Brighton

Local Member Launches Orchestra High School Program – CBS Feature

Lisa Badal grew up in Westminster in a musical family. By age 8 she was playing both the piano and the violin. She played both instruments competitively throughout her childhood.

When she went to school at Brigham Young University he majored in Music Education with the violin as her main instrument.

To her shock, when she returned to Colorado about 7 years ago she discovered there were no orchestra programs in the 27J school district. She turned to her husband and said, “One day I will change that.”

Several years passed, and I started accompanying the choirs at Prairie View High School.  Through my involvement with the school system, I learned that many teachers had tried to start orchestra programs, but when the middle school would start something, it would fizzle out because there were no orchestras in the high school, so why even bother?  Then the high school tried to start something, but there was no feeder program in the middle school, so why bother?  It became clear that we just had to start somewhere. Then 27J announced that we would be switching to a 4-day schedule and that students would have Monday off.  I thought, “This is our opportunity.  There will be a whole district full of kids with nothing to do on Mondays, and I can teach them to play string instruments.”

Lisa Badal

That effort led to this unique interview with the local CBS affiliate:

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Posted on , updated on by Jacob Paulsen

Denver Meets the Missionaries

Left to right: Sister Packard, Elder Cruz, Elder Woollesen, Sister Van Tassell, Sister Reatre, Elder Hasse, Elder Blackham, Sister Draney

Elder Blackham knew it would be a sacrifice to give up his guitar and music while on his mission, but inspiration he felt in the Denver Temple gave him peace, “Give it to me and I can make it so much more.” With the help of other inspired elders and sisters, Elder Blackham was able to lend his talents to what became a beautiful musical presentation, “Meet the Missionaries.”

Presented by the Colorado Denver North Mission, “Meet the Missionaries” toured the northern front range giving 14 performances between February and April. The program is a fun, energetic, and inspiring performance. Through fifteen songs intermixed with video, four elders and four sisters shared their musical talents, their love of the Savior, and what it means to be a missionary.

President and Sister Savage both served as missionaries in Denver in the early 1980s and had the idea to renew a similar musical program that was a success on their missions. Around the same time the Book of Mormon musical came to Denver. Elder Blackham and Elder Brown pulled out their guitars and began singing on 16th Street in downtown Denver, replying to curious onlookers that they weren’t in the musical, but were the actual missionaries. From there 11 original songs were written by Elders Blackham, Brown, Fenske, and Hasse. In 2018 “Meet the Elders” went on tour.

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Posted on , updated on by Marilyn Porter

Magnify the Money You Give on Colorado Gives Day

Colorado Gives

 

For all who have volunteered time, talent or energy to others in need, it’s easy to understand the feeling of wanting to do more. You might wish for deeper pockets or unlimited resources to make your giving more significant. Today is the day where a bit of that wish comes true. December 4 is Colorado Gives Day, which means that as each of us goes online to give, our donations have potential to be magnified by the $1 Million Incentive Fund. You can help through ColoradoGives.org, a year-round, online giving website featuring more than 2,300 nonprofits. Last year brought in $36 million in a 24-hour period.

Wondering where to start? Below are a few JustServe partners who stand in extra need and would benefit from a boost on this day of giving.

 

 

Volunteers of America

The Volunteers of America provides a variety of year-round support to those in need. Areas that need the most right now include serving meals at a daytime shelter and helping with yard clean up for senior citizens. They also have several volunteer from home ideas that include writing letters to veterans, decorating bags for meals on wheels, or even putting together a craft kit for low income preschool students.

Catholic Charities

In like manner, Catholic Charities offer a variety of services and can use volunteers to help pull together. Current opportunities include helping at a women’s shelter, either serving dinner, decorating cookies, or hosting a movie night. You can also host a Christmas party for residents of Catholic Charities housing, or adopt a family for Christmas.

 

Lutheran Family Services

Lutheran Family Services (LFS) is the largest refugee resettlement agency in the Rocky Mountain region. Every year LFS responds to needs of 30,000 people. One simple but constant need is for diaper donations. Clients often have large families and always need diapers. You can also help with creating baby baskets for refugee families who are either expecting or have just had a new baby.

In this season of giving, and as we Light the World, we hope you will consider joining in this day as Colorado Gives.

 

Posted on by Sarah Twiss

What is Up With The #LightTheWorld Decals?

Have you seen a few of these around? Wondering what the big deal is?

For the third year in a row, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is choosing to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas via a campaign known as “Light the World.” Each year some of the details change but there are always a few things you can count on…

  1. There will be one or more awesome videos released by the church (click here to see the first 2018 video)
  2. There will be an emphasis on SERVING others as Christ served
  3. The hashtag #lighttheworld will once again go viral on social media channels.

