Lent Series: Teach Us to Pray (virtual)
2025-03-26 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Holy Wisdom Monastery, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, 53562, United States
Prayer is a pillar of Benedictine life, an essential in the spiritual life and a principal theme of Jesus’ life. But in our own lives, prayer can be a source of confusion, insecurity and also a little bit of a mystery. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus’ disciples say to him, “teach us to pray.” Maybe you would like to say the same thing. Maybe the word prayer itself has become more of a stumbling block for you than an invitation to be present in and with God. Come to this series and listen to what Jesus says about prayer, see how he prays and what he shows us about prayer. Listen to what others say about their own experiences with prayer and contemplation. Listen with others for how the spirit responds when we ask, “teach us to pray.”
Schedule
Each 90-minute session will include some teaching about a particular aspect of prayer as shown in the Gospel of Luke, reflections on other teachings about contemplation, the sharing of personal experiences, and an opportunity to explore different practices of prayer and contemplation.
Leader – Pam Shellberg

Pam Shellberg is the director of spiritual nourishment at Holy Wisdom monastery, a student of scripture, and someone always seeking to live a contemplative life.
Cost
$50/person
If you would like to have lunch at the monastery after the in-person sessions, we have now added an option to purchase lunch for $18/lunch. Click the link below to purchase a lunch after one or more of the sessions. Please let us know 48 hours in advance if you would like to add lunch.
Register for lunch after one or more sessions
Dates/Times – Lent 2025
This is a 5-part series, offered in-person at Holy Wisdom Monastery on Tuesdays from 10:00-11:30 am, and online on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 pm.
At Holy Wisdom Monastery – 10:00-11:30 am

Mar. 11
Mar. 18
Mar. 25
Apr. 1
Apr. 8

Online – 6:30-8:00 pm

Mar. 12
Mar. 19
Mar. 26
Apr. 2
Apr. 9

Register
The registration deadline is March 10, 2025. Please register for the in-person series or the online series with the button below.

Lent Series: Teach Us to Pray
2025-03-25 10:00 - 11:30

I Choose Peace – Sound Healing & Guided Meditation
2025-03-22 10:00 - 11:45
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.
Cost
$35/person
Register
The registration deadline is March 15, 2025, or when the registration reaches 30 people. Please register below with the button. There is no refund for cancellations.

Crane Walk: A Lightness and Longevity Qigong Practice
2025-03-20 13:30 - 15:30
Come celebrate the spring equinox and the return of our local sandhill cranes! Instructor Sandy Salvo will lead us in a beautiful Qigong Crane Form that cultivates a sense of lightness, freedom and longevity while enhancing our balance, inside and out.
Seasonal transitions are the perfect time to practice Qigong* and reset our equilibrium by releasing that which no longer serves us and making room for the new!
All ability levels welcome. Can be performed standing or seated in casual attire. Please bring a journal/notebook and come prepared to do a significant portion of the workshop outdoors, weather permitting.
*Qigong (Chee-gong) is an ancient form of moving meditation that uses flowing movements, breath exercises, meditation and tapping to boost energy, relieve stress, and balance your emotions. As a holistic health or “whole being” practice, it addresses all of who you are: mind, body, and spirit. ‘Qi’ means energy and ‘Gong’ means skill or cultivation; thus Qigong is the skill of cultivating your life-force energy.
Schedule
1:30 pm – Introductions and workshop overview
1:45 pm – Crane Walk Qigong practices outdoors (weather permitting) intertwined with a brief solo walk and journaling
3:10 pm – Indoor meditation, integration and closing
Instructor – Sandy Salvo
Sandy Salvo is a Qigong instructor, mindfulness meditation teacher, retreat planner and facilitation consultant. She has devoted her life to encouraging authentic connections and valuing relationships. Sandy teaches weekly Qigong classes both online and in-person and is currently focusing her energy on sharing Qigong and other mindfulness practices outdoors whenever possible. She is certified through the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi and founder of Centered-Connections.com. Sandy has graciously offered to lead three Qigong workshops at Holy Wisdom Monastery, with all proceeds from the classes going to the monastery.
Qigong Workshops at Holy Wisdom
Come to one or more upcoming Qigong offerings at Holy Wisdom Monastery, led by Sandy Salvo, and cultivate your life-force energy.

