity, and partnership. Her current writing projects include a suspense novel and a guide to meditation practices. Learn more at SharpLit.com.

Rebecca Jamieson is the author of The Body of All Things (Finishing Line Press, 2017). Her writing has appeared in Entropy, Mid-American Review, The Offing, Rattle, and other publications. She is a 2025 Madison Writers Award recipient, a Tupelo Press Prose Prize winner, and a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her work has been supported by fellowships from the Vermont Studio Center, the Fishtrap Writers’ Conference, and the Spring Creek Project. Locally she writes for the Isthmus.
Rebecca holds an MFA in Writing and Publishing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is also the founder of Contemplate Create, where she teaches creative writing through a mindfulness-based lens. She lives on Ho-Chunk land in Madison, Wisconsin. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking, baking, or cuddling her two cats. Learn more at www.contemplatecreate.com and @rebeccabjamieson on Instagram.
Léna Remy-Kovach (she/her) is a polyglot writer, educator, and translator whose creative practice bridges languages, landscapes, and bodies. With a background in literary translation and a focus on decolonial approaches to Indigenous stories, she invites participants to explore the textures and rhythms of language through movement, memory, and sensory attention. Her workshops create space for slow writing, deep listening, and joyful experimentation
Cost
$85/person, includes snacks, lunch and program
Register
Please register by August 10, 2025. The capacity of the program is 30 people and registration will close when full.
Cancellation policy: If you need to cancel your registration, 75% of the cost is refundable before the August 10, 2025 registration deadline, and 50% of the cost is refundable after the registration deadline until the start of the program.

Flower Identification Walk
2025-08-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Practice your wildflower ID skills! Friends of Wisdom Prairie volunteers Sylvia Marek and Julie Melton are offering a new series of guided hikes through the summer prairie focused on identifying what’s in bloom. You can expect a leisurely walk, approximately one hour long, on grassy trails.
These informal tours will be offered monthly on the third Thursday of the month for the remainder of the growing season. No registration necessary. Meet at the kiosk at the top of the monastery building parking lot (stay to the right at the fork in the driveway).
If you’d like to receive reminders about these monthly plant walks, please email Amy aalstad@holywisdommonastery.org.

Walk Into Wonder: Shinrin-Yoku for the Weary
2025-08-23 10:00 - 11:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Want to have nothing to do?
Join us for rest, beauty and community as we stroll on the trails of the beautifully restored Holy Wisdom prairie and woodlands. This fully guided walk is led by trained forest therapist, Valerie Vervoort. The guided walk will include intermittent invitations for optional activities such as deep breathing and using your senses. Purposefully slow and meditative. We will walk a mile or a mile and a half through moderate trails.
Forest therapy has been proven to lower blood pressure, increase natural killer immune cell activity and restore a sense of well-being.
Schedule

Walk starts and ends at the Retreat & Guest House parking lot.
There will be several stops, including a time for tea and reflection.
The trail has been chosen for its gentle grades and maximum distance of a mile to a mile and a half.
Orientation to shinrin-yoku and what to expect on the walk at the kiosk will be followed by invitations for meditation and relaxation that are easy for everyone and always optional.
Ends with a tea ceremony to build community.

Leader – Valerie Vervoort
Valerie Vervoort grew up exploring the woods and Mississippi River on her family farm in Northern Minnesota. She earned a master’s degree in education and taught in daycares for many years where she was known for gardening and encouraging kids to explore the outdoors. After retirement she volunteered as the ‘Garden Grandma’ at Fox Prairie Elementary School’s gardens. In 2020, she became an Oblate at Holy Wisdom Monastery, volunteered for prairie workdays and as a trail monitor. In 2024 her interest in the land as a healer lead to getting certified as a Forest Therapy Guide in May of that year. She has since lead Forest Therapy walks for Oblates, Sunday Assembly members and a visiting college choir.
Who can attend this event?
For those 16 years and older. Anyone who is willing to go slow and be quiet. A place for people who are too tired to do anything. People who want to belong.
Cost
$35/person
Register
Please register by Aug. 23, 2025. This offering is limited to 15 people and registration will close when full. There is no refund if you need to cancel your registration.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
2025-08-26 18:00 - 20:30 | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: An 8-week Mindfulness Course – Fall 2025
Mindfulness can be a powerful tool to identify your physical, mental and emotional habits and needs. Becoming more familiar with your own mind and its patterns can help you relate more directly to whatever is happening in your life – including difficulty and pain – and discover greater balance and ease. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was created in 1979 and has been widely taught and scientifically studied around the world; research has shown positive improvements in physical and psychological symptoms.
Good news: You don’t need to “clear your mind.” You don’t need special equipment. This class is experiential and focuses on real-time mindfulness practice, including sitting and movement, plus time for reflection and dialogue. Come as you are – even thoughts, emotions and pain can be avenues for discovering more wisdom and compassion. Yes, the time commitment is significant; that’s part of this “official” MBSR curriculum offering and what has made it impactful for so many people.
Schedule
All sessions are 6:00 – 8:30 pm, except for the Day of Mindfulness on October 11th, which will be 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. The orientation session will be a virtual session and the mindfulness sessions and Day of Mindfulness take place at Holy Wisdom Monastery. If you would like to enjoy dinner at the monastery before one or more of the in-person sessions, there is an additional cost and must be reserved in advance.

