I resigned from Community of Christ ten months ago, and in that time, I’ve come to some important realizations about my spiritual needs:
- I need a physical community with spiritual overtones.
- I need a Mormon community.
I had hoped Community of Christ could be both for me, but it became clear that wasn’t possible.
Since my resignation in February, I’ve been attending the Boise Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (BUUF) and absolutely love it. The congregation has been incredibly kind and accepting of my polyamorous family. Their Sunday services include a ceremony where a chalice is lit, with a different person leading it each week. My partner Matthew asked to light the chalice, and as it worked out, they lit it on Easter. The pastor spoke about our family with warmth and respect—a level of love we had never experienced in a religious setting before.
Through BUUF, I’ve found the in-person spiritual community I needed.
As my relationship with Community of Christ grew rockier, my friend Steve Pynakker suggested I explore Reform Mormonism and connect with Rob Lauer, a prominent Reform Mormon. At the time, I was still holding onto hope that I could find a Mormon community that met all my needs, including a more robust and regular community. I struggled to see a way forward with Reform Mormonism at this time.
I’m also close friends with David Ferriman, one of the co-presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ in Christian Fellowship. I considered joining his church but encountered similar challenges, including some theological reservations.
Both David and Rob are wonderful people whom I deeply admire.
I experienced what some call “holy envy” for both groups. David’s church excels at creating new scripture, and Rob’s group offers a modern, thoughtful approach to Mormonism’s unique elements. I studied both expressions of our tradition extensively and appreciated their openness to personal belief and individual experiences. Rob’s approach, which leaned less on supernaturalism but still celebrated Mormon mythology, particularly resonated with me.
Eventually, there were talks within the Reform Mormon community about organizing an Endowment session and even hosting our own General Conference to discuss theology. My need for a deeper connection to Mormonism kept growing.
I reached out to Rob for a conversation, sharing my projects like The Book of the Lavens, my version of the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Endowment ceremony I wrote and performed with a friend. Rob was tickled picnk with what I’d been doing, which gave me the courage to admit something I’d hesitated to say: I had felt called to Reform Mormonism and help organize more regular Reform Mormon events, but was reluctant to step on anyone’s toes, like Rob’s. Rob laughed and reassured me that if I feel called to be a part of Reform Mormonism, I absolutely should be.
And so, I’ve decided to identify as a Reform Mormon.
Since then, I’ve started helping organize the first Reform Mormon General Conference and am working on revamping ReformMormon.com to make the tradition more accessible.
I’m excited to continue exploring my personal beliefs, building a unique community, all while honoring the tradition I come from.