Mindful Movement: Intro to Qigong Practice – Feb. 11, 1:30-3:30 pm
Crane Walk: A Lightness and Longevity Qigong Practice – Mar. 20, 1:30-3:30 pm
Willow Wisdom: A Rooted and Flowing Qigong Practice – May 16, 3:00-5:00 pm

Cost
$35/person, all proceeds go to Holy Wisdom Monastery
Register
Register by Tues., March 18, 2025 with the button below. This offering is limited to 25 people and registration will close when we reach the limit. The registration fee is non-refundable.

Conversations About Our Benedictine Life: Listening and Presence
2025-03-18 18:30 - 20:00
Listening and Presence
You are invited to attend Conversations about Our Benedictine Life – Listening and Presence. These events offer opportunities to talk with others about the values of listening and presence, and to learn more about these values as features of Benedictine spirituality. Each gathering will be a time to share reflections on our ideas, experiences and beliefs about listening and presence, Benedict’s teaching, and what spiritual gifts are to be discovered in a life where practices of deep listening and presence are central.
Schedule
The gatherings will be between 60 and 90 minutes in length. They will include time for reflections, for the reading of short pieces on listening and presence from the Rule of Benedict and other authors, and conversations about the gifts and challenges of practices of listening and practice.
This program is not a series, but we are offering multiple date and speaker options.
Location/Dates/Times (choose one or come to multiple sessions)
At Holy Wisdom Monastery

Su, Feb. 9, 10:30-11:30 am – led by Marcia Krater & Sister Lynne Smith
W, Feb. 19, 1:00-2:30 pm – leaders TBD
Su, Mar. 2, 10:30-11:30 am – leaders TBD

Online

Th, Feb. 13, 6:30-8:00 pm – led by Mary Lynn Adams & Abbie Loomis
Tu, Mar. 18, 6:30-8:00 pm – led by Mary Lynn Adams & Pam Shellberg

Leaders

Sister Lynne Smith is a Benedictine sister and prioress at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Mary Lynn Adams, Marcia Krater and Abbie Loomis are oblates of Holy Wisdom, all living lives reflecting their formation in Benedictine spirituality.
Pam Shellberg is the director of spiritual nourishment at Holy Wisdom.

Cost
There is no fee charged to participants for these events.
Register
Please register with the button below so we know which event(s) you will attend.

Family Gathering
2025-03-15 16:00 - 18:30
Calling all families with children ages 0-12! Children’s Ministry invites you to join in our next Family Gathering, Saturday, March 15, 4:00-6:30 pm in the Holy Wisdom Boardroom. Featuring a Lenten theme, there will be children’s prayer time led by Sarah Wilkin Gibart, with reflection for parents and childcare for the youngest ones. Potluck supper to follow. Come be in community, play, reflect, get to know and support one another!

Cost
There is no cost for this event.
Questions
Please contact Sarah: sjwilkin09@gmail.com or Nichole: nfromm@holywisdommonastery.org with any questions.

Register
Please register with the link below.

Register here

Creating Backyard National Parks
2025-03-13 18:30 - 20:00
Join us at Holy Wisdom Monastery to learn about the Backyard National Park movement, which invites us all to create habitats that sustain life, one yard at a time.
Ecologist Douglas Tallamy, who founded the movement (sometimes also referred to as Homegrown National Parks) noted that, in the past, we simply expected our gardens to be pretty. In this moment, we are increasingly expecting that they also support life, build soil, sequester carbon and protect water.
Speaker Marcel Wuethrich will showcase how you as an individual have the power to make a significant difference in supporting wildlife in our neighborhoods by planting native flowers, grasses, bushes and trees. Marcel will share the story of how he and his family converted their Madison yard from a lawn desert to a landscape with native plants that support insects, birds and small mammals with food, shelter and nesting habitat. Marcel will also share lessons learned from his work spearheading a volunteer-based restoration effort of 1.5 acres at the Odana Hills Golf Course in Madison.
Schedule
6:30 pm – welcome & introductions
6:40 pm – presentation by Marcel Wuethrich
7:40 pm – Q & A
Speaker – Marcel Wuethrich
Marcel Wuethrich is a Distinguished Scientist working at the University of Wisconsin who describes himself as a biologist by education and heart. From his early childhood, Marcel loved watching birds, insects, amphibians etc. It is a natural consequence that he became involved in restoring native habitats in Switzerland (where he grew up and studied) and then later in the USA after moving here.
Cost
$12/person
Register
Please register below by March 12, 2025.
Interested but not able to attend in person? This event will be recorded. All registered participants will receive a link with the recorded presentation to watch at a later date.
There is no refund for cancellations.

