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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T160000
DTSTAMP:20260413T095054Z
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SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion: July 17th Open Day
DESCRIPTION:This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Due to popular demand\, we will be reopening our in-person exhibition\, Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts for eight days in June\, July\, and August for free\, walk-in viewing. \nSacred Rebellion highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections. We hope you will make plans to visit and learn more about the connections between Congregationalism and the American Revolution. \nBy the time the war began\, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified\, sacred rebellion. Through sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters\, Congregationalists shared their stories\, reflected on their moral obligations to each other\, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive\, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many\, especially those on the margins. These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today\, 250 years later. \nHighlights from the exhibition include items connected to well-known Massachusetts historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley Peters\, Jonathan Mayhew\, and Benjamin Franklin\, as well as materials from many lesser-known individuals such as Mary Counce\, whose papers provide a rare look at a woman’s experiences living in Boston during the Revolutionary War\, and a one-of-a-kind manuscript music book featuring hymns and patriotic songs created by a young woman named Abigail Cleaveland. \nSacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts will be open to the public at the Congregational Library & Archives from 11 am – 4 pm on June 26\, July 2\, July 10\, July 17\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, August 14. Admission is free\, and booking is required for groups of 10 or more. \nAdditionally\, Curator’s Tours will be available at 1 pm on July 2\, July 10\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, and August 14\, and tickets can be purchased for $5. \nFind more information on the exhibition and related events at congregationallibrary.org/sacred-rebellion. \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives is located at 14 Beacon Street\, Boston on the second floor. It is a short walk from the Park Street\, State\, and Government Center subway stops. Elevators are available in the lobby. The exhibition and reading room are wheelchair accessible. Find more information about planning your visit at congregationallibrary.org/visit. \nBook an appointment for a group tour by emailing info@14beacon.org or calling 617.523.0470 x102.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-july17-open-day
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCarousel-NEW400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260717T130000
DTSTAMP:20260327T112941Z
CREATED:20260327T112317Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T112941Z
UID:14573-1784289600-1784293200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sermons of Independence Collections Tour
DESCRIPTION:Join Dr. Tricia Peone\, New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director\, at 14 Beacon for a tour exploring sermons from the Revolutionary era. \nCommemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with a tour exploring sermons and other materials from that era. Print and manuscript sermons illustrate how Congregationalists explored and defined the meaning of liberty while navigating the violence and destruction of war. The Congregational Library & Archives collections also reveal how Congregational ministers interpreted their own role in shaping memory of the Revolution. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Tricia Peone\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sermons-independence-collections-tour
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/July26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260721T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260721T141500
DTSTAMP:20260428T005135Z
CREATED:20260425T021205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T005135Z
UID:14959-1784638800-1784643300@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Researching the Revolution Using New England’s Hidden Histories 2026
DESCRIPTION:This is the fourth of five class sessions. \nJoin us this summer to explore the American Revolution’s 250th anniversary. In this five-week online class\, participants will learn about the history of Congregationalists in the American Revolution through the different types of primary source materials in New England’s Hidden Histories. Explore how sermons\, church records\, and personal papers reveal first-hand accounts and the ways communities responded before\, during\, and after the war for independence. \nThe class will be led by Dr. Kyle Roberts (CLA Executive Director) and Dr. Tricia Peone (NEHH Project Director). Course topics will include: an introduction to researching with church records on a digital platform\, overviews of the American Revolution and Congregational history\, and ways to uncover the histories of marginalized New Englanders. Each week we will discuss and interpret primary source documents and learn about religious life during the Revolutionary era. \nThe cost to attend is $150 for individual and church members and $165 for non-members. Limited funds are available as scholarships for those otherwise unable to attend. \nTo attend\, register by Friday\, June 26th at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/26SummerClasses.html. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the class. \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org. \n  \nSPEAKER BIOS \nDr. Kyle Roberts was appointed the Executive Director of the Congregational Library & Archives in 2022. He received his BA in American Studies from Williams College and his PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to the CLA\, he was Associate Director of Library & Museum Programming at the American Philosophical Society and Associate Professor of Public History and New Media and Director of the Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities at Loyola University Chicago. \nA scholar of Atlantic World religion\, print\, and library history\, he is the author of Evangelical Gotham: Religion and the Making of New York City\, 1783-1860 (Chicago\, 2016)\, the co-editor\, with Stephen Schloesser\, of Crossings and Dwellings: Restored Jesuits\, Women Religious\, American Experience 1814-2014 (Brill\, 2017) and\, with Mark Towsey\, of Before the Public Library: Reading\, Community\, and Identity in the Atlantic World\, 1650-1850 (Brill\, 2017). \nKyle is an accomplished public historian and digital humanist whose collaborative projects include the Jesuit Libraries Provenance Project\, the Maryland Loyalism Project\, and Dissenting Academies Online: Virtual Library System. In addition to being the consultant for numerous digital and public history projects\, he sits on the executive committees of the American Catholic Historical Association\, the New England Historical Association\, the Urban History Association He is on the editorial and advisory boards for American Catholic Studies\, Early American Studies\, and portal. \nDr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA\, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities\, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials\, early New England\, and public history\, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. Her scholarship focuses on early New England\, particularly the history of magic and witchcraft\, and her work on these subjects has appeared in journals\, books\, blogs\, and on radio and television. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/researching-revolution-26-4
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Class,NEHH,Revolutionary Stories
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ResearchRev26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260723T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260723T140000
DTSTAMP:20260612T122340Z
CREATED:20260425T014850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260612T122340Z
UID:14948-1784811600-1784815200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:CSI Summer Camp 2026
DESCRIPTION:This was the fourth of five class sessions. \nThe Congregational Library & Archives was pleased to host our second annual CSI Summer Camp. \nArchivists Zachary Bodnar and Billy McCarthy led attendees through the steps needed to successfully begin archiving your church’s important records and valuable memories. This multi-session online program\, hosted on Zoom\, provided guidance and instruction on the archival process keeping in mind your specific collections and locations. \nOver the course of five sessions\, Zachary and Billy provided hands-on and in-depth instruction about how to begin tackling the seemingly mountainous task of properly archiving your church’s collection. Between sessions there were exercises to complete at your own pace that reinforced lessons and set up participants for the next session. Sessions included time for instructions\, group discussions\, and Q&A. Sessions will focus on the following four topics: gathering your collection\, identifying materials\, organizing records\, and crafting finding aids. \nThis program was part of our Church Stewardship Initiative (CSI). Find the videos of past workshops and free resources on our CSI webpage. \n  \nSPEAKER BIOS \nZachary Bodnar graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University\, with a concentration in archives management\, in 2018. Prior to his work at the CLA\, Zachary worked at the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden archive\, the Vassar College Special Collections\, the Harvard Law School Library\, and the Harvard Botany Libraries. Zachary joined the CLA as an Archives Assistant in 2017\, helping to prepare materials for digitization through the New England’s Hidden Histories program. In 2018\, he took on the title of Archivist. His professional interests include metadata collection and management\, digital archiving\, audio/visual preservation\, and archives management. \nBilly McCarthy graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. He started working at the CLA through a graduate internship and was hired full-time as an Archivist in 2018. Billy is the Head of Reader Services\, helping the CLA’s visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research. Billy also serves as the collection manager for the archives\, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access\, collection management\, processing of complex materials\, and facilitating research.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/csi-summer-camp-26-4
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Class,CSI
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CSISummerCamp26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T160000
DTSTAMP:20260413T095139Z
CREATED:20260413T093744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T095139Z
UID:14804-1784890800-1784908800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion: July 24th Open Day
