Uncategorized Archives - The Cultural Hall Podcast

In this “Articles of News” episode, Richie and Verlin (our resident News Wizard) are tackling a packed listener inbox, playing a pretty wild Old Testament version of Smooch, Marry, Kill, and breaking down all the biggest stories happening around the Church right now.

Banter & The Listener Inbox Verlin is joining us straight from the 1994-era Durham, North Carolina stake office—getting ready for some weekend ward cleaning and a massive “pig pickin'” (smoked pork and banana pudding, anyone?). Meanwhile, Richie recaps a high-energy DJ gig for the Nightingale nursing group and calls out listener Jack Marinello to step up his game in the Facebook comments. Plus, we dive into a great email from Chris about navigating the “Moco” (Mormon Corridor) and the tricky balance of separating actual gospel principles from institutional church culture.

Global Church Leadership & Events Happy 94th Birthday to President Oaks! We chat about his first international trip as the 18th President of the Church to dedicate the Belo Horizonte, Brazil temple. We also touch on Elder Patrick Kearon’s powerful message at Education Week to a crowd of 15,000, where he urged everyone to “stop earning their worth.” Also on the docket: Elder Rasband’s MTC address on the current global missionary surge, Elder Villar championing religious freedom down in Peru, and the Institute centennial broadcast out of Johannesburg.

Policy, BYU & Institute Updates What do you guys think about the new, 25-minute-shorter Sunday block schedule? We cover that, along with the digital release of 10 joyful new hymns and the new ward-level event RSVP feature rolling out on the app. Over in Provo, Education Week just wrapped up with 16,000 attendees focusing on Charity, and the new BYU School of Medicine announced an upcoming “Christ-Centered Physician” conference. Plus, Seminary and Institute enrollment has officially topped 1 million globally, thanks in large part to the “Invite a Friend” initiative.

Culture & Retention Trends We dig into some shifting demographics today, specifically a BYU Studies report on the sharp decline in church retention among Gen Z women. We discuss the commentary pointing to politics, purity culture, and feelings of powerlessness as driving factors. We also look at some interesting Gallup data comparing lower European church participation to the high devotion metrics seen in Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Finally, we share a laugh over a story about a YSA who shaved her head just to deter unwanted dates, and we discuss the viral Friend magazine article asking, “Are there any girl bishops?”

Question of the Week: We want to hear from you! What was your biggest takeaway from Elder Kearon’s message about slowing down and no longer trying to “earn your worth”?

The Cultural Hall, Articles of News, LDS podcast, Mormon Corridor, Smooch Marry Kill, Durham North Carolina, President Oaks, Belo Horizonte temple, Elder Kearon, Education Week, Elder Rasband, religious freedom, church schedule change, new hymns, BYU School of Medicine, Seminary and Institute, Gen Z retention, YSA dating, girl bishops

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This Abominable Slavery places these debates within the context of the nation’s growing sectional divide and contextualizes the meaning of these laws in the lives of Black enslaved people and Native American indentured servants. In doing so, it sheds new light on race, religion, slavery, and unfree labor in the antebellum period.

W. Paul Reeve is the chair of the History Department and Simmons Chair of Mormon Studies at the University of Utah where he teaches courses on Utah history, Mormon history, and the history of the U.S. West. His book, Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness, (Oxford, 2015) received three best book awards. He is author of Let’s Talk About Race and Priesthood, published by Deseret Book in 2023 with a foreword by Darius Gray. He is Project Manager and General Editor of an award-winning digital database, Century of Black Mormons, designed to name and identify all known Black Latter-day Saints baptized into the faith between 1830 and 1930. The database is live at www.CenturyofBlackMormons.org.?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss With Christopher Rich Jr., and LaJean Purcell Carruth, he is the author of This Abominable Slavery: Race, Religion, and the Battle over Human Bondage in Antebellum Utah. The primary source documents upon which the narrative history is based are publicly available at www.ThisAbominableSlavery.org.?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss

Christopher Rich is a PhD candidate at the University of Utah. He has a BA in history from Brigham Young University, a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law, and an LLM from the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School. He spent 11 years as a Judge Advocate in the United States Army and continues to serve as a Reservist. He lives in Cottonwood Heights, UT with his wife and two children.

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Retraction from Andrew Mair

I want to offer a sincere correction and apology regarding the information I shared in this episode about the hymn “God’s Gracious Love,” Hymn #1013. In preparing for that episode, I took notes across several sources. Unfortunately, I inadvertently included details about the wrong hymn and then, moving too quickly, compiled those notes using AI assistance without properly reviewing the final content. As a result, much of the information I shared about the origin, authorship, and background of the hymn was incorrect.

Most notably, while I referenced the beloved LDS composer Sally DeFord and attributed this hymn to her, “God’s Gracious Love” is not one of her compositions. This error is entirely mine, and I deeply regret the confusion it may have caused.

Please disregard the commentary shared in that episode and refer to official Church resources or the published hymnbook for accurate information about this and other hymns. Sally DeFord continues to be an extraordinary contributor to sacred music, and I regret any misattribution that may have misrepresented her work.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as I strive to share meaningful and accurate reflections.

— Andrew Mair

Sally DeFord is a prolific and beloved composer within the LDS community. Born in 1959 in Eugene, Oregon, she has made a significant impact on LDS music through her beautiful and inspiring compositions1. Much like Janice Kapp Perry, DeFord has become a household name among Church members due to her extensive catalog of choral, duet, solo, and instrumental music.

Key Points About Sally DeFord:

Prolific Composer: DeFord has written a wide range of music that is both creative and spiritually uplifting. Her works are known for their beauty and emotional depth.

Accessibility: One of the most remarkable aspects of DeFord’s contributions is that she offers her compositions and arrangements for free on her website. This generosity makes her music accessible for solos, small group numbers, and ward choirs, regardless of budget constraints.

“The Lord has placed me in circumstances that currently don’t demand extra income, he has inspired the creators of technology to produce programs that I can use to publish the music without the assistance of typesetters, and he has given me a gift that I did nothing to earn. Sharing seems logical.” -Sally Deford

Influence: Her music has proliferated throughout LDS culture, becoming a staple in many Church meetings and events. Her arrangements are often used in worship services, making her a significant figure in the Church’s musical life.

DeFord’s dedication to sharing her talents freely has endeared her to many, and her music continues to inspire and uplift members of the Church worldwide.

Day by day, God’s gracious love surrounds me

As a balm to soothe my troubled heart.

Countless cares and worries that confound me

Fade away or quietly depart,

For His heart is kind beyond all measure,

And He comforts us as He knows best.

Ev’ry day, with all its pain and pleasure,

Mingles tears with peace and rest.

Day by day, the Lord is ever near me,

Granting loving mercies for each hour,

And my care He gladly bears, and cheers me

With His counsel pure and holy pow’r.

I’ll not fear for what may come tomorrow,

Though the path ahead I cannot see.

He assures that in all joy or sorrow,

“As thy days, thy strength shall be.”

Help me rest in quiet consolation.

Help me trust Thy promises, O Lord.

When I’m faced with daily tribulation,

Help me find the strength to live Thy word.

Then, dear Lord, when toil and trouble find me,

Hold me steadfast in Thy pow’rful hand.

Day by day, Thy strength will bear me kindly

Till I reach the promised land.

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