2027 Theology & Culture Lecture
The inaugural lecture in this Distinguished Speaker Series will be offered by Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, former Editor-in-Chief of Newsweek, and Presidential Biographer.
Overview
On Saturday, February 27, 2027 at 2:00 P.M., our Distinguished Speaker Jon Meacham will deliver a keynote address titled, “For God and Country: Reflections on Faith, Patriotism, and the Way We Live Now.” In a time when many in society are questioning the value and function of democracy, when the language of faith and language of politics are used interchangeably in government houses and houses of worship alike, and when the influence of a few far outpaces the influence and power of the many, this lecture will be both timely and relevant to those interested in history, politics, and living life as a person of faith.
A conversational response with Rev. Jessica Vaughan Lower and Rev. Dr. Ron C. White will take place after the lecture, followed by audience Q&A, and a book signing and reception.
Ticketing, Venues & Seating
$25 General Admission
$10 Student Admission
*Please note that this event will take place in the Sanctuary with overflow seating to a live broadcast in Fellowship Hall. Your registration does not guarantee entry to a specific venue. Seating in our Sanctuary will be first come, first served. Once capacity is reached, all other guests will be escorted to seating in our Fellowship Hall which will feature a direct, live broadcast of the event. The queue for seats will begin at 1:00 P.M. All parties need to be present together to be seated together. There will be no saved seats.
Thank you in advance for your flexibility and understanding as we ensure a wonderful experience for all of our guests.
Parking
Parking is available in our parking lot, just south of the church building and accessible from Virginia Road. Street parking is available and free. Additional parking is available in the Valentine Elementary parking lot, north of the church campus and accessible from Virginia Road.
Accessibility
If you have accessibility needs of any kind, you will have the opportunity to let us know during the registration process. Our campus is very accessible, and our event team will make every effort to ensure your comfort during your time with us.
Hearing Assist devices are also available for those who have need. Upon arrival at your seat, notify an usher that you'd like a device and one will be brought to you.
Register
Tickets will go on sale for the general public on Monday, November 9 at 8:00 A.M. Tickets are $25/person and $10/students.*
Early access tickets will be available on Monday, November 2 at 8:00 A.M. for subscribers of our weekly e-blasts. Click here to sign up.
*Guests selecting the student rate will be asked to confirm the name of their institution
Schedule
Line Begins
Seating in our Sanctuary will be first come, first served. Once capacity is reached, all other guests will be escorted to seating in our Fellowship Hall which will feature a direct, live broadcast of the event. To secure a seat in the Sanctuary, we recommend lining up in advance of the event.
Doors Open
Sanctuary doors open, followed by Fellowship Hall.
Keynote Address
“For God & Country: Reflections on Faith, Patriotism, and the Way We Live Now,” followed by a conversational response with Rev. Jessica Vaughan Lower and Rev. Dr. Ron C. White.
Break
Audience Q&A
Questions from the audience will be collected electronically.
Reception & Book Signing
Following the programmed event, Community Church will host a simple reception in our Courtyard along with the opportunity to have your personal Meacham books signed by Mr. Meacham (limit 3 books per person). We will have a small number of books available for purchase, but we encourage you to bring your own copies.
We are anticipating incredibly high attendance for this event. As such, we may not have time for all guests to have their book signed personally by Mr. Meacham. Should this be the case, we will have signed book plates available for all guests to place in their book at their convenience.
Speakers
Jon Meacham
Jon Meacham is a Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer. The author of the New York Times bestsellers And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle; The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels; Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power; American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House; Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship; Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush; and His Truth Is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope, he holds the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in the American Presidency at Vanderbilt University. The Canon Historian of Washington National Cathedral, Meacham is a fellow of the Society of American Historians and a recipient of the National Humanities Medal. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
Rev. Jessica Vaughan Lower
Jessica graduated from the University of California at Irvine before graduating from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2006. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church, USA that same year, Jessica served churches outside Philadelphia, PA; in Montecito, CA; and El Paso, TX before arriving at SMCC in 2018. She serves on the editorial board for the Journal for Religious Leadership and continues her education as a PhD student in Leadership and Change through Antioch University.
Jessica lives in San Marino with her husband, Andy, their two children, Marloe and Levi, and their dog, Winston Churchill PM. She did not help name the dog, but she did help name the children.
Rev. Dr. Ron C. White
Ronald C. White is the New York Times best-selling author of the presidential biographies A. Lincoln: A Biography and American Ulysses: A Life of Ulysses S. Grant. His biography of Grant won the William Henry Seward Award for Excellence in Civil War Biography.
White is also the author of Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural, honored as a New York Times Notable Book, and a Washington Post bestseller. The Eloquent President: A Portrait of Lincoln Through His Words, was a Los Angeles Times bestseller.
He has lectured around the world including the the White House. He has degrees from Northwestern University, UCLA and Princeton Theological Seminary, He has taught at UCLA, Whitworth University, Colorado College, and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is a Reader at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, and a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum in Washington, D.C.
He lives with his wife, Cynthia, in Pasadena, California. White's latest book Lincoln in Private, was published May of 2021.