DESCRIPTION:This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Due to popular demand\, we will be reopening our in-person exhibition\, Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts for eight days in June\, July\, and August for free\, walk-in viewing. \nSacred Rebellion highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections. We hope you will make plans to visit and learn more about the connections between Congregationalism and the American Revolution. \nBy the time the war began\, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified\, sacred rebellion. Through sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters\, Congregationalists shared their stories\, reflected on their moral obligations to each other\, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive\, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many\, especially those on the margins. These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today\, 250 years later. \nHighlights from the exhibition include items connected to well-known Massachusetts historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley Peters\, Jonathan Mayhew\, and Benjamin Franklin\, as well as materials from many lesser-known individuals such as Mary Counce\, whose papers provide a rare look at a woman’s experiences living in Boston during the Revolutionary War\, and a one-of-a-kind manuscript music book featuring hymns and patriotic songs created by a young woman named Abigail Cleaveland. \nSacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts will be open to the public at the Congregational Library & Archives from 11 am – 4 pm on June 26\, July 2\, July 10\, July 17\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, August 14. Admission is free\, and booking is required for groups of 10 or more. \nAdditionally\, Curator’s Tours will be available at 1 pm on July 2\, July 10\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, and August 14\, and tickets can be purchased for $5. \nFind more information on the exhibition and related events at congregationallibrary.org/sacred-rebellion. \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives is located at 14 Beacon Street\, Boston on the second floor. It is a short walk from the Park Street\, State\, and Government Center subway stops. Elevators are available in the lobby. The exhibition and reading room are wheelchair accessible. Find more information about planning your visit at congregationallibrary.org/visit. \nBook an appointment for a group tour by emailing info@14beacon.org or calling 617.523.0470 x102.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-july24-open-day
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCarousel-NEW400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260724T140000
DTSTAMP:20260413T085741Z
CREATED:20260413T085741Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T085741Z
UID:14766-1784898000-1784901600@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion Curator's Tour (July 24th)
DESCRIPTION:Join us at 14 Beacon for a special tour of Sacred Rebellion with CLA Executive Director Dr. Kyle Roberts. \nThe exhibition features many treasures from the CLA’s collections: sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters created by Massachusetts Congregationalists during and after the American Revolution. These objects reveal how Congregationalists understood their moral obligations to each other and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. \nAttendees will view the exhibition with Dr. Roberts\, learn more about the objects on display\, and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the exhibition. The discussion will also explore the unfinished business of the Revolution and the meaning of its legacy today. \nSpace is limited. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased via this link: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/2026CuratorTours.html
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-curator-tour-july24
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCuratorCarousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T141500
DTSTAMP:20260428T005228Z
CREATED:20260425T021505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T005228Z
UID:14961-1785243600-1785248100@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Researching the Revolution Using New England’s Hidden Histories 2026
DESCRIPTION:This is the last of five class sessions. \nJoin us this summer to explore the American Revolution’s 250th anniversary. In this five-week online class\, participants will learn about the history of Congregationalists in the American Revolution through the different types of primary source materials in New England’s Hidden Histories. Explore how sermons\, church records\, and personal papers reveal first-hand accounts and the ways communities responded before\, during\, and after the war for independence. \nThe class will be led by Dr. Kyle Roberts (CLA Executive Director) and Dr. Tricia Peone (NEHH Project Director). Course topics will include: an introduction to researching with church records on a digital platform\, overviews of the American Revolution and Congregational history\, and ways to uncover the histories of marginalized New Englanders. Each week we will discuss and interpret primary source documents and learn about religious life during the Revolutionary era. \nThe cost to attend is $150 for individual and church members and $165 for non-members. Limited funds are available as scholarships for those otherwise unable to attend. \nTo attend\, register by Friday\, June 26th at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/26SummerClasses.html. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the class. \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org. \n  \nSPEAKER BIOS \nDr. Kyle Roberts was appointed the Executive Director of the Congregational Library & Archives in 2022. He received his BA in American Studies from Williams College and his PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to the CLA\, he was Associate Director of Library & Museum Programming at the American Philosophical Society and Associate Professor of Public History and New Media and Director of the Center for Textual Studies and Digital Humanities at Loyola University Chicago. \nA scholar of Atlantic World religion\, print\, and library history\, he is the author of Evangelical Gotham: Religion and the Making of New York City\, 1783-1860 (Chicago\, 2016)\, the co-editor\, with Stephen Schloesser\, of Crossings and Dwellings: Restored Jesuits\, Women Religious\, American Experience 1814-2014 (Brill\, 2017) and\, with Mark Towsey\, of Before the Public Library: Reading\, Community\, and Identity in the Atlantic World\, 1650-1850 (Brill\, 2017). \nKyle is an accomplished public historian and digital humanist whose collaborative projects include the Jesuit Libraries Provenance Project\, the Maryland Loyalism Project\, and Dissenting Academies Online: Virtual Library System. In addition to being the consultant for numerous digital and public history projects\, he sits on the executive committees of the American Catholic Historical Association\, the New England Historical Association\, the Urban History Association He is on the editorial and advisory boards for American Catholic Studies\, Early American Studies\, and portal. \nDr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA\, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities\, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials\, early New England\, and public history\, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. Her scholarship focuses on early New England\, particularly the history of magic and witchcraft\, and her work on these subjects has appeared in journals\, books\, blogs\, and on radio and television. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/researching-revolution-26-5
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Class,NEHH,Revolutionary Stories
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ResearchRev26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260731T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260731T160000
DTSTAMP:20260413T095209Z
CREATED:20260413T094044Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T095209Z
UID:14806-1785495600-1785513600@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion: July 31st Open Day
DESCRIPTION:This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Due to popular demand\, we will be reopening our in-person exhibition\, Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts for eight days in June\, July\, and August for free\, walk-in viewing. \nSacred Rebellion highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections. We hope you will make plans to visit and learn more about the connections between Congregationalism and the American Revolution. \nBy the time the war began\, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified\, sacred rebellion. Through sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters\, Congregationalists shared their stories\, reflected on their moral obligations to each other\, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive\, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many\, especially those on the margins. These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today\, 250 years later. \nHighlights from the exhibition include items connected to well-known Massachusetts historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley Peters\, Jonathan Mayhew\, and Benjamin Franklin\, as well as materials from many lesser-known individuals such as Mary Counce\, whose papers provide a rare look at a woman’s experiences living in Boston during the Revolutionary War\, and a one-of-a-kind manuscript music book featuring hymns and patriotic songs created by a young woman named Abigail Cleaveland. \nSacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts will be open to the public at the Congregational Library & Archives from 11 am – 4 pm on June 26\, July 2\, July 10\, July 17\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, August 14. Admission is free\, and booking is required for groups of 10 or more. \nAdditionally\, Curator’s Tours will be available at 1 pm on July 2\, July 10\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, and August 14\, and tickets can be purchased for $5. \nFind more information on the exhibition and related events at congregationallibrary.org/sacred-rebellion. \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives is located at 14 Beacon Street\, Boston on the second floor. It is a short walk from the Park Street\, State\, and Government Center subway stops. Elevators are available in the lobby. The exhibition and reading room are wheelchair accessible. Find more information about planning your visit at congregationallibrary.org/visit. \nBook an appointment for a group tour by emailing info@14beacon.org or calling 617.523.0470 x102.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-july31-open-day
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCarousel-NEW400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260731T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260731T140000
DTSTAMP:20260413T090107Z
CREATED:20260413T090107Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T090107Z
UID:14771-1785502800-1785506400@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion Curator's Tour (July 31st)