Ash Wednesday
2025-03-05 17:30 - 18:30, 2025-03-05 11:45 - 12:00
On Ash Wednesday, March 5th all are invited to join the sisters for midday prayer with ashes at 11:45 am in the Oratory. You may also join us in the Assembly Room at 5:30 pm for the Liturgy of the Word with ashes. The choir will sing.

Our Lenten practice at the monastery throughout the season of Lent and Holy Week, is that silence be observed in the Assembly Room 10 minutes before Sunday Assembly Liturgy begins. We suggest using this time to center ourselves before our Creator. The greeters will keep the doors of the Assembly Room closed so that conversation in the gathering area does not disrupt this important time of prayer.

Conversations About Our Benedictine Life: Listening and Presence
2025-03-02 10:30 - 11:30
Listening and Presence
You are invited to attend Conversations about Our Benedictine Life – Listening and Presence. These events offer opportunities to talk with others about the values of listening and presence, and to learn more about these values as features of Benedictine spirituality. Each gathering will be a time to share reflections on our ideas, experiences and beliefs about listening and presence, Benedict’s teaching, and what spiritual gifts are to be discovered in a life where practices of deep listening and presence are central.
Schedule
The gatherings will be between 60 and 90 minutes in length. They will include time for reflections, for the reading of short pieces on listening and presence from the Rule of Benedict and other authors, and conversations about the gifts and challenges of practices of listening and practice.
This program is not a series, but we are offering multiple date and speaker options.
Location/Dates/Times (choose one or come to multiple sessions)
At Holy Wisdom Monastery

Su, Mar. 2, 10:30-11:30 am – led by Sister Lynne Smith and Abbie Loomis (in the Community Dining Room/the Sisters’ Dining Room)

Online

Tu, Mar. 18, 6:30-8:00 pm – led by Mary Lynn Adams & Abbie Loomis (zoom link will be sent to those registered)

Leaders

Sister Lynne Smith is a Benedictine sister and prioress at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Mary Lynn Adams, Marcia Krater, Janine Veto and Abbie Loomis are oblates of Holy Wisdom, all living lives reflecting their formation in Benedictine spirituality.
Pam Shellberg is the director of spiritual nourishment at Holy Wisdom.

Cost
There is no fee charged to participants for these events.
Register
Please register with the button below so we know which event(s) you will attend.

The Infinite Affect of Time on Clouds: Never in Reruns Art Exhibit Reception
2025-02-21 18:00 - 20:00
Join us for the opening reception of The Infinite Affect of Time on Clouds: Never in Reruns, the newest art exhibit at Holy Wisdom Monastery featuring the photographs of Mark Weller. Mark explores how time influences what we see – especially clouds. Through his process of taking up to 100 exposures of the same site, separated by several second intervals, and then ‘stacking’ the images into a single frame, Mark offers an alternative perspective on our Midwest landscapes.
The exhibit is on display in the Gathering Area of the monastery building from February 13 – May 15, 2025. Gallery hours, Tuesday – Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm (excluding holidays) and Sunday 10:00 – 11:00 am.
Schedule
6:00 pm – Reception begins with light refreshments
6:30 pm – Mark Weller will give a brief talk about his work and answer questions
8:00 pm – Reception ends
Artist – Mark Weller
Originally from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Mark Weller attended the UW – Milwaukee and earned a degree in Mass Communications. He began his career as a documentary filmmaker in Alaska, and by 1980 he had moved to Madison where he served as the senior producer of news and documentaries for PBS Wisconsin. During his time with PBS, he produced award-winning films and live broadcasts featuring international leaders such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and President Bill Clinton. In 1992, Mark joined a telecom company and became their President and CEO.
Mark had dabbled in photography throughout his careers, and when he retired in 2019, he went full-time into his work at a lens-based artist. HIs method of layering photographs, captures and accentuates movement, resulting in bold shapes and distinctive surprises. While traditional photography generally captures three dimensions, his images explore the fourth dimension: time. The results are creations that go beyond the customary landscape.
In the last five years, Mark’s award-winning work has been exhibited in more than 180 art galleries and museums in the US and internationally and his prints are included in many private, corporate and government collections.
Cost
There is no cost to participants to attend the opening reception and art exhibit.
Register
Please register with the button below so we know how many people to expect.

