“How can we advance good in Madison?” That was the question that Q Commons was all about, said John Terrill, the executive director of the Stephen and Lauren Brown Foundation, as Upper|House on the University of Wisconsin campus hosted the largest turnout yet for the series. Two Q Commons events were held last year, during the first year of Upper|House operations.
Last week about 300 people filled Upper|House at 365 East Campus Mall to hear from several local entrepreneurs as well as four national thought leaders. “We want to create space to move forward together,” Q founder Gabe Lyons announced on the national video feed that introduced the night.
Henry Sanders, a co-founder of the Madison 365 website, a website that advocates for Madison’s minority communities, led off the local part of the program with an appeal for more compassion. “Don’t pick sides in the black vs. white dispute,” he said. “The only way we can solve this is to look at it through the Jesus lens. Choose love and that’s how we can win.”
He was followed by Cait and Paul Sirianni, who operate the Crescendo Espresso Bar and Music Cafe on Monroe Street, talking about Loving a Neighborhood through Coffee and Community . “I think that Jesus would hang around a coffee shops, where people with their differences are valued,” said Cait Sirianni.
She described one of their regular customers who happened to drop in on a worship music night, liked what he heard, and decided to stay for the rest of the music. She said their guiding principles for business success were focus on quality and love people.
The final local speaker of the evening was Rick Brooks, the co-founder of the Little Free Libraries, “How each one of us can tap the accumulated wisdom and meet our neighbors. Brooks guesses that there are more than 100,000 of the Little Free Libraries that have sprung up around the world. “It’s a sad but wonderful commentary on our yearning to do something good,” he said.
Mixed in with the local segments were national video segments featuring Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias, political columnists Ross Douthat and Kirsten Powers, and hip-hop artist Lecrae. Some quotes:
- “Unless we address the brokenness within we cannot address the brokenness around us,” – Ravi Zacharias
- “God is in control. Stick to your principles and leave the results to God.” – Kirsten Powers
- “Justice without love looks more like injustice.” – Lecrae
Top Photo: Cait and Paul Sirianni, Henry Sanders, and Matt Metzger of Blackhawk Church
Second photo: Rick Brooks