If you're having trouble viewing this email, you cansee it online.
BHFH Digest—October 23, 2026
Photo: A photo of Housies in 2011. Undoubtedly there is an interesting story here...
Dear Friends,
Imagine: It’s 1980. There is a wedding reception being held in the Meeting Room...
After a ceremony at Tufts University, while the couple stays behind for photographs, some of the guests rush ahead to the House to set up the food.
Just as the last platter is set on the trestle table, the ancient canvas straps break and the all the food and decor come crashing down on the floor. The Sterno cans set fire to the tablecloths, boiling water sloshes across the floor, and there is broken china and glassware everywhere.
Fortunately (?) a protest nearby is blocking the street, so the wedding party is delayed by about 30 minutes—just enough time for the guests to mop the floor, rope the trestles together, use sheets from the linen closet to replace the rented linens, salvage dishes, send out for paper plates, and somehow get the food ready.
The bride and groom arrive and enjoy the night, never knowing anything bad had happened until after they come back from their honeymoon.
Perhaps you’ve heard this story before. It appeared in the Jubilee History of the House as recalled by Joshua and Joyce Brown (Assistant Directors from 1979 to 1981). It lives on as a legend in House lore. Stories like these get passed down through the generations not just because they are good, but because they remind us of who we are and who we aspire to be. In this case, a story about everyone coming together to do something almost unimaginable, just in the nick of time.
What stories do you return to again and again about life in the House?
As we look ahead to our 70th anniversary next year, we want to hear from you. If you’d like to write up your stories, you can send them by email. Or, we’d be delighted to arrange a time to talk with you by phone or Zoom. Reach out to staff@bhfh.org.
We are also collecting photos! See link below.
In Light and community,
Alana Parkes Admin & Outreach Manager
Do you have photos of the House?
We'd love for you to share any photos you have of the House or Housies. We have created a portal where you can upload a digital copy and include info about the image.
Whether you're in Boston or across the world, there are opportunities to connect in community through BHFH.
Hybrid event
Sunday, November 15, 1:30pm
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.
Disability and Belonging in Quaker Communities: A Survey
This short survey is part of a grant-funded project seeking to better understand the experiences and needs of disabled Quakers/Quakers with disabilities. We invite responses from Friends who identify as disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent, Deaf and/or hard of hearing, or as having access needs not frequently met by default, whether or not you use the word "disabled" to describe yourself.
What helps you participate fully in Quaker communities? What barriers do you encounter? What could Quaker meetings and organizations do differently?
Your responses will help identify priorities for further conversation and action.
We are seeing facilitators for our MIDWEEK: Experiments in Faithfulness series. If you have an idea for a spiritual practice you could share with others, apply to lead a MIDWEEK session. The events are online and supported by BHFH staff. Honoraria are available.
.png)