Wisdom Prairie Winter Tour
2025-02-20 13:00 - 15:00
Join us for an experience for everyone to explore the seasonal beauty found on the monastery grounds in winter. 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 so we have enough tour guides and can contact you in case we need to cancel due to weather.

Conversations About Our Benedictine Life: Listening and Presence
2025-02-19 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-02-09 10:30 - 11:30
Listening and Presence
You are invited to attend Conversations about Our Benedictine Life – Listening and Presence. These events offer opportunities to talk with others about the values of listening and presence, and to learn more about these values as features of Benedictine spirituality. Each gathering will be a time to share reflections on our ideas, experiences and beliefs about listening and presence, Benedict’s teaching, and what spiritual gifts are to be discovered in a life where practices of deep listening and presence are central.
Schedule
The gatherings will be between 60 and 90 minutes in length. They will include time for reflections, for the reading of short pieces on listening and presence from the Rule of Benedict and other authors, and conversations about the gifts and challenges of practices of listening and practice.
This program is not a series, but we are offering multiple date and speaker options.
Location/Dates/Times (choose one or come to multiple sessions)
At Holy Wisdom Monastery

Su, Feb. 9, 10:30-11:30 am – led by Marcia Krater & Sister Lynne Smith
W, Feb. 19, 1:00-2:30 pm – led by Marcia Krater & Janine Veto
Su, Mar. 2, 10:30-11:30 am – led by Abbie Loomis & Pam Shellberg

Online

Th, Feb. 13, 6:30-8:00 pm – led by Mary Lynn Adams & Pam Shellberg
Tu, Mar. 18, 6:30-8:00 pm – led by Mary Lynn Adams & Abbie Loomis

Leaders

Sister Lynne Smith is a Benedictine sister and prioress at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Mary Lynn Adams, Marcia Krater, Janine Veto and Abbie Loomis are oblates of Holy Wisdom, all living lives reflecting their formation in Benedictine spirituality.
Pam Shellberg is the director of spiritual nourishment at Holy Wisdom.

Cost
There is no fee charged to participants for these events.
Register
Please register with the button below so we know which event(s) you will attend.

Mindful Movement: Intro to Qigong Practice
2025-02-11 13:30 - 15:30
Mindful Movement: Intro to Qigong Practice
Qigong (Chee-gong) is an ancient form of moving meditation that uses flowing movements, breath exercises, meditation and tapping to boost energy, relieve stress and balance your emotions. As a holistic health or ‘whole being’ practice, it addresses all of who you are: mind, body and spirit.
‘Qi’ means energy and ‘Gong’ means skill or cultivation; thus, Qigong is the skill of cultivating your life-force energy. Qigong recognizes our interconnectedness and draws wisdom from our natural surroundings.
This introductory workshop will give you a taste of how this simple, yet powerful practice can help you activate ‘the healer within’ by cultivating your ability to stay grounded, centered and as calm as a glacial lake. You will leave feeling relaxed yet focused for whatever lies ahead.
All ability levels welcome. Can be performed standing or seated in casual attire. Please bring a journal/notebook and come prepared to do a short portion of the workshop outdoors, weather permitting.
Schedule
1:30 pm – Introductions and overview of Qigong as a mindfulness practice
1:50 pm – Short Qigong practices intertwined with journaling to cultivate awareness, including a brief time outdoors (weather permitting).
3:10 pm – Indoor meditation and closing practice
3:30 pm – Workshop ends
Instructor – Sandy Salvo

