Book Events
Contact me to schedule:
- a reading Big Topics style—along with excerpts from Big Topics at Midnight, we'll have lively and creative exploration into the ways those topics are active for all who attend
- a visit from me to your book club or gathering of friends for a more intimate exploration and discussion of the big topics
- something else? Many doorways open into the Big Topics—I'm interested in exploring your requests and ideas.
If you're looking for an idea, I invite you to scroll through the list of book events from the last few years. See if something strikes your fancy, and please be in touch. I'd love to hear from you.
Scheduled Events
September 24-27, 2015, Earthrise Retreat Center, Petaluma, CA
Be Present, Inc.'s National Conference on Race, Gender, Power & Class
Opening up the Big Topics, which often spark big emotions, requires powerful skills. Therefore, I've stepped away from Book Events for this past year and a half in order to deepen my use of the Be Present Empowerment Model, strengthening my ability to dive deeply into opening up Big Topic Conversations in the years to come.
This time involved participating on the leadership team for Be Present's Eighteen-month National Training Institute on Race, Gender, Power & Class, which will culminate in September's National Conference. Though this Conference is full, if you are interested in this training, please consider attending the National Leadership Convening and Training on Race, Gender, Power & Class in Atlanta, GA on November 12-15, 2015.
October 10, 2015, St. Michel and All Angels Episcopal Church, Portland, OR
Telling Stories of Extravagant Love: A Writing Workshop about our Lives and Faith
Saturday 9:30-3:30
Registration required by October 2
When Big Topics came to town: Reflections on Book Events
Past Events:
A Taste of the Possibilities...
August 30, 2012, Book Coming Out Party, Portland, OR
Friday evening, 7:00-9:30 pm
September 30, 2012, Harvest Time Gathering of a Circle of Woman, Menlo Park, CA
Sunday evening, 6:00-9:30 pm
November 9, 2012, Be Present Book Reading and Discussion, Atlanta, GA
Saturday Evening, 7:00-9:00 pm
January 13, 2013, Heart and Soul Center of Light, Oakland, CA
Holy Spirit Wake Up Call
Sunday afternoon, 2:00-4:00 pm
March 3, 2013, Busboys and Poets, Washington, DC
A.C.T.O.R. (A Continuing Talk On Race)
Sunday evening, 5:00-7:00 pm
March 5, 2013, Potter’s House, Washington, DC
Race Discussion Table
Tuesday, 12:20-2:00pm
March 7, 2013, Franktown United Methodist Church, Frankton,VA
Life is lived between ancestors and generations yet unborn. How is your spiritual journey impacted by a context that wide?
Wednesday night, 6:30-8:30 pm
March 11, 2013 Race Conversation Group, Eastern Shore, VA
Monday night, 6:00-9:30 pm
April, 14, 2013, Mercy Center, Burlingame, CA
Holy Spirit Wake-Up Call
Sunday afternoon, 2:00-4:00 pm
May 2, 2013, GLAMS (Gather with Laughter and Meaningful Sisterhood), Newport, OR
Saying “No” So You Can Say “Yes!”
Friday evening, 6:00-7:30 pm
May 4, 2013, Newport Visual Arts Center, Newport, OR
Listen to the Past, Find Your Way Forward
Saturday morning, 9:00 am-noon
June 13, 2013, Wonderworks, Toronto, Canada
How to Live Justly and Soulfully in A Deeply Divided World
Thursday evening, 6:30-8:30 pm
June 15, 2013, Hosted by Sheri Cohen, Toronto, Canada
Tikkum Olam: Heal our Lives, Heal the Earth
Registration required
Saturday evening, 5:30-10:00
June 21, 2013, Leitner Center Conference Room, Fordham Law School, New York City
Philanthropy and Social Justice
Friday evening, 5:30-7:30
June 23, 2013, First Church Unitarian of Littleton, MA near Boston, MA
How to Live Justly and Soulfully in A Deeply Divided World
Sunday afternoon, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
September 11, 2013, Portland, OR
Book Club discussion of Big Topics at Midnight, with short creative exploration following the reading.
September 25, 2013, Mckenzie River Gathering Foundation, Portland, OR
Standing in the Gap...Together: A Conversation about Race and Class
3727 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Portland OR, 6:30-9:00 pm
October 17, 2013, Presentation Prayer Center, Fargo ND
How to Live Justly and Soulfully in A Deeply Divided World
28th Annual Presentation Prayer Center Fund Raiser Luncheon
Thursday, 11:00-1:00
October 19, 2013, Presentation Prayer Center, Fargo ND
Holy Spirit Wake Up Call
Saturday morning, 10:00-noon, Registration required, (701) 237-4857
November 1, 2013, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church Art Show, Portland, OR
Trust Steadily in God: Forgiveness through Grace
1704 NE 43rd Avenue
Friday evening, 8:00 p.m.
November 7 and 8, 2013, Be Present, Inc., Atlanta, GA
Collective Leadership in Community Organizing and Public Policy
Cynthia Renfro and Nancy Thurston are Co-holders of these two days of Be Present, Inc. National Network Leadership Convening on Moving Forward in Action: Collective Leadership and Social Justice
The Phillip Rush Center, 1530 DeKalb Avenue, Suite A
Thursday and Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
February 8, 2014, Main Branch of the Klamath County Library, Klamath Falls, OR
Tackling Tough Conversations: How to Live Justly and Soulfully in A Deeply Divided World
Saturday, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
February 9, 2014, Friends Church, Klamath Falls, OR
Holy Spirit Wake Up Call
Sunday Morning, 11:15 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.
In addition, Nancy will be giving the sermon/meditation at the 10:00 a.m. service
February 22, 2014, In Other Words, Feminist Community Center, Portland, OR
Tending the Fire: Feminine Wisdom for Midnight Times
14 NE Killingsworth St.
Saturday afternoon, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
March 7, 2014, Portland, Oregon
An Afternoon of Big Conversations over Tea
Sunday afternoon, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
July 12, Toledo (near Newport), Oregon
Big Conversations over Tea
Saturday morning, 9:00 am-Noon
August 28, 2014, Bolder Giving, Video Conference
Moving past fear: Imagining what's possible with your giving
Bolder Giving's August Bold Conversation
Thursday morning, 9:00-10:00 am Pacific Time
Co-panelist with Roxanne Meshar, hosted by Jason Franklin
Online pre-registration required
September 27, 2014, St Michael's and All Angels Episcopal Church, Portland, OR
Writing our Way to Hope
Co-led with Steve Denniston
Saturday, 9:30-4:00, $15 Registration includes lunch
December 18, 2014, Jen Violi’s Event at Moxie Studio, Portland, OR
Call Up the Light: Winter Solstice Celebration and Writing Retreat Evening
Thursday evening, 6:30-9:30
$75.00 registration fee
Big Topics at Midnight will be on sale at 50% discount price during the evening.