DESCRIPTION:Join us at 14 Beacon for a special tour of Sacred Rebellion with New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director and exhibition curator\, Dr. Tricia Peone. \nThe exhibition features many treasures from the CLA’s collections: sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters created by Massachusetts Congregationalists during and after the American Revolution. These objects reveal how Congregationalists understood their moral obligations to each other and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. \nAttendees will view the exhibition with the curator\, learn more about the objects on display\, and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the exhibition. The discussion will also explore the unfinished business of the Revolution and the meaning of its legacy today. \nSpace is limited. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased via this link: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/2026CuratorTours.html
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-curator-tour-july31
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCuratorCarousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260806T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260806T140000
DTSTAMP:20260612T122418Z
CREATED:20260425T015158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260612T122418Z
UID:14950-1786021200-1786024800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:CSI Summer Camp 2026
DESCRIPTION:This was the last of five class sessions. \nThe Congregational Library & Archives was pleased to host our second annual CSI Summer Camp. \nArchivists Zachary Bodnar and Billy McCarthy led attendees through the steps needed to successfully begin archiving your church’s important records and valuable memories. This multi-session online program\, hosted on Zoom\, provided guidance and instruction on the archival process keeping in mind your specific collections and locations. \nOver the course of five sessions\, Zachary and Billy provided hands-on and in-depth instruction about how to begin tackling the seemingly mountainous task of properly archiving your church’s collection. Between sessions there were exercises to complete at your own pace that reinforced lessons and set up participants for the next session. Sessions included time for instructions\, group discussions\, and Q&A. Sessions will focus on the following four topics: gathering your collection\, identifying materials\, organizing records\, and crafting finding aids. \nThis program was part of our Church Stewardship Initiative (CSI). Find the videos of past workshops and free resources on our CSI webpage. \n  \nSPEAKER BIOS \nZachary Bodnar graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University\, with a concentration in archives management\, in 2018. Prior to his work at the CLA\, Zachary worked at the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden archive\, the Vassar College Special Collections\, the Harvard Law School Library\, and the Harvard Botany Libraries. Zachary joined the CLA as an Archives Assistant in 2017\, helping to prepare materials for digitization through the New England’s Hidden Histories program. In 2018\, he took on the title of Archivist. His professional interests include metadata collection and management\, digital archiving\, audio/visual preservation\, and archives management. \nBilly McCarthy graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. He started working at the CLA through a graduate internship and was hired full-time as an Archivist in 2018. Billy is the Head of Reader Services\, helping the CLA’s visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research. Billy also serves as the collection manager for the archives\, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access\, collection management\, processing of complex materials\, and facilitating research.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/csi-summer-camp-26-5
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Class,CSI
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/CSISummerCamp26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260807T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260807T160000
DTSTAMP:20260413T095246Z
CREATED:20260413T094327Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T095246Z
UID:14808-1786100400-1786118400@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion: August 7th Open Day
DESCRIPTION:This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Due to popular demand\, we will be reopening our in-person exhibition\, Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts for eight days in June\, July\, and August for free\, walk-in viewing. \nSacred Rebellion highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections. We hope you will make plans to visit and learn more about the connections between Congregationalism and the American Revolution. \nBy the time the war began\, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified\, sacred rebellion. Through sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters\, Congregationalists shared their stories\, reflected on their moral obligations to each other\, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive\, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many\, especially those on the margins. These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today\, 250 years later. \nHighlights from the exhibition include items connected to well-known Massachusetts historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley Peters\, Jonathan Mayhew\, and Benjamin Franklin\, as well as materials from many lesser-known individuals such as Mary Counce\, whose papers provide a rare look at a woman’s experiences living in Boston during the Revolutionary War\, and a one-of-a-kind manuscript music book featuring hymns and patriotic songs created by a young woman named Abigail Cleaveland. \nSacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts will be open to the public at the Congregational Library & Archives from 11 am – 4 pm on June 26\, July 2\, July 10\, July 17\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, August 14. Admission is free\, and booking is required for groups of 10 or more. \nAdditionally\, Curator’s Tours will be available at 1 pm on July 2\, July 10\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, and August 14\, and tickets can be purchased for $5. \nFind more information on the exhibition and related events at congregationallibrary.org/sacred-rebellion. \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives is located at 14 Beacon Street\, Boston on the second floor. It is a short walk from the Park Street\, State\, and Government Center subway stops. Elevators are available in the lobby. The exhibition and reading room are wheelchair accessible. Find more information about planning your visit at congregationallibrary.org/visit. \nBook an appointment for a group tour by emailing info@14beacon.org or calling 617.523.0470 x102.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-aug7-open-day
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCarousel-NEW400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260807T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260807T140000
DTSTAMP:20260413T090422Z
CREATED:20260413T090422Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T090422Z
UID:14776-1786107600-1786111200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion Curator's Tour (August 7th)
DESCRIPTION:Join us at 14 Beacon for a special tour of Sacred Rebellion with New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director and exhibition curator\, Dr. Tricia Peone. \nThe exhibition features many treasures from the CLA’s collections: sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters created by Massachusetts Congregationalists during and after the American Revolution. These objects reveal how Congregationalists understood their moral obligations to each other and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. \nAttendees will view the exhibition with the curator\, learn more about the objects on display\, and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the exhibition. The discussion will also explore the unfinished business of the Revolution and the meaning of its legacy today. \nSpace is limited. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased via this link: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/2026CuratorTours.html
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-curator-tour-aug7
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCuratorCarousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T160000
DTSTAMP:20260413T095317Z
CREATED:20260413T094610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T095317Z
UID:14810-1786705200-1786723200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion: August 14th Open Day
DESCRIPTION:This summer marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. Due to popular demand\, we will be reopening our in-person exhibition\, Sacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts for eight days in June\, July\, and August for free\, walk-in viewing. \nSacred Rebellion highlights the stories of Massachusetts Congregationalists drawn from the CLA’s important collections. We hope you will make plans to visit and learn more about the connections between Congregationalism and the American Revolution. \nBy the time the war began\, many Congregationalists had embraced a theological justification for war and revolution. They believed that God favored them and that their cause was a morally justified\, sacred rebellion. Through sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters\, Congregationalists shared their stories\, reflected on their moral obligations to each other\, and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. But consensus was elusive\, and implementation proved difficult and unsatisfactory to many\, especially those on the margins. These discussions shaped the legacy of Congregationalism and the way the Revolutionary War is remembered today\, 250 years later. \nHighlights from the exhibition include items connected to well-known Massachusetts historical figures such as Phillis Wheatley Peters\, Jonathan Mayhew\, and Benjamin Franklin\, as well as materials from many lesser-known individuals such as Mary Counce\, whose papers provide a rare look at a woman’s experiences living in Boston during the Revolutionary War\, and a one-of-a-kind manuscript music book featuring hymns and patriotic songs created by a young woman named Abigail Cleaveland. \nSacred Rebellion: Congregationalists in Revolutionary Massachusetts will be open to the public at the Congregational Library & Archives from 11 am – 4 pm on June 26\, July 2\, July 10\, July 17\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, August 14. Admission is free\, and booking is required for groups of 10 or more. \nAdditionally\, Curator’s Tours will be available at 1 pm on July 2\, July 10\, July 24\, July 31\, August 7\, and August 14\, and tickets can be purchased for $5. \nFind more information on the exhibition and related events at congregationallibrary.org/sacred-rebellion. \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives is located at 14 Beacon Street\, Boston on the second floor. It is a short walk from the Park Street\, State\, and Government Center subway stops. Elevators are available in the lobby. The exhibition and reading room are wheelchair accessible. Find more information about planning your visit at congregationallibrary.org/visit. \nBook an appointment for a group tour by emailing info@14beacon.org or calling 617.523.0470 x102.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-aug14-open-day
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCarousel-NEW400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260814T140000
DTSTAMP:20260413T090742Z