Sandy Salvo is a Qigong instructor, mindfulness meditation teacher, retreat planner and facilitation consultant. She has devoted her life to encouraging authentic connections and valuing relationships. Sandy teaches weekly Qigong classes both online and in-person and is currently focusing her energy on sharing Qigong and other mindfulness practices outdoors whenever possible. She is certified through the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi and founder of Centered-Connections.com. Sandy has graciously offered to lead three Qigong workshops at Holy Wisdom Monastery, with all proceeds from the classes going to the monastery.
Qigong Workshops at Holy Wisdom
Come to one or more upcoming Qigong offerings at Holy Wisdom Monastery, led by Sandy Salvo, and cultivate your life-force energy.

Mindful Movement: Intro to Qigong Practice – Feb. 11, 1:30-3:30 pm
Crane Walk: A Lightness and Longevity Qigong Practice – Mar. 20, 1:30-3:30 pm
Willow Wisdom: A Rooted and Flowing Qigong Practice – May 16, 3:00-5:00 pm

Cost
$35/person, all proceeds go to Holy Wisdom Monastery
Register
Register by Sun., Feb. 9, 2025. This offering is limited to 25 people and registration will close when we reach the limit. The registration fee is non-refundable.

Prone to Wander
2025-02-08 09:00 - 11:30
Please join us for Prone to Wander with Joanna Harader. The Center for Clergy Renewal and the Spiritual Nourishment department are hosting a morning retreat with Rev. Joanna Harader at Holy Wisdom Monastery on Saturday, February 8, from 9:00-11:30 am. This is for any church members or leaders who would appreciate time to pause and reflect on the theme of wilderness as we prepare for Lent. Joanna is part of our Contemplative Renewal Immersions community and a Mennonite Pastor from Kansas. She is also author of an Advent Devotional, Expecting Emmanuel. Prone to Wander: A Lenten Journey with Women in the Wilderness is her new Lenten devotional, coming out in January. Our retreat on Feb. 8th will involve time for prayer, spiritual practice, and a conversation with Joanna about the theme of wilderness in Lent.
Event schedule
9:00 am – Coffee & food, greetings and introductions
9:30 am – Morning prayer
10:00 am – Presentation by Joanna Harader
10:30-11:30 am – Workshop: small group practice, followed by group reflection
12:00 pm – Lunch (optional)
Leader
Rev. Joanna Harader is the author of Expecting Emmanuel and frequently posts words for worship on her blog, Spacious Faith. Her liturgies have been published in the Voices Together hymnal and are used in churches of various denominations. She has written for publications such as Leader magazine, Shine Sunday School Curriculum, and Christian Century. Joanna serves as pastor of Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton, Kansas.
Cost
There are several cost options for this program. We are offering a discount for congregations or larger groups who have 5 people attending. There is also the option to attend the program only or attend the program and stay for lunch.

$15/person, includes program only
$33/person, includes program and lunch
$60/5 people, includes program for 5 people
$150/5 people, includes program and lunch for 5 people

Register
Please register with the button below by Jan. 31, 2025. The fees for this program are non-refundable.

Monastic Monologues
2025-02-02 14:00 - 16:00
Monastic Monologues: Bringing Light to the Dark Days of Winter
Are you ready for an afternoon filled with wonder, adventure and unforgettable tales? Come join our community to listen to storytellers – an event where the power of storytelling comes to life. Whether it’s a heart-pounding journey through distant lands, a laugh-out-loud antidote or a poignant moment that tugs at your heartstrings, our tellers have special stories for you.
This is more than just listening – it’s an experience that builds community, offers hospitality and weaves a magic that speaks to your imagination and connects us all.
Come for the stories, stay for the magic!
Schedule
1:30 pm – Doors open
2:00 pm – Monastic Monologues begins
3:00 pm – Intermission and refreshments
4:00 pm – Event ends
Storytellers, Musicians & Emcee
Emcee: Bill Santner
Storytellers: Jane Barnard, Jean Feraca, Terry Larson, Janet Neurauter, Susan Santner, Erin Ruzicka Trondson
Musicians: Bill Frederick (soloist), Steve Johnson (piano accompanist), George Teague (cello), Patrick Terry (mezzo tenor)

