Nautilus Community Podcast

It’s been a year since the LDS Church enacted it’s “Exclusion Policy” against LGBTQ members. The stories that have come to light in the past year since this policy was implemented can be hard to hear, as there has been horrific fallout since November 5, 2015. But it’s not all bad. Even the worst of situations can have a silver lining. There are things that YOU can do to help our LGBTQ family, friends and loved ones – whether you are in the church, out of the church, or anywhere in between. Come join us as Wendy Montgomery shares this keynote address on the after effects of the policy and ways in which we can become part of a solution. Wendy Montgomery is an LDS mother of five children, one of whom is gay. She and her husband vocally advocate for inclusion and equality for all LGBT Mormons who feel on the outside looking in, and is a contributing author to the website, “No More Strangers” and “Rational Faith”. Wendy sits on the Board of Directors for Affirmation, the country’s largest Mormon LGBT organization. She is one of the founders and board members of the Mama Dragons. Wendy currently works closely with organizations such as the Family Acceptance Project, Trevor Project, HRC’s Equality in Religion, ACLU Arizona, ONE Community, GMCLA, PFLAG National, etc.

In this simple, yet profound keynote presentation, Noah Rasheta will discuss the Buddhist teachings that lead to an awakened mind. These teachings offer us a path to understand the nature of suffering, to let go of it’s origins, and to bring into being a way of life that is resistant to self-inflicted suffering. “Do not try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.” – Dalai Lama Noah teaches Secular Buddhism and mindfulness meditation. He runs the Foundation for Mindful Living, a non-profit dedicated to making mindfulness teachings accessible to all, and he’s a tech entrepreneur and adventurer. Noah is fascinated by the study of the mind. In 2010 he started studying and later teaching Buddhism. He’s taught mindfulness to over 20,000 people through his work with Secular Buddhism and his podcast has reached hundreds of thousands of listeners around the world.

Come Celebrate Mother’s Day with us by honoring women around the world! We’ll discuss issues such as: 1) how transitioning, either socio-economically or from a religious background, can effect your view of women’s roles; 2) what gender equality should look like in a modern society; and 3) how we can support women in claiming their own feminine power. Anissa Rasheta, who recently spent a week in Africa learning more about CARE (a major international humanitarian agency) and the opportunities it affords women and children in developing nations, will be presenting our keynote address. You won’t want to miss this service!

Do the things that we think will make us happy actually bring about the desired results? We’ll explore some of the latest research on the factors associated with living meaningful, productive, and happy lives and their implications for us as individuals and as a community. David Welsh, a professor of ethics at ASU, will be providing our keynote address and the choir will perform for the first time! Hope you can make it!

Many are confused by our exact relationship with Community of Christ–unsure exactly why they are so generous and unclear how financial funds will be acquired and used. We hope to address each of those issues this Sunday. Hannah Roberts will share of her personal experince with Community of Christ, Matt Long will report on the Community of Christ’s recent business meeting and what that means for our own Community. Scott Rowley will explain our alliance and financial situation. Time will be allotted for questions and answers.

Our keynote address for this Sunday Service will be presented by Doe Nan Daughtrey. Doe is an Honours Instructor of Religious Studies at ASU. We look forward to hearing her present on the following: Many Mormons emerge from a faith crisis wondering how to approach the Christian holidays that form the basis for the American social and ritual calendar. It is impossible to ignore these holidays, which can be painful because they often trigger religious PTSD. This presentation introduces some earth-centered ideas and practices (including music) to support the reinterpretation of Easter (the meaning of death, resurrection, and salvation) outside the Mormon framework. In addition to Doe, Micah Nicolaisen will present our Community Moment address.

Audio Recording of the first Nautilus Community service held at the Community of Christ-Mesa Building on March 6, 2016. This first meeting will focus on the theme of Reclamation, particularly in relation to our spiritual journeys. Each of us have the power to remake and reclaim difficult religious concepts for our own good. From out of scorched and burned ground, we can grow anew. We’ll be discussing and exploring ways in which to do this. Speakers will include David Welsh, Matt Long, and Suzanne Newman. ———————————- Conducting: Lonica Rowley Congregational Hymn: There is Sunshine in My Soul Today Initial Inspiration: Nic Rasheta Time for All Ages: Suzanne Newman Congregational Hymn: Where Can I Turn for Peace Community Moment: David Welsh Special Musical Number: Lead, Kindly Light (Kent Cattani, Chris Hawley, Sean Thompson, and Thommy Long – Accompanied by Christine Levitt on Piano, Berta Knapp on Organ, Paula Kokanovich on Flute) Morning Message: Matt Long Congregational Hymn: Fight Song Closing: Scott Rowley