CREATED:20260413T090742Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T090742Z
UID:14781-1786712400-1786716000@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Sacred Rebellion Curator's Tour (August 14th)
DESCRIPTION:Join us at 14 Beacon for a special tour of Sacred Rebellion with New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director and exhibition curator\, Dr. Tricia Peone. \nThe exhibition features many treasures from the CLA’s collections: sermons\, books\, poems\, songs\, and letters created by Massachusetts Congregationalists during and after the American Revolution. These objects reveal how Congregationalists understood their moral obligations to each other and debated questions of liberty and loyalty. \nAttendees will view the exhibition with the curator\, learn more about the objects on display\, and gain a deeper understanding of the stories behind the exhibition. The discussion will also explore the unfinished business of the Revolution and the meaning of its legacy today. \nSpace is limited. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased via this link: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/2026CuratorTours.html
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/sacred-rebellion-curator-tour-aug14
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Revolutionary Stories,Sacred Rebellion,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SRCuratorCarousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260821T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260821T130000
DTSTAMP:20260327T112820Z
CREATED:20260327T112820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T112820Z
UID:14576-1787313600-1787317200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Church Cookbooks Collections Tour
DESCRIPTION:Join CLA Librarian Meaghan Wright at 14 Beacon for a tour celebrating highlights from our extensive church cookbook collection. \nThese crowdsourced cookbooks\, spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries\, were created by members of Congregational churches\, often as part of a fundraiser. This tour will explore what we can learn from these items\, including cooking styles from across the country and around the world\, and some of the ways women have historically contributed to their congregation’s mission. As a special summer treat\, staff will prepare recipes from these tasty (and maybe not so tasty) troves of recipes in a historical potluck. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Meaghan Wright\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/church-cookbooks-collections-tour
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Congregational Story,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Aug26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260828T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260828T140000
DTSTAMP:20260428T003529Z
CREATED:20260425T012803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T003529Z
UID:14935-1787909400-1787925600@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:The Archives Edit: A Workshop in Arranging Your Church’s Archive
DESCRIPTION:One of the core principles of archival theory is arrangement\, the process by which archivists create physical and intellectual order out of a collection. Led by the CLA’s archivists\, Zachary Bodnar and Billy McCarthy\, this Church Stewardship Initiative workshop will introduce participants to the concepts of physically and intellectually arranging a church’s archive through a combination of instruction\, demonstration\, and hands-on activities. \nWhile intellectual and physical arrangement are separate tasks with different outcomes\, they are inextricably linked together and form the backbone of archival processing and accessibility. Physical arrangement is the process of safely housing\, labeling\, and ordering physical materials\, while intellectual arrangement is the process of creating an inventory that maintains connections among objects and logically orders them into a hierarchical list. \nThe workshop has been designed for those tasked with keeping\, preserving\, and making accessible a church’s valuable records. Zachary and Billy will discuss core archival principles in detail and give examples of how those concepts may be applied to church records collections of all shapes and sizes. Topics they will cover include how to arrange a collection of seemingly disparate materials into useful broad categories\, how to identify relationships among various items in your collection\, and how to identify or recreate a collection’s original order. No previous knowledge of archiving is required–just an excitement to learn. \nParticipants can expect to leave the workshop with an understanding of the principles of arrangement and concrete next steps for how they may apply those principles to their own collections. \nThis program is part of our Church Stewardship Initiative (CSI). Find the videos of past workshops and free resources on our CSI webpage. \nThe cost to attend is $50 for individual and church members and $60 for non-members\, and lunch is included with your registration. Limited funds are available as scholarships for those otherwise unable to attend. \nTo attend\, register by Tuesday\, August 25th at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CongregationalLibrary/26SummerWorkshops.html. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the workshop. \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org. \n  \nSPEAKER BIOS \nZachary Bodnar graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University\, with a concentration in archives management\, in 2018. Prior to his work at the CLA\, Zachary worked at the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden archive\, the Vassar College Special Collections\, the Harvard Law School Library\, and the Harvard Botany Libraries. Zachary joined the CLA as an Archives Assistant in 2017\, helping to prepare materials for digitization through the New England’s Hidden Histories program. In 2018\, he took on the title of Archivist. His professional interests include metadata collection and management\, digital archiving\, audio/visual preservation\, and archives management. \nBilly McCarthy graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. He started working at the CLA through a graduate internship and was hired full-time as an Archivist in 2018. Billy is the Head of Reader Services\, helping the CLA’s visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research. Billy also serves as the collection manager for the archives\, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access\, collection management\, processing of complex materials\, and facilitating research.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/archives-edit-26
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:CSI
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ArchivesEdit26Carousel400.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260918T130000
DTSTAMP:20260911T163129Z
CREATED:20260330T090254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T163129Z
UID:14588-1789732800-1789736400@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Boston’s Religious Landscape - A Celebration of the Churches of Boston
DESCRIPTION:Join CLA Archivists Billy McCarthy and Zachary Bodnar at 14 Beacon for a tour exploring records from five centuries of Boston’s churches. \nCelebrate the anniversary of Boston’s founding by exploring the many historic churches that have made Boston unique. This tour will feature records\, images\, postcards\, pew plans\, a 1669 land deed\, and scrapbooks from both famous churches\, such as Park Street Church and Old South Church\, to lesser-known churches\, such as Salem and Mariners’ Church and Berkeley Temple Congregational Church. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Billy and Zachary\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/bostons-religious-landscape
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:BHCA Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/MAILCHIMP-WEBSITE-Newsletter-Events-1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260924T140000
DTSTAMP:20260914T171217Z
CREATED:20260911T210447Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T171217Z
UID:15749-1790254800-1790258400@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Writing Your Church’s History – A Virtual Roundtable Discussion
DESCRIPTION:Telling the story of a local church – how it came to be and how it has grown and changed over time – is a worthwhile project. Church histories provide opportunities to record memories\, gather important facts\, and to discover where the church has come from and where it is headed. Whether your church is forty years old or four hundred\, its story deserves to be told!  \nEvery church has a history\, but that does not mean there is only one way to write the history of a church. This roundtable discussion features authors of recent church histories to share their experiences – and offer some sage advice – on how they wrote about topics as varied as the church’s different structures\, its stained glass windows\, and its history of enslavement. They will reflect on what inspired them to write the book\, how they did the research\, and where they decided to published the history  \nJoin us for this program to be inspired to write your own church’s history\, or just to hear some great ways Congregational churches are celebrating their community histories.  \n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeakers \nValerie Velazquez de Louzonis\, is a native of Brooklyn and a lifelong member of Plymouth Church. She possesses degrees in the arts\, fashion design\, and art history\, and holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership in the Arts. Her professional life includes work in fashion design/merchandising\, arts education\, and arts administration for the NYC Department of Education.   \nA childhood fascination with the unusual historical subjects of Plymouth’s sanctuary windows led to years of research resulting in the writing of Facets of Freedom. In this\, her first publication\, she combines her interest in art history with the compelling story of one of the most famous churches in the annals of American History. Valerie and her husband Joseph Louzonis\, a classicist and retired college dean\, live in Brooklyn Heights\, New York.   \nRev. Peter Laarman joined the First Unitarian Church of Providence following ten years as executive director of Progressive Christians Uniting in Southern California. He served previously as senior minister of New York’s Judson Memorial Church. In 2022 Peter began investigating the Providence congregation’s many links to slavery in New England\, the Caribbean\, and the Deep South. A 2025 book about this history–“A Church in a Triangle”–will be followed this year by a graphic novel for use in R.I. schools and colleges. With support from the RI 250 Commission\, “Sugar Rush: The Caribbean Roots of Rhode Island’s Rebellion” will be printed in English and Spanish.   \nWill Vaus was born in Sleepy Hollow\, NY and grew up in La Jolla\, CA. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in drama from the University of California at San Diego and a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Will is the author of 18 books including Mere Theology: A Guide to the Thought of C. S. Lewis. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of The First Congregational Church of Yarmouth. Will and his wife\, Becky\, have three grown sons: James\, Jonathan and Joshua. They live on Cape Cod. 