Jane Barnard is a Madison writer, visual artist and watercolor teacher. She's reading from her memoir-inprogress entitled Poetry as Pain Relief, her spiritual journey of surviving dark times with beauty, with humor and with grace. She celebrates the artists who have seeped into her bones, to soothe her loneliness and bring her joy.

Bill Frederick is the Director of Worship and Music at Holy Wisdom Monastery. He studied voice at the University of Wisconsin - Platteville earning a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance under the tutelage of Dr. Gerald Darrow. He has been leading music and liturgy in various churches full time over the past 40 years. He and Steve Johnson founded Enter the Season with Song, 33 years ago, a group of musicians who gather for Christmas and summer concerts over the years. The group recorded 3 CDs and every dollar from every concert raised was given to various charities, totaling $250,000.

Steve Johnson is the Director of Music Ministry at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Madison. He has worked for the past 30+ years in various churches as Director of Liturgy and Music. Steve studied voice and piano at the University of Wisconsin - Madison earning a degree in k-12 music education.

Terry Larson subscribes to the notion that our bodies are made of stardust and our souls are made of stories. Storytelling connects us to the divine within ourselves and within one another.

Janet Neurauter's first time on stage was as a reindeer in her 2nd grade Holiday pageant and was actively involved in theater throughout school and with the Nicolet Players in Rhinelander, WI. She enjoys writing short stories and monologues and is working on her second play.

Susan Santner is a highly versatile and passionate storyteller with a wealth of experience. She’s a featured teller at state and regional festivals, schools, library systems, and service clubs. Her roles as an actress, theatre director, puppeteer, and librarian further highlight her creativity and dedication to the arts, particularly in storytelling. She brings a dynamic and multi-faceted approach to her storytelling, likely creating immersive, captivating experiences for her listeners.

George Teague is a Madison-based cellist and teacher. He maintains an active studio of students at home in Madison and at UW - Stevens Point. George received his performance degrees from Northern Arizona University and the Chicago College of Performing Arts.

Patrick Terry was born and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin, and has been heard on operatic stages across the world. Career highlights include singing Eustazio at the Glyndebourne Festival, Rinaldo with the Minnesota Opera, Rosencrantz with the Bayerische Staatsoper, and premiering Brett Dean’s “In this brief moment” with the Elbphilharmonie. He earned degrees from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, The Royal Academy of Music in London, and was the first countertenor to join the Jette Parker Young Artist program at The Royal Opera House Covent Garden.

Erin Ruzicka Trondson is the winner of the third annual Apprentice House Chapbook Competition for her manuscript Nesting. Her current manuscript was a finalist for the Lena-Miles Wever Todd Poetry Prize. Erin’s poetry has also appeared in numerous publications. She was a day fellow at Edenfred’s art residency program, part of the Terry Family Foundation in Madison.

Cost
Please consider a free will offering for the monastery.
Register
This event is for those 16 years and older.
Please register with the button below so we know how many people to expect and so we can contact you with additional details if needed.

CCR Contemplative Renewal Immersion – Cohort 2024
2025-01-23 - 2025-01-29

Neurographic Art: A Contemplative Practice
2025-01-16 08:45 - 11:45
This class is full.
Begin the new year with a contemplative practice through art. Learn about neurographic art, watch a demonstration and try your hand at creating a piece of art. No experience necessary. Participate in a meditative process based on mindfulness that can relieve anxiety, reduce stress, help you find peace and clarity, express inner feelings and walk away with a beautiful piece of art.
All supplies are included in the program fee.
Schedule
8:45 am – Arrive and choose a workspace
9:00 am – Art instruction and time to create neurographic art
11:45 am – Event ends
11:45 am – Midday prayer (optional)
You are welcome to stay after for lunch for an additional fee.
12:00 pm – Lunch (for those who paid for lunch)
Leader
Janet Neurauter retired from Holy Wisdom Monastery in 2020 after four years as our director of mission advancement. She returned as a mission advancement consultant in 2023, and we are excited to have her back for one day per week. Janet has facilitated this course two times before. She also coordinates Holy Wisdom Monastery art exhibits and is a practicing artist with experience in neurographic art, gel plates, spirit totems and collage.
Cost
There are two cost options for this program. One with lunch and one without.

