BHFH Ernest and Esther Weed Memorial Lecture 2023 - Theologically Sound with nova george (hybrid event)
Our annual Ernest and Esther Weed Memorial lecture, endowed in honor of longtime BHFH Directors Ernest and Esther Weed, features a prominent interpreter of Quakerism speaking on a topic of interest to Friends in New England and beyond.
For 2023, our speaker is nova george, with the lecture: "Theologically Sound."
The Truth I understand is that there is something meaningful about music that changes those who listen to it, sing it, make it, feel it. Music is a conversation between the divine and the artist, the artist and the experiencer, the experiencer and the divine— it is a conversation I’d love to engage you in.
Theologically Sound is a search for meaning, play, and creativity. The purpose of this offering is to share what I witness as sacred interaction between music and Silence. As a deeply spiritual person and musician, the moments I am singing, dancing, embodying rhythm and melody are the moments I feel closest to touching the creator energy that lives within me that makes me know I contain that of God. It is the energy of being in tune, in harmony, in sync with all that is.
If creativity, music, and faith are of interest to you, I hope that this interactive lecture will give you something like resonance. I welcome discord and dissonance— there is room in music for blue notes, too. Faith isn’t all perfect 5th intervals and major chords. It isn’t all pop hits. There is value in improvisational jazz and there are foundational lessons in throaty chants. There is release in drums and heavy metal. There is liberation in a cappella.
As Friends, we worship in Silence. So let us venture into worship with the other side of Silence as our starting point. I hope to nourish the song that lives inside of me with this presentation of Theologically Sound as the Weed Memorial Lecture. For those F/friends joining, I hope you find something like a song inside of you too.
About nova george
nova is a dreamer, wonderer, and poet with a deep interest in the Hebrew Bible and the ways faith informs imaginings and realities with regards to community, belonging, and inclusion. nova’s eyes light up in conversation about the pedagogical impact of technology in classrooms, liberation theologies, black literature as sacred text, and ritual and spiritual practice. You might find nova lounging in a Brooklyn café having a cup of herbal tea, singing to a tree in their backyard, or dreaming about the world they hope to co-create with all of you.
Event information:
When: Doors open at 1:00 PM (ET), program begins at 1:30 PM (ET). There will be a small reception with snacks for onsite participants following the lecture in our St. Francis Courtyard (weather permitting).
Where: This year, the Weed Lecture will be in a hybrid format - either on-site at Beacon Hill Friends House or live-streamed on Zoom. (All participants will receive the Zoom information).
Cost: This program is free and open to the public.
Covid policies: All on-site attendees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear a mask while inside. Masks will be available for those who forget them.
Accessibility: Beacon Hill Friends House is working on making our historic space accessible to everyone.
On Zoom: Automated Closed Captions will be available for all participants.
On site:
Audio: nova's voice will be lightly amplified in the space. Assistive Listening devices will be made available upon request.
Physical space: This event will take place in our Meeting Room, which has a ground-level entrance accessible by most standard-sized wheelchairs.
Our primary entrance is up a flight of stairs and we have a sidewalk-level entrance to our basement level that can accommodate small and standard-size wheelchairs (the turning radius is too small for large motorized chairs). We also have a small, single-occupancy 100-year-old elevator (about 3 ft deep and 2.5 feet wide) that can access all floors.
On the basement level, we have a single-user, all-gender bathroom with wall-mounted handrails and ample space for chairs and/or aides. We are not a scent-free space but tend to be low-scent.
Please let us know if there are any additional ways we can make this program accessible for you.
About Beacon Hill Friends House
Beacon Hill Friends House is an independent Quaker not-for-profit organization that operates a 20-person community residence, overnight guest accommodations, meeting and event space, and public educational programming in a large historic house in downtown Boston, Massachusetts. The Friends House exists to provide opportunities for personal growth, spiritual deepening, and leadership development, drawing inspiration and guidance from the values, principles, and practices of the Religious Society of Friends.