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/writing-your-churchs-history
LOCATION:Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T140000
DTSTAMP:20260925T120527Z
CREATED:20260911T211444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T120527Z
UID:15757-1790859600-1790863200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:The Palace of the Thundering Gods – Synthesizing Colonial American Religious History: A Virtual Round Table
DESCRIPTION:The Palace of Thundering Gods is a freely accessible\, open-source resource that tells the history of Religion in the United States. It has been created through the collaboration of over 100 scholars to create what they hope will be an “accessible yet rigorous history” of religion in the United States.  \nJoin us to hear from the scholars working on the Colonial American religious history segments of the new resource in this virtual roundtable.   \nTo reckon with the American past\, it is necessarily to reckon with the history of American religion. But American religion has never been singular. Far from static or stable\, it exists in a state of unending transformation\, perpetually being made and remade across the centuries. Nor is it monolithic.  \n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.    \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeakers \nAll speaker information forthcoming. \nMichael Baysa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at the University of Vermont. His research focuses on the history of religious publishing and the printing press in early America. His current book manuscript\, Sacred Voices\, Printed Silences: The Struggle Against Protestant Dominance in Early American Publishing (NYU Press\, 2027)\, explores the publishing difficulties faced by racialized and heterodox writers across early British North America. His second book project will be a biography of eighteenth-century Boston minister Charles Chauncy.  \nSaffron Hooper Sener (she/her) is a feminist scholar of early modern North American environmental history. A Ph.D. Candidate in History at Harvard University\, she focuses on histories of gender\, sexuality\, and medicine as they intersect with the unique ecologies of the American West. Sener is a graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in History and the History of Art; driven by intertwined scholarly and artistic practices\, her research engages visual and material cultures both as subject matter and methodology. \nKaty Telling is the John Carter Brown Library 2026 Postdoc Program Coordinator in Providence\, Rhode Island. She is an historian of gender\, religion\, and power in early America\, with an emphasis on the history of early American Quakers. Her dissertation examined Quaker meetings’ interventions in private households and familial life in the early South and she is currently working on a larger project interrogating the intersections of gender\, militarism\, and religiously-motivated antiwar pacifism in early American life. Telling is also the Productions Editor for Commonplace Journal. She edited Chapter 2: Colonial Foundations (1650-1720) for The Palace of Thundering Gods.  \nAnthony Trujillo is Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at Harvard University from Ohkay Owingeh\, one of the five Tewa speaking pueblos on the upper Rio Grande. His work sits at the intersection of Native American and Indigenous Studies\, early American history\, literary studies and religion and investigates the multiple modalities through which Indigenous peoples and nations engender dynamic spaces of meaning\, connection and power in colonial contexts. 
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/the-palace-of-the-thundering-gods
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Book Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T140000
DTSTAMP:20260925T144529Z
CREATED:20260911T213042Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T144529Z
UID:15759-1791378000-1791381600@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:New Resources for Understanding King Philip’s War / Metacom’s Resistance - A Virtual Conversation
DESCRIPTION:To mark the 350th anniversary of King Philip’s War\, local institutions have created online resources for audiences to explore the meaning and legacy of this conflict. Join us for a virtual program that brings together scholars from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)\, the Massachusetts Historical Society\, and the Congregational Library & Archives to talk about newly released resources to make accessible the documents they hold and provide new ways into understanding the past.   \nThese resources includes a new history source set on The War for the Dawnland: Reimagining King Philip’s War\, hosted by the Massachusetts Historical Society. MHS Education staff and Aquinnah Wampanoag educator Brad Lopes examine primary sources to help students and teachers understand the causes and consequences of the war for Indigenous people in the Dawnland (New England) region.   \nThe Congregational Library & Archives has created an online resource guide to its collections and digital archive. The resource guide includes digitized collections of church records\, histories of the war written from the perspective of the colonizers\, sermons and speeches given during and on anniversaries of the war\, and other documents related to King Phillip’s War/Metacom’s Resistance.  \nLearn more about what went into the creation of these resources and how you can use them for education and research.  \n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required. Click the link to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeakers \nBrad Lopes is an enrolled Aquinnah Wampanoag citizen with a background in Secondary Education and Psychology. He serves as the Education Director for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)\, where he oversees the various programs/services that are available\, as well as the long-term vision for the department. In his part-time role\, he conducts public programs\, school visits\, and outreach efforts for the Aquinnah Cultural Center as the Education and Public Programs Manager. Outside of these roles\, Brad also serves as a board member for the Indigenous Resource Collaborative and Whale and Dolphin Conservation\, Inc. \nDr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA\, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities\, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials\, early New England\, and public history\, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. Her scholarship focuses on early New England\, particularly the history of magic and witchcraft\, and her work on these subjects has appeared in journals\, books\, blogs\, and on radio and television. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science.  \nHeather Wilson is the Assistant Director for K-12 Learning at the Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS)\, where she hosts student visits\, leads teacher PD sessions\, and works alongside scholars and educators to develop primary sources sets for History Source\, the MHS K-12 resource portal. With experience as a classroom teacher and curriculum developer\, she supports teachers and students as they work with primary sources to uncover and contextualize the diverse perspectives of the many people who have shaped Massachusetts over time. She has an MA in Archives and Public History from NYU.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/new-resources-for-king-philips-war
LOCATION:Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WEBSITE-Events-3.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261009T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261009T130000
DTSTAMP:20260914T171529Z
CREATED:20260911T213433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T171529Z
UID:15761-1791547200-1791550800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Mysteries on the Shelves\, Absences in the Catalog: The Print Inventory Project
DESCRIPTION:This event is free and open to all\, but registration is required by Tuesday\, October 6\, at noon.   \nTo attend IN-PERSON\, register via Eventbrite. \nTo attend VIRTUALLY\, register via Zoom. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the event.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nThe Congregational Library & Archives’ print inventory project is finally complete! Begun in 2016 and the focus of intensive work from January 2025 to August 2026\, this project has involved researching nearly 150\,000 printed books\, sermons\, and pamphlets collected over the CLA’s nearly 175-year-old history.  \nIn this hybrid lunch and learn program\, Collection Accessibility Project Specialist Téa Belog and Librarian Meaghan Wright will talk about the background\, progress\, and next steps for the library following the inventory. They will share insights and lessons learned from this major undertaking.  \nJoin us in person or on Zoom to learn more about how this massive undertaking to review the entire the print collection will align the catalog with what is on the shelves to increase findability.  Learn how it will also inform the creation of a cataloguing plan to address the backlog of uncatalogued material. For those who have been watching the progress of this project for the past decade\, this program is for you!   \n  \nSpeakers \nMeaghan Wright joined the CLA as the Librarian in Fall 2023. She is interested in expanding access to the collection through improved description\, data tracking\, and outreach. Her favorite types of collections are rare books\, cookbooks\, and anything with pretty illustrations. Before coming to the CLA\, Meaghan worked as a reference librarian at the Phillips Library of the Peabody Essex Museum for over six years.  \n  \nTéa Belog is an MLIS student at Simmons University. Her love of history\, books\, and organization coalesces into her current project at the Congregational Library & Archives as she tackles years of uncatalogued books. 
