Author: Gordon Govier

A contemplative life in America? Is that still possible in our day and age, in our hyper-paced culture that is driven in every outward direction by work, family, obligations and whatever time is left over for socializing and, perhaps, entertainment? The clear and simple answer to that question is “Yes. Just ask the Sisters of Mary Morning Star.” The sisters recently took up residence at the Immaculate Heart of Mary convent, which is on the grounds of the IHM Church and School in Monona.

When a dealer at a New York coin show showed astronomer Michael Molnar an ancient Roman coin minted in Syria that featured a picture of Zeus on one side and Aries the ram on the other, he bought it for $50. A few months later, Molnar noticed a star on the coin, which was minted in A.D. 13. An earlier version had been issued by Quirinius, the governor of Syria who’s mentioned in the Gospel of Luke as ordering a census at the time of the birth of Jesus. And so began a quest by the University of Wisconsin-Madison alum…

On Thursday morning, the Catholic student center at UW-Madison did not feel like a place about to be demolished. A custodian vigorously vacuumed the sanctuary as other workers endured the laborious task of replacing burned-out light bulbs from fixtures that hang 28 feet above the altar. The attention was in preparation for the final Mass on Sunday, which the Rev. Eric Nielsen, the center’s director, envisions as a loving farewell to an old friend.

Michelle Higgins, director of Faith for Justice, a Christian advocacy group, and activist with the #BlackLivesMatter movement, has warned Evangelical churches against the sin of indifference in the face of racial injustice, such as the killing of Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, and other people of color, and encouraged them to instead seek racial reconciliation and unity.Speaking at the Urbana 15 Student Missions Conference, which is being held this week by Madison-based InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in St. Louis, Mo., Higgins revealed that when Mike Brown, an 18-year-old African-American male, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson police officer, she…

While this was not an adventure we would have chosen, we are seeing the Lord’s hand and the love and support of community and friends at every turn. Our church family is strong and thriving, and hope is growing as we look forward to what the Lord has for us in the coming year!

Two things led Lori and Ryan Oehlhof to adopt three children with special medical needs from China: a birth defect in one of their three biological children, and a sermon that felt like a calling. “It’s our duty as Christians to care for those who can’t care for themselves,” Lori Oehlhof, of rural Blanchardville, said while preparing for the family of eight’s first Christmas together.

A popular year-round daytime shelter for homeless people Downtown is expected to close before winter’s end after Dane County and Bethel Lutheran Church officials failed to agree on a new contract. The county plans to let its contract with the church expire on Dec. 31, citing a request by the church’s council to triple the county’s funding of the program from $80,000 to $240,000 in 2016.

As Christians around the world mark the birth of Christ in Bethlehem this Christmas season, many Madison-area Catholics are learning more about the profound role of the tabernacle in their parishes. Madison Catholic Bishop Robert Morlino has directed priests to move the tabernacle to a prominent spot at the center of the sanctuary at all diocesan churches.

The mood is upbeat as the diners line up to fill their plates in the brightly lighted basement dining room. The aroma of oven-fried chicken is alluring enough to lift anyone’s spirits. Also on the menu this evening: cheesy potatoes, fresh green salad, dinner rolls and butter, peach crisp and ice cream. But first, a prayer; the group gathers in a circle, holding hands.

Eleven days in advance of the opening of Urbana 15, InterVarsity’s triennial student missions conference, leaders and staff gathered at InterVarsity’s National Service Center in Madison, Wisconsin, for a Commissioning Service. “I’m excited about the fruit of our labor that we’ll be able to see in just over a week,” said Urbana director Tom Lin.