Holy Wisdom Monastery

http://benedictinewomen.org

Board Position Details

We are looking for several general members to join our engaged and future-oriented Board.  

 

Responsibilities include long-range planning and oversight to assure the long-term viability and visibility of the monastery, participate in setting and reviewing priorities for finances and organizational services to meet the mission, vision, values and aims, seek opportunities to promote Holy Wisdom among peers and colleagues, and provide candid and constructive observations, advice, and comments. 

  • Board Term: Board of Director terms are three years. A director can serve 3 terms (a total of nine years)
  • Financial Contribution: Board members are required to fundraise on the organization's behalf.
  • Faith-based Organization: We are a faith-based organization.
  • Skills: awareness, budgeting, communications, community connections, contemplative practices, estate planning, finances, fundraising, investment, leadership, long-range planning, media, mission advocacy, openness, organization, sprituality, z

Notes:

The Benedictine Women of Madison Board meets six times per year.  The meetings are from 8:30 am – 11:30 am. Board members are expected to read materials in advance of the meeting and are encouraged to attend events occasionally. 


About Holy Wisdom Monastery

Holy Wisdom Monastery is directed by a small community of Benedictine sisters who follow the Rule of Benedict.  The mission is to “weave prayer, hospitality, justice, and care for the earth into a shared way of life.” Holy Wisdom is the first ecumenical monastery in the United States, meaning that women of any Christian faith are welcome to explore “living in community” with them. 

 

The Benedictine sisters moved to the area from Iowa in 1953 and celebrated 65 years of stability in 2018.  Firmly established in Benedictine values of beauty, balance, simplicity, silence, and respect for others, the sisters, have been open to the changes and challenges time brings.  

 

The current monastery building opened in 2009 and in 2010 we received the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum rating, and it is one of the ‘greenest’ buildings in the United States.  In 2017, the sisters traveled to the International Congress for Conservation Biology held in Cartagena, Colombia to receive the first-ever Assisi Award – an award for faith-based conservation efforts. 

 

Our Retreat and Guest House welcomes individual retreatants as well as people attending meetings and retreats sponsored by outside businesses and organizations.  In 2018, more than 10,000 people visited the monastery, we hosted 280 gatherings and saw a 30% increase in personal retreatants. Much of the food served at meals is grown in the sister’s garden. 

 

The buildings are surrounded by 130 acres of land including native prairie, a small glacial lake, an oak woods and the start of an oak savanna – all restored by the sisters, coworkers, and volunteers. 

 

 

Our practice of promoting unity and inclusion extends to everyone who is involved with or visits the monastery.  The Friends of Wisdom Prairie support our environmental efforts, have wonderful dinner lectures, and work on the restored prairie and oak savanna.   The Sunday Assembly worshipping community is a vibrant and growing congregation that welcomes everyone, and the Oblate community meets regularly on retreat to explore Benedictine spirituality.   We offer many spiritual and educational programs and retreats, as well as concerts, and art exhibits. In 2018, more than 200 volunteers provided 11,111 hours of service to the monastery.

 

Rooted in the Benedictine tradition, we support personal and community growth and strive to be a home for those seeking an inclusive place for spiritual expression and a refuge for our endangered natural resources.

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