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/the-print-inventory-project
LOCATION:Hybrid
CATEGORIES:Lunch & Learn
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WEBSITE-Events.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T140000
DTSTAMP:20260914T195229Z
CREATED:20260911T215124Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T195229Z
UID:15763-1791896400-1791900000@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Spirits in the Stacks: A Ghostly Tour at the Congregational Library & Archives - Virtual
DESCRIPTION:The CLA’s popular Halloween tour returns\, this time with even more spooky tales! Join us for chilling tales of the macabre. NEHH Project Director Dr. Tricia Peone will guide you through the haunted history of the Congregational Library & Archives.   \nHear ghost stories drawn from the 400-year history of Congregationalism\, and learn why the CLA has collected occult literature. View rare books and manuscripts from the CLA’s collections\, including seventeenth-century books on ghosts and witchcraft\, nineteenth-century pamphlets on vampires and seances\, and twentieth-century haunted house sermons.   \nThis interactive tour will begin with a discussion of puritan belief in ghosts and the invisible world\, including works by Boston ministers Increase and Cotton Mather that continue to shape the way people understand these topics. Dr. Peone will explore the legacy of New England’s supernatural landscape and how this history continues to affect us today.   \n  \nTickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members\, and registration is limited to a small group.  \nTo attend\, register by Sunday\, October 11. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeaker   \nDr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA\, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities\, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials\, early New England\, and public history\, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. Her scholarship focuses on early New England\, particularly the history of magic and witchcraft\, and her work on these subjects has appeared in journals\, books\, blogs\, and on radio and television. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science. 
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/spirits-in-the-stacks-2026-virtual
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/6.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T190000
DTSTAMP:20260917T000519Z
CREATED:20260911T215337Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T000519Z
UID:15767-1792085400-1792090800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Spirits in the Stacks: A Ghostly Tour at the Congregational Library & Archives – In-Person
DESCRIPTION:The CLA’s popular Halloween tour returns\, this time with even more spooky tales! Join us for chilling tales of the macabre. NEHH Project Director Dr. Tricia Peone will guide you through the haunted history of the Congregational Library & Archives.   \nHear ghost stories drawn from the 400-year history of Congregationalism\, and learn why the CLA has collected occult literature. View rare books and manuscripts from the CLA’s collections\, including seventeenth-century books on ghosts and witchcraft\, nineteenth-century pamphlets on vampires and seances\, and twentieth-century haunted house sermons.   \nThis interactive tour will begin with a discussion of puritan belief in ghosts and the invisible world\, including works by Boston ministers Increase and Cotton Mather that continue to shape the way people understand these topics. Dr. Peone will explore the legacy of New England’s supernatural landscape and how this history continues to affect us today.   \n  \nTickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members\, and registration is limited to a small group.  \nTo attend\, register by Tuesday\, October 13th. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar closer to the event date.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeaker   \nDr. Tricia Peone joined the CLA in 2022 as the Project Director for New England’s Hidden Histories. Prior to joining the CLA\, she was a research scholar at Historic New England for the Recovering New England’s Voices project. She has also previously worked as the public programs director at New Hampshire Humanities\, a university lecturer teaching classes on the Salem witch trials\, early New England\, and public history\, and as a researcher for cultural heritage organizations. Her scholarship focuses on early New England\, particularly the history of magic and witchcraft\, and her work on these subjects has appeared in journals\, books\, blogs\, and on radio and television. She holds a PhD in history from the University of New Hampshire with a specialization in the early modern Atlantic world and history of science. 
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/spirits-in-the-stacks-2026-in-person
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261021T140000
DTSTAMP:20260914T171956Z
CREATED:20260914T153450Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260914T171956Z
UID:15776-1792587600-1792591200@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY: Digitizing Records: A CSI Exploration on the How’s and Whys of Digitization
DESCRIPTION:If you have ever looked at a disorderly pile of papers and thought\, “this would be easier to deal with if these were all digital” you are not alone. Digitization has been a buzz word for at least two decades. While easy to name\, digitization itself is a complex topic that meets at the intersection of technology\, preservation\, access\, and the humanities. Understanding these intersections is necessary to plan and enact a successful digitization project.   \nJoin archivists Zachary Bodnar and Billy McCarthy on this exploration of Digitization with an eye towards the technology and planning required to move forward with digitization projects as well as an exploration on why institutions might take on the challenges of digitization as well as the long-term pros and cons of holding digitized records within a church archive.   \n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required.  Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.  \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeakers:   \nZachary Bodnar graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science from Simmons University\, with a concentration in archives management\, in 2018. Prior to his work at the CLA\, Zachary worked at the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Garden archive\, the Vassar College Special Collections\, the Harvard Law School Library\, and the Harvard Botany Libraries. Zachary joined the CLA as an Archives Assistant in 2017\, helping to prepare materials for digitization through the New England’s Hidden Histories program. In 2018\, he took on the title of Archivist. His professional interests include metadata collection and management\, digital archiving\, audio/visual preservation\, and archives management.   \nBilly McCarthy graduated with a Masters of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at Simmons University with a concentration in Archival Management. He started working at the CLA through a graduate internship and was hired full-time as an Archivist in 2018. Billy is the Head of Reader Services\, helping the CLA’s visitors with reference requests and facilitating in-person research. Billy also serves as the collection manager for the archives\, working with CLA’s offsite vendor to protect and maintain the organization’s archival records. Some of his professional interests include increasing access\, collection management\, processing of complex materials\, and facilitating research.  
