Past Events

Too often, Christian organizations are known for what they are against. Sometimes, this includes being against one other. Amidst this context of competition, Christ-centered nonprofits have a unique opportunity to link arms and collectively pursue a calling that transcends the agenda of any single organization. Rooting for Rivals: How Collaboration and Generosity Increase the Impact of Leaders, Charities, and Churches, reveals how ministries and other organizations can multiply their impact by cooperating rather than competing with others, modeling Christlike love…

A tension felt by many marketplace leaders is the need to succeed, which requires direct competition with other businesses. In a competitive business environment, how can we live out a calling to practice abundance rather than scarcity, and to even to champion the work of our competitors? As marketplace leaders and followers of Jesus, do we believe that joy can come when others thrive? Can we imagine that we can flourish when others succeed? These ideas can feel radical, but…

In partnership with Anselm House, a Christian study center serving the University of Minnesota, Upper House will host the 2019 Faculty Summer Seminar. This two-day collaborative workshop will engage invited faculty from University of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Minnesota to consider the moral dilemmas that secular research institutions must face with regard to administration, teaching, and research. For example, what resources does the Christian tradition offer scholars working in a setting where consensus on moral questions seldom appears? Together we…

Cameron Anderson, Associate Director at Upper House, will lead a four-week discussion of David Brooks, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life (Random House, 2019).   As always, Brooks writes well and thinks deeply on a wide range of topics. InThe Second Mountainhe tackles the deep question of life’s meaning, what it is to live a meaningful life. The fundamental challenge, he believes, is to abandon our abiding desire to see work, achievement, and wealth as the prizes that…

No environmental feature captures the essence of Madison better than its lakes. From both literal and figurative perspectives, the lakes and lands between them define the character of this iconic city. The University of Wisconsin-Madison and Lake Mendota were the birthplace of the science of limnology, and continue to be at the forefront of freshwater ecology. Lake Mendota is often called “the most studied lake in the world.” Despite their cherished status, the Madison lakes are now imperiled by a…

Kickoff the summer with a night of music and story featuring Madison area songwriters. The artists on our 2019 summer stage include: Travis Agnew, Micah Behr, Hannah Busse, and Kyle Ebley. In front of an intimate audience, they will perform song selections, tell stories about life in the music industry, the challenge of writing lyrics, the pleasure of playing with other musicians, and the ups and downs of their career. Light appetizers and coffee will be provided. About our artists:…

“We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it. And to take good care if it, we have to know it. And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it.” – Wendell Berry   Shannon and Kriss Marion own and operate Circle M Market Farm and Bed and Breakfast, located on a small family homestead in rural Blanchardville, Wisconsin, 40 minutes southwest…

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John 4:23 Worship invites us to take our eyes off of ourselves and each other in order to focus on our Creator. Worship is formative: we become what we behold. We always worship something. As we navigate a world that constantly competes for our attention, let us set aside time to direct our full…