Tuesday, Aug 26 – Virtual Orientation Session
Tuesday, Sept 2 – Session 1 (RGH 10)
Tuesday, Sept 9 – Session 2 (RGH 10)
Tuesday, Sept 16 – Session 3 (RGH 10)
Tuesday, Sept 23 – Session 4 (RGH 10)
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Session 5 (RGH 10)
Tuesday, Oct 7 – Session 6 (RGH 10)
Saturday, Oct 11 – Day of Mindfulness (RGH 10) – 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Tuesday, Oct 14 – Session 7 (RGH 222)
Tuesday, Oct 21 – Session 8 (RGH 10)

Instructor – Dan Tyler
Dan Tyler has completed UW Health’s MBSR Teacher Training Intensive and UCSD’s MBSR Teacher Training Practicum. Dan leads twice-weekly mindfulness sessions for his colleagues at work. Since 2007 he has studied and practiced yoga and meditation, including periods of silent retreat.
Cost
The cost of the 8-week mindfulness course includes all sessions and lunch on Sat., Oct. 11. You are welcome to join us for dinner before the mindfulness sessions for an additional fee.*
We are offering a 10% discount for those working in care professions (use promo code CareforOthers on the online registration form if you work in a care profession).
Examples: nurses, care-takers, pastors, teachers, mental health professionals, etc.
Contact hwm@holywisdommonastery.org with questions.

$385/person, includes all sessions and lunch on Sat., Oct. 11
$346.50/person in a care profession. Use code CareforOthers on online registration form
$22/person/dinner/session (optional)

*You are welcome to join us for dinner before one or more of the in-person mindfulness sessions for an additional fee. Please contact Brooke Livingston, blivingston@holywisdommonastery.org or Malee Thor, mthor@holywisdommonastery.org to reserve your dinner(s) 48 hours in advance.
Register
Please register by Aug. 19, 2025. Class size is limited to 12 and registration will close when full.
Cancellation policy: If you register but need to cancel your registration, you can receive a 75% refund up until Aug. 19, 2025. After that, a 50% refund is available until the class starts on Aug. 26, 2025.

Embracing the Mystery: The Soul of Aging Retreat
2025-09-04 16:00 - 2025-09-06 13:00 | Zoom, Connect to the program with computer or phone., WI
“I don’t want to fight the gravity of aging. It’s nature’s way. I want to collaborate with it as best I can,
in hopes of going down with something like the grace of that setting sun.” ~Parker Palmer

An Opportunity for Reflection, Renewal & Gracious Harvesting
Sep. 4-6, 2025
An Online Circle of Trust® Retreat
Embracing the Mystery is a retreat inspired by Parker Palmer’s book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old (2018). Parker writes, “There’s no antidote for the gravity that takes us to the grave. But there is a countervailing force called ‘levity.’” Together, we wish to explore the mystery of our many-layered life. How might we embrace the joys, challenges and gifts of aging; to surrender to, and be transformed by the aging process? This is a time to come together to listen, share and hold space for each other as we deepen our connection to ourselves; honoring the known and embracing the unknown.
A Circle of Trust® Retreat offers:

a space to renew the heart, mind and spirit through the exploration of the inner landscape of one’s life

time to reconnect to one’s identity and integrity and renew our courage to live from a place of wholeness

a process to strengthen one’s self-awareness

a trustworthy space for inner work in community

an opportunity to practice deep listening and respectful speaking – strengthening one’s life beyond the retreat

Dates/Times
All times reflect Central Daylight Time (CDT)

Introductory Session: Tues., Sep. 2, 4:00-5:30 pm
Online Retreat:

Thurs., Sep. 4, 4:00-6:00 pm
Fri., Sep. 5, 10:00 am-1:00 pm; 4:00-6:00 pm
Sat., Sep. 6, 10:00 am-1:00 pm

The retreat begins Thursday afternoon with check-in available at 3:45 pm and the initial gathering at 4:00 pm.
Location
Online, via Zoom. Although online, it’s important that you prepare for being in retreat. Create a sacred space where you are able to be as present as possible. Dress comfortably. Have a journal close by to hold your reflections from our time together.
Cost
$170/person
Facilitators – Kirstin Anglea and Winton Boyd
Kirstin Anglea is a mother, daughter, spouse and learner. With an early awareness that life is terminal, she seeks to embrace the beauty and messiness of life and help others do the same. She has been a facilitator with The Center for Courage & Renewal since 2014 and leads Courage & Renewal retreats, locally and internationally. She is trained in the Soul of Aging program. In addition, she serves as the Mentor Program Coordinator with the Center for Courage & Renewal. She is a member of the First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee and Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon in Bend, OR. She and her partner live in Sisters, OR near her father and daughter. When not working, you can find Kirstin playing in the kitchen, singing, traveling, exploring the outdoors or losing to her dad in cribbage. 🙂

Winton Boyd is a spouse, father, grandfather and one who seeks to hold space for reflection and relationship for people of all ages. He has been a facilitator for the Center for Courage & Renewal since 2007. He is trained in the Soul of Aging program and together with Kirstin, has led 10 retreats on this topic since 2020 (mostly online). He is also the Flourishing in Ministry Program Coordinator for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery. From 1999-2019 he served as the Senior Pastor of Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ in Madison, WI. He also co-facilitates the Contemplative Clergy Immersions for the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Before moving to Minneapolis, he and his wife were members of the Sunday Assembly at Holy Wisdom. They have three grown children and two grandchildren. He enjoys outdoor activities, travel, reading and baking bread, among other things.
Questions
If you have questions about the retreat or the online platform Zoom, please contact either Kirstin or Winton:

Kirstin Anglea (kirstin@nourishcourage.com)
Winton Boyd (boydwinton@gmail.com)

Register
Please register by Aug. 28, 2025. The maximum number of participants is 23 and registration will close when full.
This event is full; if you’d like to be put on a waiting list, please contact Signe Lee at slee@holywisdommonastery.org.
Cancellation policy – if you register but must cancel your registration, you can receive a 75% refund up until Aug. 28, 2025. After that, a 50% refund is available until the retreat starts.