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/digitizing-records
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Archives,CSI
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WEBSITE-Events-1.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261023T130000
DTSTAMP:20260923T130455Z
CREATED:20260330T090930Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T130455Z
UID:14591-1792756800-1792760400@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Early New England Witchcraft Collections Tour
DESCRIPTION:Join Dr. Tricia Peone\, New England’s Hidden Histories Project Director\, at 14 Beacon for a tour exploring puritan beliefs about witchcraft. \nGet into the spooky season mood by viewing rare books and manuscripts from the Congregational Library & Archives’ collections\, including seventeenth-century works on ghosts and witchcraft\, books connected to the Salem witch trials\, sermons about witchcraft\, and Cotton Mather’s diary. The tour will also consider why this subject continues to fascinate us today. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Tricia Peone\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/early-new-england-witchcraft-collections-tour
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Congregational Story,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Witchcraft-in-Early-New-England-copy.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261107T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261107T170000
DTSTAMP:20260925T173838Z
CREATED:20260925T170937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T173838Z
UID:15850-1794040200-1794070800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Puritans in the 21st Century: Politics\, Myths\, and the Future: A Symposium in Honor of Francis J. Bremer
DESCRIPTION:This is a hybrid symposium hosted by American Ancestors at 97 Newbury Street\, Boston\, MA. Register here. \nPresented in partnership with: The Colonial Society of Massachusetts\, Congregational Library and Archives\, First Church of Boston\, Massachusetts Historical Society\, and Partnership of Historic Bostons. \nPuritans in the 21st Century\, a day-long symposium on Saturday\, November 7\, 2026\, hosted by six of New England’s leading historical institutions\, makes the case for 17th century Puritans. Do they still matter today? A stellar collection of Puritan and other scholars argues they do—that now\, in the 21st century\, understanding the Puritans and their legacy is more important than ever. \nHeld in honor of the historian Francis J. Bremer and open to public\, this symposium asks what 17th-century Puritan history in England and New England tells us about today’s politics and our understanding of religion and society. From Christian nationalism and the politics of slavery\, from the 17th-century toleration debate to pushing Puritan boundaries\, Puritans in the 21st Century brings together insights and new research of award-winning academics and public historians. This is the first major gathering of Puritan scholars in more than two decades at a time when early American studies are changing dramatically. Together they ask: What is the future of Puritan studies? Why and how are Puritans important today? \nSee the full symposium schedule here. \n  \nSpeakers \nFrancis J. Bremer is professor emeritus at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. He has held visiting positions at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England and Trinity College in Dublin\, Ireland. He is an elected member of the Massachusetts Historical Society\, the Colonial Society of Massachusetts\, and the American Antiquarian Society and served on the board of the Congregational Library & Archives. He is the author or editor of over 20 books and numerous articles dealing with the Puritans in the 17th century Atlantic world\, including John Winthrop: America’s Forgotten Founding Father; Puritanism: A Short Introduction; Building a New Jerusalem: John Davenport\, a Puritan in Three Worlds; Lay Empowerment and the Development of Puritanism; and One Small Candle: The Story of the Plymouth Puritans and the Beginning of English New England. \nLori Rogers-Stokes is an independent scholar\, public historian\, and contributing editor for New England’s Hidden Histories\, a digital history project on colonial-era Congregational church records. She is the author of two books on the Puritans: Records of Trial from Thomas Shepard’s Church in Cambridge\, 1638-49: Heroic Souls (2020)\, and Gathered into a Church: Indigenous-English Congregationalism in Woodland New England (2025). Lori studies the history of Woodland New England\, when Indigenous and English people took actions that continue to shape our lives today. \nDaniel K. Richter is the Roy F. and Jeannette P. Nichols Professor of American History Emeritus and Director Emeritus of the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a contributor to the Oxford Handbook of Puritanism (2005) and the author of Native Americans and Pennsylvania (revised and expanded edition\, 2026); Trade\, Land\, Power: The Struggle for Eastern North America (2013); Before the Revolution: America’s Ancient Pasts (2011); Facing East from Indian Country: A Native History of Early America (2001); and The Ordeal of the Longhouse: The Peoples of the Iroquois League in the Era of European Colonization (1992). \nAdrian Chastain Weimer is Professor of History at Providence College. She recently published a co-edited volume with David Hall\, The Writings of Daniel Gookin and Allied Documents (2026). Her latest monograph\, A Constitutional Culture: New England and the Struggle Against Arbitrary Rule in the Restoration Empire\, was awarded the Winthrop Prize. A 2025 Longterm Fellowship at the John Carter Brown Library allowed her to launch a new project on Anglo-Indigenous diplomacy between the Mohawk and Kennebec Rivers\, 1650-1690. \nJohn Coffey taught for 25 years at the University of Leicester in the UK. As of August 2026\, he takes up a post at the University of Texas at Austin. He works on religion\, politics\, and ideas in the Protestant Atlantic world between 1600 and 1850. Coffey is the author of four monographs: intellectual biographies of the Scottish Covenanter Samuel Rutherford and the English Puritan John Goodwin; Persecution and Toleration in Protestant England\, 1558-1689; and Exodus and Liberation: Deliverance Politics from John Calvin to Martin Luther King Jr. He has edited or co-edited other works\, including The Cambridge Companion to Puritanism\, The Oxford History of Protestant Dissenting Traditions: The Post-Reformation\, and Seeing Things Their Way: Intellectual History and the Return of Religion. He was part of the editorial team that produced the prize-winning five-volume edition of Richard Baxter’s Reliquiae Baxterianae\, and is currently leading a team working on another Oxford University Press edition\, the million-word Diaries and Journals of William Wilberforce (in preparation). \nAbram Van Engen is Stanley Elkin Professor in the Humanities and Director of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of Sympathetic Puritans (2015) and City on a Hill: A History of American Exceptionalism (2020)\, which won the Peter J. Gomes Memorial Book Award and the Pelikan Award. He has also co-edited A History of American Puritan Literature (2020). His most recent book is Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church (2024)\, which was named the best book of 2024 in culture\, poetry\, and the arts from Christianity Today. His research and writing have appeared in multiple magazines and journals\, and his work teaching poetry has expanded into an award-winning podcast called Poetry For All. \nAfter earning his PhD in American Studies at Yale\, David D. Hall taught there until 1970\, when he moved to Boston University to serve as the initial chair of a new doctoral program\, American and New England Studies. In 1989\, he moved to Harvard Divinity School. The religious history of early modern Britain and New England have been central to his work\, although he also became engaged in the emerging field of book history that led to the founding of a center for book history at the American Antiquarian Society and a five-volume history of the book in America\, of which he was general editor. David Hall is author of the groundbreaking books Worlds of Wonder\, Days of Judgment: Popular Religious Beliefs in Early New England (1989); A Reforming People: Puritanism and the Transformation of Public Life in New England (2012); and the magisterial The Puritans: A Transatlantic History (2019). \nHolly Brewer is Burke Professor of American History and Associate Professor at the University of Maryland. She is a specialist in the early British empire in the Americas as well as early modern debates about justice. Her first book traced the origin and impact of “democratical” ideas across the empire by examining debates about consent in theory and legal practice. By Birth or Consent: Children\, Law\, and the Anglo-American Revolution in Authority (2005) won three prizes. Her upcoming book\, The Kings’ Slaves: The British Empire and the Origins of American Slavery (2027) is based on 20 years of research about the connections between religious and ideological debates over power and their impact on legal practice in the 17th and 18th centuries. A winner of multiple awards\, Holly Brewer is also a writer of amicus briefs for the Supreme Court and the project director and lead editor of the website slaverylawpower.org. \nNeal Dugre is Associate Professor of Early American History and Chair of the Department of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. His current book project\, titled Confederate New England: The Political Anatomy of an Early American Region\, explores the relationship between confederal politics and Puritan colonialism in the 17th century northeast. Fellowships from the American Historical Association\, Massachusetts Historical Society\, New Netherland Institute\, and other organizations have facilitated this research. Neal’s 2018 New England Quarterly article\, “Repairing the Breach: Puritan Expansion\, Commonwealth Formation\, and the Origins of the United Colonies of New England\, 1630–1643\,” received the Walter Muir Whitehill Prize in Early American History. \nMeredith Neuman teaches and researches in the fields of early American literature and book history. Her research centers around archival print and manuscript sources—ranging from notebooks kept by Puritans when they were listening to sermons\, to amateur manuscript poetry\, to readers’ marks in print books\, to the history and context of the Mather family’s vast personal library. She is associate professor in the English department at Clark University\, where she holds hands-on workshops with materials at the American Antiquarian Society; campus special collections are a common feature of her seminars. Her first book\, Jeremiah’s Scribes: Creating Sermon Literature in Puritan New England (2013)\, explores the world of sermon notetaking\, shifting attention from pulpit to pew\, demonstrating how sermon auditors helped shape this dominant genre of Puritan literature. In her current book project\, she endeavors to get to the bottom of that persistent question\, “What’s the Matter with Early American Poetry?”
