HISTORIC HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT 75th Anniversary

HISTORIC HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT 75^th Anniversary

            Palmyra, NY June 29, 2012 – The first Hill Cumorah Pageant featured a handful of performers in rented costumes using car headlights as spotlights.  The longest-running, outdoor religious drama in the country will give a nod to its past this year with special exhibits and speakers in celebration of its 75^th anniversary.

Since 1937 the spectacular, annual Pageant has seen many changes in scenery, sound recordings, special effects and costumes.  Water curtains for vision scenes, explosions, earthquakes and fire balls make today’s outdoor drama exciting for audiences of all ages.  A unique addition this year is the Commemorative Exhibits tent featuring a photographic timeline of the pageant’s development.  There are also historic costume exhibits in the Hill Cumorah Visitor’s Center, 603 State Route 21, and in the Palmyra Museum, 132 Market St.  Prior to performances, past artistic directors and staff will speak about the history of the Pageant in the Visitor’s Center. For a full schedule of special exhibits and speakers, visit www.hillcumorah.org or  Facebook under “Hill Cumorah Pageant.”

The annual pageant kicks off its week of performances Fri., July 13 at dusk. The pageant, which is free and family-friendly, is something of a theatrical miracle. More than 750 volunteers are cast into 1,200 roles within hours of arriving.  After just one week of rigorous rehearsals, the show opens.  The volunteers come here at their own expense from across the country.  They do not come to Palmyra just to practice their sword fighting skills and learn dances, or to wear costumes and wigs in the humid New York summer.  For these people, this is a time of spiritual renewal in the cradle of their faith. In addition to rehearsals, the cast also squeezes in more than 1,800 hours of volunteer service.  This year groups will be landscaping at local parks, cataloging at an historic library and clearing trail areas in Wayne, Ontario and Monroe counties.

“We are delighted that these volunteers can bring a message of Christ-like service from the stages into the communities” said Dwight Schwendiman, pageant president. 

Presented annually by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1937, the pageant is a theatrical representation of scenes from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Performances by the all-volunteer cast are July 13, 14 and 17-21 and begin nightly at 9 p.m. There is seating for over 7,000 guests. Food is provided on-site by local service groups.  The Hill Cumorah is located on Highway 21, two miles north of Interstate 90, Exit 43. Parking and admission are free.  Headsets are provided for Spanish translation and American Sign Language interpretation is provided.

For more information about the Hill Cumorah Pageant, call 315-597-5851, go to  www.hillcumorah.org or find us on Facebook under “Hill Cumorah Pageant.”

182nd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Inside the Conference Center during the October 2011 Semiannual General Conference

Members and others around the world are invited to participate in the 182nd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to be held on March 31 and April 1, 2012.

General conferences are conducted each April and October and comprise four two-hour meetings held over two days. The April meetings are called annual conferences and those in October, semiannual.

The annual conferences this year will be held March 31 and April 1, 2012. The four general sessions will be held on Saturday and Sunday at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. mountain daylight time which is 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern standard time.Latter-day Saints travel from all over the world to attend general conferences, which originate in the 21,000-seat Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir during the 181st Semiannual General Conference

Since the vast majority of the Church’s 14 million members are unable to attend general conference in person, the meetings are broadcast via satellite to over 7,400 church buildings in 102 countries. Members can also watch conference on television through Salt Lake City-based station KSL or BYU-TV. In addition, the Church streams the meetings live on the LDS.org website and on the Mormon Channel.

During the conference, Church leaders speak on a variety of spiritual topics. They address Latter-day Saints as well as government, faith and community representatives and other conference guests. Speakers include the worldwide leader of the Church, President Thomas S. Monson, and his counselors in the First Presidency, the governing body of the Church. Talks are also given by the members of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles and other leaders.

General conference talks vary in length from about 5 to 20 minutes. Topics are not assigned; each speaker chooses his or her own subject matter. Talks usually cover basic gospel principles or address significant issues of the day, with speakers encouraging individuals and families in their efforts to follow Jesus Christ.

The First Presidency enters a conference session

After the conference is over, the talks are published on the LDS.org website and reprinted in the Church’s Ensign and Liahona magazines so members can read and study them.
Music for the conference sessions is provided by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and organists, other Church choirs and the congregation. The music emphasizes gospel themes.

