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������Ƶ’s Reynolds Gallery will display the works of California painter R. Kenton Nelson beginning next month in an exhibition titled “Narrative Idealism.” The free exhibit runs Nov. 10-Dec. 16 at the gallery, which is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

There will also be a public opening reception and book signing with the artist, Thursday, Nov. 10, from 4-6 p.m. A new large-scale painting will be premiered at the opening reception.

President Abraham Lincoln’s greatest speech wasn’t the Gettysburg Address, it was his Sermon on the Mount. That’s the belief of Ronald C. White, professor at San Francisco Theological Seminary. White will discuss the topic as part of ������Ƶ’s Erasmus Lecture series, Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 3:30 p.m. at Hieronymus Lounge. The lecture is titled, “Abraham Lincoln’s Sermon on the Mount: The Second Inaugural Address.”

Patty Martin of Woodside, Calif., has been installed as the newest member of the ������Ƶ Board of Trustees. Martin, 56, is a certified spiritual director and teaches classes at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in spiritual formation.

“I think ������Ƶ has a great balance of encouraging critical Christian thinking without being legalistic,” she says, “and looking at the whole person in terms of growing to become God-like within whatever realm God calls you to.”

The ������Ƶ theater season opens next week, Friday, Nov. 4, with Shakespeare’s achingly beautiful history play “King Richard II” at Santa Barbara Trinity Episcopal Church. It is the first in a yearlong season of events that centers on contemporary, international approaches to Shakespeare’s plays.

Politics and religion will mix at a lecture in downtown Santa Barbara next week. The ������Ƶ Downtown Conversation will include several local community leaders of different faiths and focus on the interactions and conflicts between faith and politics in our community. It will be held, Thursday, Nov. 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m, at the University Club, 1332 Santa Barbara St.