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/puritans-in-the-21st-century
LOCATION:Hybrid
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T140000
DTSTAMP:20260923T203517Z
CREATED:20260923T203236Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260923T203517Z
UID:15843-1794488400-1794492000@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Two Ships: Jamestown 1619\, Plymouth 1620\, and the Struggle for the Soul of America – A Virtual Book Talk
DESCRIPTION:Join David Reynolds as he discusses his new book Two Ships: Jamestown 1619\, Plymouth 1620\, and the Struggle for the Soul of America (Penguin Press\, 2026)\, a revelatory history of American division through the prism of two ships once widely used as symbols in the war of ideas between North and South—a struggle whose echoes remain with us today.  \nIn the polarized decades leading up to the Civil War\, many argued that America’s strife could be traced to the arrival of two ships: The White Lion\, which brought the first enslaved Africans to Jamestown in 1619\, and the Mayflower\, which brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620. As David S. Reynolds shows\, these ships stood for two distinct realities: Virginia’s royalist Cavaliers\, steeped in divine right and rigid patriarchal hierarchies\, and Plymouth’s dissenting Puritans\, who carried the seeds of a more egalitarian political vision.  \nThe two ships became powerful symbols in the fight over slavery and whether social hierarchy was the natural order of things. But as America descended into the long night of Jim Crow\, the metaphor went to sleep as well\, and the Mayflower and Thanksgiving became mainstream\, apolitical ideas. By dredging up these dueling images\, Reynolds challenges us\, as Frederick Douglass once did\, to confront America’s long struggle for true equality and find hope that we are up to the task.  \n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.    \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeaker \nSpeaker information forthcoming.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/two-ships-book-talk
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Book Talks
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261120T130000
DTSTAMP:20260410T111435Z
CREATED:20260410T111435Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T111435Z
UID:14688-1795176000-1795179600@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Children's Literature Collections Tour at the CLA
DESCRIPTION:Join Dr. Kyle Roberts at 14 Beacon for a tour exploring 250 years of Congregational literature written and published for children. \nThe literature Congregational publishing companies and churches have produced specifically for children has changed dramatically over the centuries\, reflecting changing ideas about childhood and what constitutes appropriate topics for their learning and reading pleasure. This tour will explore the surprisingly rich children’s literature collection at the Congregational Library & Archives\, many originally published at 14 Beacon. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Kyle Roberts\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/childrens-literature-collections-tour
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:CLA History,Congregational Story,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Nov26Carousel400.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261202T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261202T140000
DTSTAMP:20260925T133159Z
CREATED:20260923T152458Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260925T133159Z
UID:15839-1796216400-1796220000@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:New Englanders in a New Land: Newark in the Proprietary Period\, 1666-1702 – A Virtual Book Talk
DESCRIPTION:Join Timothy J. Crist as he discusses his new book\, New Englanders in a New Land: Newark in the Proprietary Period\, 1666–1702 (Rutgers\, 2026)\, which explores the founding and evolution of Newark as a self-contained Puritan community.\n\nNew England Puritans from the former New Haven Colony settled Newark in 1666. Guided by John Davenport’s “Discourse about Civil Government in a New Plantation Whose Design is Religion” (1663)\, they aimed to implement “the Kingdom of Christ in the Congregational Way.” Their fierce determination to establish scripture-based government in a close-knit township and only admit settlers who promised to maintain “the purity of Religion professed in the Congregational Churches” often put them in direct conflict with New Jersey’s proprietary government. In addition\, their egalitarian approach to allocating land diverged sharply from the proprietors’ headright system\, adapted from the West Indies and Carolina\, that rewarded the use of indentured servants and enslaved labor with larger distributions of land.\n\nThis study provides a fresh interpretation of the founding and settlement of Newark as a self-contained New England community\, including negotiations with Native Americans\, formation of godly self-government\, gradual allocation of township land\, and introduction of slavery. To establish their New England way\, Newarkers resisted the proprietary government to the point of rebellion\, bringing into stark relief the inherent conflict between two sources of authority\, one scriptural and community-based and the other royal and proprietary.\n  \nThis event is free and open to all\, but registration is required. Click here to register. \nAfter registering\, you will receive an email with information about attending the webinar.    \nEmail any questions to programs@14beacon.org.  \n  \nSpeaker \nTimothy J. Crist is a co-founder and president of the Newark History Society. After earning his BA from Yale University and his PhD in history from University of Cambridge\, he headed a bibliographical research project at Yale and then held executive positions at Prudential Financial. Tim has also served as chair of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and president of the Newark Public Library. In addition\, he has been a volunteer transcriber for CLA’s New England Hidden Histories project for the last decade.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/new-englanders-in-a-new-land-newark-in-the-proprietary-period-1666-1702-a-virtual-book-talk
LOCATION:Virtual
CATEGORIES:Book Talks
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/New-Englanders.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261218T130000
DTSTAMP:20260330T091457Z
CREATED:20260330T091457Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T091457Z
UID:14594-1797595200-1797598800@congregationallibrary.org
SUMMARY:Illustrated Bibles Collections Tour
DESCRIPTION:Join CLA Librarian Meaghan Wright at 14 Beacon for a tour of illustrated Bibles in the Congregational Library & Archives’ collection. \nThe Christian Bible is the best-selling book of all time (it even holds a Guiness World Record!)\, so it is no surprise that Bibles have been illustrated in many different ways over the centuries. This tour will feature a selection of illustrated Bibles to explore changing perceptions of visual art and religion\, artistic style\, and illustrative processes. \nHeld in the CLA’s historic reading room at 14 Beacon Street\, these monthly collection tours connect residents of Beacon Hill and the greater Boston region with original\, rarely seen materials in the CLA’s collections. \nThis event will run from 12 to 1 pm and will begin with a short talk by Meaghan Wright\, followed by plenty of time for browsing items from our collections and asking questions. \nThanks to the generosity of the Beacon Hill Civic Association\, these programs are offered completely free of charge to the public. Reservations via Eventbrite are appreciated but not required.
URL:https://congregationallibrary.org/events/illustrated-bibles-collections-tour
LOCATION:Congregational Library & Archives\, 14 Beacon Street\, Boston\, MA\, 02108\, United States
CATEGORIES:Congregationalists and the Arts,Tour
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://congregationallibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dec26Carousel400.png
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END:VCALENDAR