Chat Before Dinner - Mondays 5:00 - 6:00pm
Come join Peer Leader Jeff Webb to discuss issues ranging from housing to spirituality to health. This is an open forum to talk about concerns, joys and aspirations in a supportive environment. We hope you'll join us!

BLC Book Club: Fourth Monday of the Month
Meeting Monday, July 19that 7:00pm
Current Book: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TIme by Mark Haddon (limited copies available to book club members) - see Sarah Colaric for more details

Book Review: Christopher Boone, the autistic 15-year-old narrator of this revelatory novel, relaxes by groaning and doing math problems in his head, eats red-but not yellow or brown-foods and screams when he is touched. Strange as he may seem, other people are far more of a conundrum to him, for he lacks the intuitive "theory of mind" by which most of us sense what's going on in other people's heads. When his neighbor's poodle is killed and Christopher is falsely accused of the crime, he decides that he will take a page from Sherlock Holmes (one of his favorite characters) and track down the killer. As the mystery leads him to the secrets of his parents' broken marriage and then into an odyssey to find his place in the world, he must fall back on deductive logic to navigate the emotional complexities of a social world that remains a closed book to him. In the hands of first-time novelist Haddon, Christopher is a fascinating case study and, above all, a sympathetic boy: not closed off, as the stereotype would have it, but too open-overwhelmed by sensations, bereft of the filters through which normal people screen their surroundings. Christopher can only make sense of the chaos of stimuli by imposing arbitrary patterns ("4 yellow cars in a row made it a Black Day, which is a day when I don't speak to anyone and sit on my own reading books and don't eat my lunch and Take No Risks"). His literal-minded observations make for a kind of poetic sensibility and a poignant evocation of character. Though Christopher insists, "This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them," the novel brims with touching, ironic humor. The result is an eye-opening work in a unique and compelling literary voice.

Spirituality Group: Mondays 7:00 - 8:00pm
Come talk about issues of spirituality and health in a welcoming and supportive space. The group is led by Rev. Bruce Baldwin.

Spiritual Care
Spiritual care is available to all members in a welcoming and life affirming environment. A team of spiritual counselors from diverse spiritual backgrounds is available during the week for individual sessions.

If you are sick and in the hospital or are home bound and unable to come into the BLC, our Pastoral Care team is available to come visit you. If you would like a visit please call 617-236-1012 ext. 257

Latino Community Meeting (en Español): Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:00pm
Grupo de apoyo en Español.

Women's Support Group
Second and last Tuesday of the month at the BLC,
First and third Tuesday of the month at AIDS Action

Healthy Relationships


Healthy Relationships is a support group for people living with HIV/AIDS that meets throughout the year. Each session meets once a week for 5 weeks. For the most current schedule please check the BLC on-line calendar or on the activity board at the BLC.

As part of Healthy Relationships you will learn skills to cope with and reduce stress related to living with HIV/AIDS. The group will talk about three main issues:

1. Disclosing your HIV status to family and friends
2. Disclosing HIV status to sex partners
3. Building healthier and safer sexual relationships

Healthy Relationships is a good place to hear from other members about what they are going through and get advice.

For more information please contact: Sarah Colaric 617-236-1012 ext. 255 or email scolaric@livingcenter.org.

BLC Walking Club

Get your heart pumping and stay physically fit. Enjoy a walk around the Esplanade with other BLC members. Meets in the lobby every Monday and Wednesday at 7:00 pm and Thursday at 2:00 pm.