Church leaders have conducted general conferences since 1830, when the Church was organized by Joseph Smith. According to historian Glen M. Leonard, “about 30 baptized members attended the first conference along with others who were interested in the Church.”

Today, the conferences are simultaneously interpreted into 92 languages ranging from Albanian to Yapese to serve a large and growing international membership. American Sign Language interpretation and closed captioning are also available.

Buffalo News Spotlights local Buffalo NY missionaries

  
 

New Leaders for Buffalo Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

New Leaders installed for Western New York area of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A major leadership change for the Buffalo area of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was announced at The Semi-Annual Conference of the Buffalo Stake of the Church  held in Amherst on November 12^th and 13^th.  Elder Keith Edwards and Elder W. T. David Murray, General Authorities from the headquarters of the Church in Salt Lake City presided as Nathan D. Pace, Bishop of the Lockport Ward of the Church was called to be the new President of the Buffalo Stake, an area organization including nine congregations of the Church in Western New York.  Jeffrey Williams and Neil Munro of East Aurora were also called as counselors to President Pace in the three man presidency which leads church affairs in an area that extends from Niagara and Orleans Counties on the North to Northe rn Chautauqua County on the South, and Wyoming County on the east.

Those who lead the church serve as unpaid volunteers who also pursue full time work in their professional or business roles.  President Pace is a private attorney with an active Western New York practice, Jeffrey Williams is the Manager of Physical Facilities for the Church in Western New York and Northeast Pennsylvania, and Neil Munro is president of Munro Products a manufacturer and installer of kitchen and bath products.  This change in leadership marks the first time that the presidency has consisted entirely of Western New York natives.  This fact is a sign of the growth and maturity of the church in this area

The new Buffalo Stake Presidency succeeds  a leadership team consisting of Stephen Free, Jeffrey Williams, and Merril Dayton who have led  the church in Western New York for the last decade, and who were released honorably in a seamless transition that occurs every nine or ten years.  They will continue to serve in new church assignments in the area.  Periodic rotations of local leadership are the norm for governance in the Church.

Network of Religious Communities of Buffalo

The Network of Religious Communities of Buffalo is having two wonderful events in the month of November. The first event is their Festival of Faiths, where you will have the opportunity to learn about your neighbor's religious traditions, it will be on November 15th at 7pm at
St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church, 5271 Clinton Street, Elma, NY

Then they will have their 29th Annual Multi-Faith Thanksgiving Celebration on Tuesday November 22nd at 7:00pm at the Lincoln Memorial Methodist Church and all are invited to attend.

Church Hosts Family History Seminar

Buffalo, NY-[October 22, 2011]

It is time to put on those pith helmets, grab those binoculars, and head out on the adventure of discovering your ancestors.  The Buffalo Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be hosting a Family History Seminar with the theme “Explore your family tree.” The seminar held in Amherst on Saturday, October 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. The Seminar is geared toward the general public and all are welcome, admission and parking are free. It will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1424 Maple Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 (between Youngs and Hopkins). 

The seminar will feature guided access to on-line genealogy resources and classes on topics such as Military Records, Land Records, Cemetery Resources, Local Resources, Secrets of Headstones, Canadian Research, Immigration and Passenger Records, Irish and Italian Research, and much more.  Interested in writing your personal history?  In this class you will learn to write your own personal history from beginning to present not only by using a basic outline but also incorporating some other fun ways, including a "Journaling Jar".  A favorite among local researchers, the “Cemetery Resources: I Can’t Find My Relatives!” will be back again this year. The class includes handouts on local cemeteries and information about headstone research.  Learn “What's New at FamilySearch.org” (live demonstration). You will learn about all the new additions to the FamilySearch.org website, like film images, research lessons, sharing information, and so much more.

The teachers include multiple family history consultants who have been involved in genealogy for over 20 years and some for 40 years; including Jim Lawson who has an emphasis on the Civil War years. He is a professional genealogist and a member of Western New York Genealogical Society and Niagara County Genealogical Society. Also, John Blest who is an officer of BIGS: Buffalo Irish Genealogy Society and is a very popular speaker. Near the end of the seminar there will be a Question and Answer Session where you will have the chance to ask questions about your own research problems or findings. Our panel is comprised of over 30 years of experienced researchers including Pam Edel who specializes in PA, KY, US and Italy records and Marilyn Hartmann who has done most of her research in Buffalo and Germany.

 Come enjoy the opportunity to continue your family history research or get started.  Classes will be for new researchers as well as experienced family historians.

