Beacon Hill Friends House (BHFH) is a Quaker center and residential community in downtown Boston, Mass., that provides opportunities for personal growth, spiritual deepening, and collective action.
In August, Brent Walsh became the new program and engagement manager. Walsh will nurture connections with residents and alumni, pursue continued outreach to peer organizations, and help expand onsite and online programming options, including the ongoing weekly facilitated spiritual practice program called “MIDWEEK: Experiments in Faithfulness.”
In September, BHFH kicked off a new lecture series called “Making Queer Quaker History,” featuring primary lecturer Brian Blackmore and co-led by Walsh and Jennifer Newman, BHFH’s executive director. The series offers a storytelling tour of Quaker participation in the gay rights movement and how Friends congregations became more open and affirming for LGBTQ+ people during the mid-twentieth century. These stories can serve as guideposts for how Friends can reaffirm their commitment to inclusion and justice for the LGBTQ+ community.
Construction on BHFH’s historic 1805 building continues, repairing and restoring the building’s exterior. The work is funded by a City of Boston Community Preservation grant.
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