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BHFH Digest—August 21, 2026
Photo: Alana (L) and Mia (R) in the St. Francis Courtyard
Dear Friends,
Fall is always a time of change at the House. In Boston as a whole, 70% of leases have a September 1st start date. We’ve come pretty close to that: 53% of our residents are new since July! With all the new faces, it’s remarkable to me how quickly things settle into the new normal.
We also have some new faces on our team. We hired a high school student over the summer to help with maintenance tasks and hope to have him back on weekends in the fall.
This week, we also welcomed an intern, Mia. She is a Quaker Voluntary Service (QVS) fellow and will be helping with our programs including the space rentals and guest rooms as well as a myriad other organizing tasks. As a recent Mount Holyoke College graduate, Mia is excited to bring her experience with campus Interfaith initiatives to Beacon Hill. She’ll be with us until summer of 2027 and we look forward to working with her!
In Light and community,
Alana Parkes Admin and Outreach Manager
Upcoming BHFH programs and events
Whether you're in Boston or across the world, there are opportunities to connect in community through BHFH.
In-person event
Sunday, September 20, 11:45am
Graham + Zoe play Kol Nidrei
Join Zoe Sherman (piano) and Graham Boswell (cello) for a performance of Kol Nidrei at the Beacon Hill Friends House. Max Bruch’s Kol Nidrei pays homage to the chant of the same name that opens the Yum Kippur service, heralding the Jewish new year. We will also honor the memory of Anne Chamberlain, who played this piece with Graham last year.
In his book, A Resistance History of the United States, public historian Tad Stoermer, shows how, from the very beginning, the tension between the ideals of resistance and the realities of power has defined America more than the Enlightenment ideals enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Ernest and Ester Weed Memorial Lecture with Christy Randazzo
"Apprentice Weavers: Queer Family, Quaker Community, and the Work of Peacemaking”asks what it means to make family in a world that so often seeks to prescribe who belongs to whom. Weaving personal narrative with queer and Quaker theology, scripture, and the practices of chosen family, Christy Randazzo explores the families we inherit and the families we choose —and the ways we weave lives of interdependence across difference.
Interpersonal Peace-Making: Practicing Peace with One Another workshop
As Quakers we believe there is that of God in each of us. Yet that is only a starting point. Each of us is capable of behavior that harms others. Holding another person accountable for their behavior is a gift. God calls us to notice harms and respond, to speak Truth with love.
The workshop will begin with worship and grounding practices to be present in our bodies and connected to Spirit as we may explore tender topics. We will learn together how we hold difficult Truths, how to listen and speak with love while holding each other accountable. There will be time for reflections on what was shared, and opportunity for gathered Friends to share responses to queries.
A listening project, supported by the Salem Quarter funds, exploring the intersection of disability, theology, and Quaker faith.
Through surveys, listening sessions, and community conversations, we are gathering stories, experiences, and questions that can help shape more accessible and life-giving faith communities.
Occasionally we share event for partner organizations. We regularly host Beacon Hill Seminars classes.
Register for Fall Courses at Beacon Hill Seminars
Beacon Hill Seminars is an inclusive community of adults from Boston and beyond that provides educational opportunities for vigorous intellectual growth and a range of social and cultural activities.
We are seeing facilitators for our MIDWEEK: Experiments in Faithfulness series. If you have an idea for a spiritual practice you could share with other, apply to lead a MIDWEEK session. The events are online and supported by BHFH staff. Honoraria are available.
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