$35/person, includes program and all supplies
$53/person, includes program, all supplies and lunch

Register
This event is limited to 20 participants and registration will close when the event is filled or on the registration deadline, Jan. 9, 2025.
The registration fee is non-refundable.
Registration is full.

Winter Rest: A Seasonal Retreat
2025-01-10 13:00 - 2025-01-11 16:00
As the earth rests under blankets of cold and snow, we also need to rest.
This retreat invites the season of winter to teach us to stop striving; it invites you to a time of tranquility and silence. It will open the space to consider how winter prepares us for the other seasons of our lives, to rest in deep quietude, to be held by the stillness of the prairie.
Conversations about the season, walks on the prairie, a long winter’s nap, art, movement, journaling, great meals and warm beds will all be a part of what you can expect when you arrive. A renewed connection to yourself and to nature is what you can expect to take with you when you leave.
Facilitated by Amy Alstad and Pam Shellberg
Dates & Times
January 10-11, 2025
Arrive between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm on January 10th to check into your room. The retreat will conclude at 4:00 pm on Saturday, January 11th.
Cost
$245/person
$200/person early bird special if you register by Nov. 29, 2024
The cost of the retreat includes program, meals (Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and Saturday lunch) and overnight room.
Register
The retreat is full. If you are interested in joining our waiting list, please contact Pam Shellberg at pshellberg@holywisdommonastery.org.
Cancellation policy – If you register but must cancel your registration, you may receive a 75% refund up until Dec. 29th. After that, a 50% refund is available.
Seasonal Retreats
Three more seasonal retreats will be offered in 2025. Like Winter Rest, 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.

Spring Emergence – April 2-3, 2025 (W/Th)
Summer Plentitude – July 11-12, 2025 (F/Sa)
Fall Fallowing – November 21-22, 2025 (F/Sa)

More information and registration coming soon for these upcoming retreats.

Christmas Day Worship
2024-12-25 09:00 - 10:00
Celebrate the joy of Christmas with worship on Christmas Day, Wed., Dec. 25, at 9:00 am. This service takes place in the monastery building assembly room. All are welcome!

Christmas Eve Worship
2024-12-24 16:00 - 17:00
Celebrate the joy of Christmas with worship on Christmas Eve, Tues., Dec. 24, at 4:00 pm, starting with prelude music sung by the choir. This service takes place in the monastery building assembly room. All are welcome!

Christmas Prayer & Worship Schedule
2024-12-24 - 2025-01-01
Christmas 2024 Prayer & Worship Schedule
December 24, 2024 – January 1, 2025

Dec. 24, 2024

8:00 am – morning prayer (oratory)
11:45 am – midday prayer (oratory)
4:00 pm – Christmas Eve Eucharist (assembly room)

Dec. 25

8:00 am – morning prayer (oratory)
9:00 am – Christmas Day Eucharist (assembly room)
No public evening prayer

Dec. 26-28

9:00 am – morning prayer (oratory)
No public midday prayer
4:00 pm – evening prayer (oratory)

Dec. 29

8:00 am – morning prayer (oratory)
9:00 am – Sunday Assembly Eucharist (assembly room)
No public evening prayer

Dec. 30

No public prayer

Dec. 31

9:00 am – morning prayer (oratory)
No public midday prayer
4:00 pm – evening prayer (oratory)

