Art & Faith Literary Series – Author Cara Wall to Present “The Dearly Beloved”
Arts at Old First is honored to present the ongoing Art & Faith Literary Series, now in its third season, featuring distinguished contemporary authors presenting new works in a unique conversational context. These literary conversations address ideas and stories around faith communities, spirituality, and creativity from a variety of perspectives through engagement with new fiction and nonfiction works, and take place in the historic spaces of Old First Brooklyn, a 360-year-old Brooklyn congregation with a commitment to hosting community groups and the arts. Recent guests have included Lauren Belfer, Mary Gordon, Darnell Moore, Anne Nelson, Steven Waldman, and Christian Wiman.
On September 11, novelist and teacher Cara Wall presents her much-anticipated new novel
The Dearly Beloved, called “a rare and intellectually stimulating outing” by Publishers Weekly. The novel follows two young married couples whose lives become intertwined when each husband is appointed to co-minister a venerable New York City church in the 1960s. Wall is joined onstage by her friend Reverend William H. Critzman, the first openly LGBTQ Senior Minister of the nearly 400-year old West End Collegiate Church on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The two discuss Wall’s intimate story of love and friendship, piety and compassion in the church and beyond.
Wall joins a summer/fall lineup that includes acclaimed music biographer David Ritz presenting his memoir The God Groove: A Blues Journey to Faith in conversation with Jody Rosen, culture critic and writer for the New York Times Magazine, on August 24. Information at groove.brownpapertickets.com.
Series organizer Jessica Stockton Bagnulo writes, “One of the goals of Old First is to offer a
space of unconditional welcome. We hope the events in this series create welcoming spaces to discuss big questions of spirituality, creativity, and other aspects of our shared humanity from a literary perspective, as well as creating a space where artists and neighbors can connect with each other.”
All events include a free RSVP option and a book-bundled ticket option with priority seating. A wine reception follows each event. Books are offered for sale by local independent Community Bookstore, which donates a portion of all book sales to the Old First Restoration Fund. See below for dates, details and ticket links, as well as contact information.
All events take place at Old First Reformed Church, located at 729 Carroll Street (corner of 7th Avenue) in Brooklyn. Transportation: Q train to 7 th Avenue, R train to Union Street, or B69 bus to 7 th Avenue and Garfield.
Wednesday, September 11, 7:30 PM
Cara Wall presents The Dearly Beloved
In conversation with Reverend William H. Critzman
Free RSVP/ $26 with book and priority seating
Tickets and details: https://groove.brownpapertickets.com/
For more information contact:
Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, Arts at Old First – jsbagnulo@gmail.com