The Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation’s fall online lecture series will offer stories behind fascinating individuals from the church’s past.
They include the first woman to join the church in England, the famous Clark Braden vs. E.L. Kelley debates in 1880s Kirtland, the first Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints missionary in Italy, the movers and shakers behind the New Mormon History movement, and Stassi Cramm—the second storyteller in the “Your Story is Church History” series.
Find more information and register for the free individual lectures on the Community of Christ Historic Sites Foundation website. All lectures will begin at 7:00 p.m. Central US Time.
- 7 November: “Kirtland During the Gilded Age: Context to the Braden-Kelley Debates of 1884.” Seth Bryant will dive into the priorities of the RLDS during this time and who was visiting the Temple during the debates.
- 13 November: “Ann Cottam Dawson: First Female Baptized in Europe, 1785–1849.” Robyn Spears will explore the legacy of Dawson. On 30 July, 1837, the fifty-two-year-old widow was baptized in the River Ribble in Preston, England. She became the first Latter-day Saint woman in Europe.
- 21 November: “Making Peace with the Past: Community of Christ’s Response to the ‘New Mormon History.’” Lachlan Mackay will explain how church members and leaders have had complicated relationships with their history. The arrival of “New Mormon History” in the second half of the twentieth century challenged many foundational myths, making the relationship even more complex.
- 3 December: “Onward to Zion: Stassi Cramm Shares Her Story.” Cramm, the Community of Christ president-designate, will be the second storyteller in the “Your Story is Church History” series. She will share her journey with the people, places, and experiences that helped shape who she is today.
- 5 December: “Living Saints: An Ecumenical Faith Journey Through the Land of Italy.” Michael Wright will be your guide as you relax and get ready to be inspired by the Community of Christ Historic Sites 2024 Tour of Italy.