Lecture

Hello,

I look forward to preparing a lecture with you!

You will find below helpful informations.

Feel free to be in touch with any questions!

With love,

Alex

Preparation meeting

I find it helpful to meet with you and your members before the lecture. Our Zoom meeting will be informal and interactive. Members can join in by video (or by phone).

We'll talk about the metaphysical foundation for the lecture and we'll also discuss why and how we share Christian Science with others.

Please suggest a few dates that would work for you and your members.

The Mother Church has many helpful spiritual and technical ideas about organizing a lecture on its website:
TMC info

If you prefer a local physical lecture

When legally allowed, I'm happy to fly or take a train to be with you in person and lecture for your community. There is something special about being in the room with everyone, taking questions from the audience, and meeting people individually afterwards!

These are the basic requirements to set up such a lecture:

Room set up: I only need a lapel microphone and a lectern (for my books). I don't use powerpoint. A microphone for the audience may be helpful for the Q/A session after the lecture.
Hotel reservation: I would be grateful if you could book the hotel room.
Transportation: I will handle my own transportation.
Introduction on the lecture day: I don't need to review it. Please make it very short! You can find some biographical elements here

If you prefer a live online lecture

An online lecture can feel daunting if your church has never organized one. Actually, once you look into it, it is much simpler to organize an online lecture than a physical lecture. Let me tell you how!

What is an online live lecture?

It is a lecture that the public watches from their computer, tablet, phone at home or anywhere they choose.

The lecture happens live, which means that as people are watching their screen, the lecturer, located in France in my case, is giving the lecture at the same time.

Individuals watching the lecture cannot see each other or interact with each other. It's pretty much like watching a live show on TV on your own.

How many people typically attend an online lecture ?

It typically ranges anywhere between a hundred to several hundred people. To me, it depends on the members support for the lecture.

Do people have to register in advance to watch the lecture?

No. We find that asking for advance registration holds back new-comers. The online lecture is just like a physical lecture; anyone dropping by can enter even five minutes before the lecture.
One just has to go the website for the live lecture at the correct day and time to watch.

Can people watch the lecture afterwards if they missed it on the day?

Yes, as many times as they want and I encourage viewers to share it with friends and colleagues too.
The replay of the lecture is available for three months following the live event.

Do you take live questions after the lecture?

Yes. Isn't technology wonderful when well-used!
Each person watching the lecture has access to a speech bubble where they can type their question or comment anytime they want during the lecture. This can be found on the top right of the live player. I will answer questions and comments after the lecture.
I find it very special to offer this form of interaction where the public can ask me to expand on a point made in the lecture, or share any questions they have. This Q/A session is part of the lecture and can also be listened to in the recording.

Does the church have to have a website to organize a live lecture?

The public will go to a website to watch the lecture. This website can be for a Christian Science branch church or society or a Facebook page set up by a church or society. If the church or society is based in the UK, the lecture could be streamed to the UK Online Christian Science Reading Room. It could also be a website that is jointly maintained by a regional group of Christian Science churches or societies within a state or country.
The great thing is... technology allows us to enable the public to see the lecture live on more than one website or social media page all at the same time. This allows more people to view the lecture depending on where they go to search or find it.

Are there slides welcoming the public as they are about to watch the lecture live?

Yes, technology allows us to have welcome screens (the lecture flyer, another welcoming text and image, etc.) signalling people that they have found the right page and that the lecture is about to start. It usually has gentle music playing while they wait! Anyone arriving at the lecture screen a few minutes before the lecture is warmly welcomed and is not looking at a blank page.

How is the lecture introduced ?

A member of the church or society can introduce me, just as if I was in the room with the audience. To do that, the introducer will need to record a short video introduction that we will play before the lecture starts. It's a nice way to welcome viewers. I can also introduce myself if this is preferred.

What does the church need to do?

Prayer, really. That's the most important part.
Technically, you need to appoint one person from your church who can insert the web live lecture link on your website. So your usual webmaster should be perfect!

What about online interruption during the lecture?

Our prayer is key.
The lecture should be monitored by a Christian Scientist who can sort out any technical issues during the lecture. This person will also handle the Q/A part of the lecture to ensure that it unfolds smoothly. He will create relevant slides for you. He will ensure that the sound, light and video framing are up to standard and do not create any distraction for the viewers. He can help the introducer to record their introduction and he will play it before the lecture starts. He will play the music file before the lecture starts and as people are waiting. After the lecture, he will edit the video accurately and provide the church or society with a link so the webmaster can allow the public to watch the lecture afterwards with ease.

If our church does not have a Christian Scientist that can fully handle the technical aspects of the live streaming as described, who can we contact?

For my past lectures, I have been trusting (and have been satisfied with) Edwin de Leon who works near London in the UK. Edwin has been helping Christian Science churches and societies, lecturers and Christian Science Associations with their technological needs for a number of years.
Edwin does not use Zoom but a system called ‘Livestream’ that he finds more reliable and delivers better quality audio and visuals for online events.
Edwin will invoice you directly for his services.
He can be contacted at: edwin@deleonav.com

Your advertisement for the lecture

Publicizing your lecture, sharing with family, friends, colleagues can only bring blessings!

Didn't someone share Christian Science with us or our family at some point?

And how blessed have we been by this initial sharing:-)

Regarding your advertisement for the lecture, it would helpful to send it to me ahead of time so I can provide you with feedback and suggestions. If you are in the UK, I also need to review it to ensure that it respects the strict UK regulations put on advertisement for Christian Science.

And... I'm also happy to be interviewed by your local media. It's always a great opportunity!

Payment details

Payment is made by bank transfer prior to the lecture.
An invoice will be sent to your church about a week before the lecture.

Lecture fees: 1600 euros (second lecture is half-price).
Expenses for in person lecture only: transportation, hotel, food.
Expenses for an online live lecture only: none. But you may have to budget for a technical facilitator (paid directly by your church) to ensure that the lecture happens smoothly from a technical standpoint.

Example of lectures

I currently offer two lectures.

"How spiritual perception brings healing" is designed to explain how Christian Science heals. It answers common questions and misconceptions. It lasts about an hour.

"Finding the light that frees us from fear" is designed to more specifically address the fears brought by the pandemic. It lasts about 30 min.

In both cases, whether I lecture physically or online, I answer questions live from the audience. The Q/A session usually lasts between 30min to an hour after the lecture.

I do not read a script for these two lectures. Each time, before the lecture, I pray to be guided to share what is relevant for this particular audience.

So you'll see that each lecture is somewhat different each time as I'm often lead to share ideas or healings which I did not share in a previous lecture.

I feel that each lecture is like a new Christian Science treatment for the community, it should be fresh and spontaneous, answering the needs of the day!