You can learn all about the campaign and this year’s suggestions from the Prophet by (more…)

Posted on , updated on by Jacob Paulsen

Meet The Elders Music Released

Earlier in 2018, a group of talented missionaries put together a musical presentation called “Meet the Elders.” The presentation aimed to inspire and educate members of the church and their friends and neighbors about the life and goals of a missionary.

During the course of several weeks, the “Meet the Elders” program was presented 6 different times across the Denver Metro from Parker to Boulder. Now the studio recordings of the songs featured in the program have been released.

This music was performed by:

Elder Brenden Blackham
Elder Connor Brown
Elder Alex Hasse
Elder Jacob Fenske

It is being published here with their permission.

Use the links below to download the MP3 files for each individual song to your computer or mobile device.

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Posted on , updated on by Jacob Paulsen

A Christian Conclusion

There might be a reason why it seems members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don’t spend much time on the question: Are Mormons Christian? Perhaps it’s because it feels like an obvious conclusion. A straightforward definition of Christianity is believing Jesus Christ to be our Savior and Redeemer. And we do. With that, the discussion seems over. However, even as a child, I remember being challenged on this topic by classmates, and as an adult, it still comes up. It made no sense to me how a church called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints could be seen as anything but Christian. Yet in the meantime, I’ve learned that there are some Christians who have a more specific definition of Christianity, and that is where we might diverge. Here are the important basics:

  1. Latter-day Saints do not accept the creeds, confessions, and formulations of post–New Testament Christianity.
  2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not descend through the historical line of traditional Christianity. That is, Latter-day Saints are not Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Protestant.
  3. Latter-day Saints do not believe scripture consists of the Holy Bible alone but have an expanded canon of scripture that includes the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

In unequivocal terms, we as members of the church assert belief in God, our eternal Father, his son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost. Some creeds call for a belief in the Holy Trinity, where it is understood that all three are without form and are one. We do not believe in a trinity. From there, other distinctions include (more…)

Posted on , updated on by Sarah Twiss

Colorado Faiths Come Together On Topic Of Religious Freedom

On Thursday evening congregations and believers from various faiths gathered together at Holy Family High School in Broomfield Colorado to learn more about Religious Freedom.

An estimated 515 total people were in attendance made up of members of Sikh, Latter Day Saint (Mormon), Catholic, Muslim, and other faiths that were invited to attend.

The purpose of the event was to help attendees to better understand what religious freedom is and what threatens it while equipping individuals with specific ideas and insights as to how to promote and defend religious freedom.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder at this event with our friends of other faith—in considering how we can each effectively promote and defend religious liberty with conviction and civility.  As the tide of evil rises all around us, so must our confident voices fill the air so those within our circle of influence (including those in the minority who may be especially vulnerable to baseless attacks against their personal expressions of religious conscience) know they are not alone in this great cause. -Jonathan Toronto, Attorney, Global Membership Chair of J Reuben Clark Law Society, and Director of Public Affairs, LDS Church, Denver

The event included a panel of three presenters who also took audience questions. Those panelists included

  • Steven Collis – Chair, J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Denver Chapter, and Chair of Holland & Hart’s National Religious Institutions and First Amendment Practice
    Group
  • Montse Alvarado – VP and Executive Director of the Becket Fund
  • Deacon Geoffrey Bennett – VP, Parish and Community Relations, Catholic Charities (Archdiocese of Denver)

Standing for the religious freedom of people of all belief systems is becoming one of the most important causes of our time, not just in the United States but globally. An event like this—with Catholics, Muslims, members of the Church of Jesus Christ, Sikhs, and so many others—shows that we can all stand together to protect this very important freedom. I was grateful to see such an outstanding turnout. -Steven Collis

Participants learned from the presenters the history of religious freedom in this country, examples of current and ongoing threats to religious freedom, and specific actions steps that can be taken daily and in response to specific issues today.

Elder Priday, Area Seventy, was in attendance and kicked off the event with a discussion about how all believers need to come together to protect our right to worship in part by showing tolerance and understanding for all people.

As believers in God, we have a responsibility and duty to stand for truth, but in a way that is never disrespectful or resentful toward others.  The Lord Jesus Christ invites His followers to show love and to seek peace.  We all lose in an atmosphere of hostility or contention. -Elder Thomas T. Priday

Stay connected with ColoradoMormons.com and our Facebook page for future events like this throughout the state!

Posted on by Jacob Paulsen

Mormon Night At the Rockies 2018 Was A Success!

Each year the Colorado Rockies select one home game to be “Mormon Night At the Rockies.”

This year’s game was well attended as members of the church statewide were able to purchase discounted tickets.

The Colorado Mormon Choral sang the national anthem, conducted by Kent Jones. This has become a wonderful tradition each year.

Also 3 young men from Boy Scout Troop 372 of the Alameda Congregation in Aurora presented the colors. (more…)

Posted on by Jacob Paulsen