Jan. 1, 2025

No public prayer

Jan. 2

Resume regular prayer schedule

The Spirit of Taizé
2024-12-20 11:00 - 12:00
Please join us for Taizé prayer in place of midday prayer on Dec. 20 from 11:00 am-12:00 pm in the Assembly Room. Take the opportunity to honor the grief in your heart for those who will not be seated at your holiday table this year. Members of the choir will lead us. No registration is needed. Allow the beauty of the music to heal your heart.
If you can’t join us at Holy Wisdom Monastery, but would like to attend Taizé prayer, please use the link below to our livestream page on our website. Attend virtually at 11:00 am CST or any time after.
Click here for the livestream

Wisdom Prairie Workdays
2024-12-18 09:00 - 11:30
Volunteers are essential partners in our environmental stewardship. Consider joining us for Wisdom Prairie Workdays and volunteer in the restored prairies, savannas and woodlands at Holy Wisdom Monastery to sustain your spirit and the land. Activities shift seasonally, with common projects including invasive species removal and seed collecting.
2024 Wisdom Prairie Workdays
Volunteer workdays take place year-round on Wednesdays from 9:00-11:30 am. Meet at the kiosk at the top of the monastery building parking lot. Come for all or part of the workday.
Please register by emailing Amy Alstad, aalstad@holywisdommonastery.org.
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What if none of the workdays don’t align with my schedule?
Consider coming for a walk on the trails whenever your availability permits. We could always use your help monitoring trail conditions!
Goals for our trail monitoring program include:

Early detection of trail issues
Collecting data on number of trail users
Diversifying opportunities for volunteers

Protocol for trail monitoring is simple:
Walk a section – or two or all – of the Holy Wisdom trails and report what you encounter using a simple online form. For now, this is a purely a monitoring program. In other words, no need to engage with trail users e.g. about dogs or other infractions.
Click button to access the reporting form for trail monitoring:

Access Form

Monthly Family Gathering
2024-12-14 16:00 - 18:30
Calling all families with children ages 0-12! Children & Family Ministry invites you to join in our monthly family gatherings.
December will feature children’s prayer time led by Sarah Wilkin Gibart, with Advent mini retreat for parents and potluck supper.
Come be in community, play, reflect, get to know and support one another! RSVP to Sarah: sjwilkin09@gmail.com or just show up!

Middleton High School Choir Holiday Concert
2024-12-12 12:30 - 13:30
All are welcome to join us for a joyful concert performed by the Middleton High School choir on Thurs., Dec. 12, 2024, from 12:30-1:00 pm at Holy Wisdom Monastery. Each year the choir offers a multitude of mini concerts throughout the Middleton community and especially looks forward to coming to Holy Wisdom Monastery for the great audience, acoustics and cookies!
Help fill the assembly room and be surrounded by beautiful sounds of the season. Plus, join us after for cookies, hot beverages and fellowship. Bring your friends and enjoy this short break from your holiday preparations.
Register
Please register below by Dec. 11, 2024.

Holy Wisdom Crafting Community
2024-12-10 13:00 - 15:00
Come together for crafting, work on your own projects or create something for a charity. We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays from 1:00-3:00 pm in the Hospitality Room. All are welcome. For more information contact Anne Basken, akbasken@gmail.com.

Enter the Season with Song
2024-12-08 14:30 - 16:30
Join us for a joyous Christmas concert at Holy Wisdom Monastery on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, from 2:30-4:30 pm.
For 31 years a group of musicians, 7 singers and 6 instrumentalists, have come together to sing holiday favorites to large audiences from Madison to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. They have raised over $200,000 for various organizations and have made 3 different CD’s. Sunday Assembly members Bill Frederick and Steve Johnson started this group and continue to perform with the group.
They will lift your hearts and help you Enter the Season.
Cost
Free will offering. All proceeds will go to support the mission and ministries at Holy Wisdom Monastery.
Register
Please register by Dec. 7, 2024. Click the button below to register.

Advent Brunch
2024-12-08 10:00 - 11:30
Everyone is invited to join us in the Dining Room after 9:00 am Sunday Assembly worship for the Advent Brunch. We will supply an egg bake, and you are all asked to bring side dishes and sweet things.
We will also have an added treat! George Teague is a new member of Sunday Assembly and an amazing cellist, who also teaches cello to children. The children will be here on December 8th to play Christmas carols during the brunch!
No registration is necessary, just show up with your dish to share.
