OCTOBER 23-24 | BOSTON, MA
Join Malcolm Guite and friends for an autumn weekend of poetry, song, and cheer!
The Poet Priest
Malcolm Guite is a celebrated English poet, priest, musician, and storyteller of epic proportions. His body of work serves a personal calling to kindle the imagination for Christ and invite others into the wondrous journey with him.
He has sown this mission into many books exploring religion and the arts, poetry collections, and writings about our favorite British authors. It is Malcolm’s joy to see the life of his words lifted from the page and explored all the more in honest conversation with people the world over.
As Malcolm moves from a focus on imaginative apologetics to primarily writing and reading poetry, he is organizing a celebration of his work. This gathering will invite you to move with him beyond theory and toward practice, beyond simply recognizing beauty and toward creating it.
Together with HopeWords, Malcolm invites you into this pivotal career movement through a deep dive of the Christian imagination and onward toward the implications thereof.
Lifting the Veil
Malcolm is a long-time friend of HopeWords, having spoken at HopeWords Writers’ Conference in Bluefield, WV, and at our Painters, Prophets, and Poets gathering in Oklahoma City, OK. The Lifting the Veil conference naturally came about through our friendship with him and our mutual understanding of the call of the Christian artist.
Malcolm’s book Lifting the Veil: Imagination and the Kingdom of God serves as the namesake of our gathering of song, artists, and cheer.
We begin with imagination as a truth-bearing faculty. It is a form of vision which ‘lifts the veil’ of familiarity, the veil of ‘disenchantment’ and mere materialism, and shows us the world as still enchanted, still alive with God’s presence and blessing.
Through intimate conversation with Malcolm and some of his best friends and local artists, your imagination will be kindled for Christ, who is himself, the kindling imagination of God, who brings all things into being.
Your Invitation
You, dear friend, are especially invited to join us for this gathering in the historic Converse Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.
Celebrate Malcolm’s life’s work as an artist and delve with him into the theological underpinnings of the calling to create.
Then join in the culmination of this understanding as singers, poets, artists, and friends showcase the embodiment of our creative work with Christ.
Join Dr. Malcolm Guite & Friends
Dr. Martin Shaw
Steve Bell
Stephen Crotts
Anna A. Friedrich
Bruce Herman
Pete Peterson
Joshua Luke Smith
& more
With Boston Musicians
davy
Kendall Ramseur
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Dr. Martin Shaw | author, mythologist
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Anna A. Friedrich | author, poet
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Bruce Herman | painter, author, speaker
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Pete Peterson | author, playwright, editor, publisher
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Dr. Malcolm Guite | poet, priest
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Steve Bell | singer, songwriter
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Stephen Crotts | illustrator, printmaker
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Daniel & Megan Tavani | davy
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Kendall Ramseur | cellist, composer
Don’t Miss This Moment
Join us for a gathering filled with poetry, music, painting, storytelling, conversation, books, and surprises in one of Boston’s most storied churches.
LOCATION
Tremont Temple: 88 Tremont Street, Boston
LOCAL EXPERIENCES
Optional local tours available Thursday and Friday (see below for details and registration)
FRIDAY, Oct 23 | 5-10pm
Pre-Conference
Doors open at 5pm for arrival and settling in
Nooks bookstore will be open and Malcolm will be available to meet guests
Live music with davy, a Boston indie-folk duo
Theological Vision (7pm)
Lifting the Veil Keynote - Malcolm Guite makes the case for imagination as a truth-bearing faculty
The Bell and the Bard - Concert with dear friends Steve Bell and Malcolm Guite
SATURDAY, Oct 24 | 8am-5pm
Creative Embodiment
Ancient Literature in our Digital Age - Malcolm Guite guides an Inkwell Panel featuring Conor Sweetman, Elizabeth Sanders, and Josh Nadeau
Poets in the Round - a conversation with Malcolm Guite, Anna A. Friedrich and Joshua Luke Smith
Ordinary Saints - Malcolm Guite and artist Bruce Herman discuss their extraordinary collaborative project
Poet as Priest - Malcolm Guite is joined by Aaron Hanbury and the Common Good Magazine team
Break for lunch and cheer (12-2pm)
Printmaking pop-up demo with Stephen Crotts
Explore Boston eateries with new friends
Shop with Nooks and meet Malcolm
Live music by Kendall Ramseur, award-winning cellist
Imaginative Culmination
Film screening of Merlin’s Isle: The Tale This Land Still Keeps
The Coming of Arthur - Malcolm Guite is joined by Stephen Crotts, Pete Peterson, and Martin Shaw to discuss Arthurian tales and art
A special reading from the forthcoming The Coming of Arthur
Gawain Tales - hear two tales presented by the author called “the greatest living storyteller” (by Iain McGilchrist)
Benediction
Malcolm sends us forth
SUNDAY, Oct 25
These local churches have invited us to join them for worship
Pre-Conference Tour Options
Piano Factory Tour
Thursday, October 22 at 10am
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of the historic Mason & Hamlin factory in Haverhill. We’ll walk through the six-story factory—one of the last two piano factories in the United States—and see artisans building pianos by hand using techniques passed down for generations. The tour concludes in the showroom, where you’ll have the opportunity to play the finished instruments yourself.
Spiritual History Tour
Friday, October 23 | 8am, 11am, or 2pm
This two hour walking tour follows significant portions of the historic Freedom Trail in downtown Boston, highlighting the spiritual history of the city from its founding in 1630 to present day. From stories about Boston’s settling and founding, spiritual awakenings, role in revolution and independence, abolition, immigration, and so much more, participants will experience Boston’s spiritual heritage within the context of the city’s historic cultural landmarks.
In Partnership With
Frequently Asked Questions
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View his writing at his website here and listen to his cozy readings on YouTube.
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Because of the nature and intent of this gathering, there will not be an online registration option or video footage to watch later.
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This is a conference, but it’s not one with formal networking time or breakout sessions. We will all be together for the same purpose of honoring Christ with our imaginations and celebrating the faithful work of Malcolm Guite. We encourage you to meet new people and make connections as you go about the event. It’s an open invitation to talk to each other, and you will be all the more enriched for it!
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Make room in your suitcase because Nook Books are bringing us piles of beautiful titles hand-selected by Malcolm.
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We do not currently have codes available to us, but will update here and via email if we are able to arrange discount blocks. If you choose to lodge outside of downtown, Boston is a commuter-friendly city and our meeting location is right by the Park Street stop.
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We do not have a designated parking lot for our guests, so you will want to plan ahead if you are driving in. There are several parking garages within a few blocks walk. We also recommend utilizing Boston's transit options. You can take the subway, called the "T", to the Park Street or Government Center stations.
We will send our Info Guide in advance of the event to help guests confidently navigate parking, food, and tours.
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Meals are not included in your ticket. Ample time is provided in the schedule for guests to share meals together locally in historic Boston. We always encourage our guests to organically connect and make room for more in their dining time. We hope you will feel welcome in breaking bread together.
Don’t see your question here?
Send us a note and we will be happy to help!