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
Save your date
As soon as we agree on a lecture date, could you please save it on The Mother Church schedule.
This will help other churches and let them know that this date is already taken.
The form is here: Mother Church lecture form
This will help other churches and let them know that this date is already taken.
The form is here: Mother Church lecture form
Preparation meeting
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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: how we can share Christian Science with others? How we can handle opposition to Christian Science? How to best support the lecture event? 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: Mother church help with lectures |
If you prefer a local physical lecture
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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:
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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?
How many people typically attend an online lecture ?
Do people have to register in advance to watch the lecture?
Can people watch the lecture afterwards if they missed it on the day?
Do you take live questions after the lecture?
Does the church have to have a website to organize a live lecture?
Are there slides welcoming the public as they are about to watch the lecture live?
How is the lecture introduced ?
What does the church need to do?
What about simply using Zoom to organize this lecture?
If Zoom is not used, how should you make your lecture work from a technical website?
What would a video professional do for you?
Which video professional do I recommend?
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.
- Most of the 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?
- This is not my preference. I 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 they can share it with friends, colleagues, etc.
- 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 can type their question or comment anytime they want during the lecture. 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?
- My preference is that the public goes to a website to watch the lecture live on the day (as opposed to a Zoom link). It can be your church website or its Facebook page. In some cases, the website can be jointly maintained by a regional group of Christian Science churches or societies within your area. If you don't have a website, please be in touch we can still make it work.
- If you have several websites, we can have the lecture live on each website at the same time which allows many more people to see 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 simply using Zoom to organize this lecture?
- This is not my preference.
- It is my conviction that we need to offer the public the highest quality for a lecture. In my experience, Zoom does not provide the highest quality.
If Zoom is not used, how should you make your lecture work from a technical website?
- I would consider hiring a professional to ensure a professional result. I'm aware of several video professionals (also Christian Scientists) helping lecturers ensuring that lectures offered to the public have a very high quality standard.
- The one I usually work with charges around 500 USD. You would pay directly this professional. I find that it is money well invested!
What would a video professional do for you?
- Before the lecture: work with you to create unique professional slides to be shown as people arrive to watch the lecture and also at the end of the lecture; would provide music as people wait for the lecture to start; help you set up your website to have te lecture live; help the introducer record their introduction and will play it before it starts; work with me to ensure that lighting and sound are adequate and adjust it as necessary; work with me to ensure that the background is properly set and advise on adjustments as necessary.
- During the lecture: will digitally insert your lecture invitation flyer on the screen; will monitor sound and image and provide recourses in case of internet interruption (never happened); will work closely with me during the Q/A session by sending me the questions on my phone so I don't have to look at my computer screen and stay focus on the camera (unlike a Zoom session).
- After the lecture: will edit the video and provide you with a replay link to put on your website; will send you a report with the number of viewers and their locations.
- If you have several websites (for example a church website and a Facebook page and a jointly-maintained Reading Room website), the professional will be able to livestream the lecture live simultaneously from these different websites. And individual viewers will be able to ask questions during the Q/A period from each of these websites.
- I'm grateful to say that I have never experienced an Internet cut during a lecture. Still, the professional will be able to provide slides in case my Internet is challenged, even for a short moment, so that people don't look at a blank screen. I use a professional optic fiber connection, so an Internet cut is unlikely on my end. The technician I have been working with has a system with several Internet connections, so should one of them go slow or shut even for a moment on his end, the lecture continues uninterrupted using the other Internet connections.
Which video professional do I recommend?
- There are many good video professionals. For the past years, I have been working with Ed de Leon. I value very much his commitment to Christian Science, his gentle approach, his flexibility and his high quality professionalism.
- Feel free to be in touch with him to explore how you could work together at: edwin@deleonav.com
Your advertisement for the lecture
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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
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Payment is made by bank transfer prior to the lecture.
An invoice will be sent to your church about a week before the lecture.
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Example of lectures
I currently offer two lectures.
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!
- "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!
How spiritual perception brings healing
February 14th, 2021 - Live online talk given for Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Minneapolis
Finding the light that frees us from fear
February 7th, 2021- Live online talk given for First Church of Christ, Scientist, Hudson, Ohio