The Church has a long tradition of genealogy.  “Our commitment to helping people connect with their ancestors is rooted in our beliefs,” said Buffalo Stake President Stephen Free, the ecclesiastical leader of the local unit comprising 8 congregations and over 3,000 members in Amherst, Orchard Park, Niagara Falls, Lancaster, Lockport, Buffalo, Freedom, and Cattaraugus. “We believe that all family members --those living, those past, and those future -- share an enduring bond that reaches across the generations. This is why we do family research ourselves, and why we encourage others to do it also.”

The Church has established over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries and operates one of the most popular genealogical services on the Internet free of charge at www.familysearch.org.  The site contains access to more than     a billion genealogical records from more than 110 counties and territories.

For more information and to register, please visit the Family History Seminar website: www.buffalofamilyhistoryseminar.blogspot.com  or “Like” them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffalo-New-York-Family-History-Seminar/251350500018 and find out more information about the seminar.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a worldwide religion whose central purpose is to help all people come unto Christ. Church membership is currently over 13 million, with over half of the members living outside the United States, and more than 50,000 missionaries actively serving in 162 countries.

Hill Cumorah Pageant July 2011 Palmyra, NY and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Come and hear The Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the Chautauqua Music Festival. The choir is one of the oldest and largest choirs in the world, who has performed before U.S. presidents, sold millions of records, won scores of awards and enthralled audiences in dozens of countries. The choir is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The choir is composed of 360 volunteer singers ages 25-60 who are members of the Church. They will perform at the Chautauqua Music Festival June 25th with 2 performances, one at 2pm and one at 7:30pm. this is the 3rd season that the choir has had the opportunity to be the season opening e

vent for the festival. Tickets go on sale February 14th and they tend to sell out quickly. For more information please visit http://mormontabernaclechoir.org/.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square 2011 Tour - Chautauqua, New York (2 concerts)

Tickets:	Tickets will be on sale starting February 14, 2011:
	1.	At the Chautauqua Institution Box Office: Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm located at the Main Gate Welcome Center on Route 394. No surcharge on tickets purchased in person at the box office.
	2.	By Mail: P.O. Box 28, Chautauqua NY 14722. A $5 charge per order applies.
	3.	By Phone/Fax: Call (716) 357-6250 (same hours as box office). Fax (716) 357-5823 (24 hours). A $5 charge per order applies.
	4.	By Internet: Go to www.ciweb.org and click on Tickets. A $5 charge per order applies.

And then on July 8-9 and July 12-16th it's the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant

Palmyra, NY – For more than 70 years, the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant near Palmyra has been a summer tradition for generations of Western New Yorkers. “Summer in western New York is filled with carnivals, festivals, and fairs” said pageant president, Dwight Schwendiman. “One of the great family activities held here in our region is the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Maybe you came to the pageant years ago when you were young. Now is the time to bring your family. We invite all to spend a pleasant summer evening with us at the Hill Cumorah Pageant.”

Palmyra’s annual pageant kicks off its week of performances Fri., July 8. It will run July 8^th,9^th and July 12^th through Saturday July 16^th. The pageant, which is free and family-friendly, is something of a theatrical miracle. More than 700 volunteers are cast into 1,200 roles within hours of arriving. After just one week of rigorous rehearsals, the show opens. The volunteers come here at their own expense from as close to home as Rochester and Syracuse to as far away as Dubai and Australia. They do not come to Palmyra just to practice their sword fighting skills and learn dances, or to wear costumes and wigs in the humid New Yorksummer. For these people, this is a time of spiritual renewal in the cradle of their faith. In addition to their rehearsing, the cast also squeezes in more than 1,800 hours of volunteer service. From landscaping cemeteries and schools to creating new Erie Canal trails, the cast makes a significant difference. “We are delighted that these volunteers can bring a message of Christ-like service from the stages into the communities, “ Schwendiman said.

Presented annually by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1937, the pageant is a theatrical representation of scenes from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Performances by the all-volunteer cast are July 8, 9 and 12-16 and begin nightly at 9 p.m. There is seating for over 8,000 guests. The Hill Cumorah is located on Highway 21, two miles north of Interstate 90, Exit 43. Parking and admission are free. Headsets are provided for Spanish translation and American Sign Language interpretation is provided.

For more information about the Hill Cumorah Pageant call 315-597-5851 or go to www.hillcumorah.org.