Based on the success of our recent Mormon Stories Conference in New York City, we have decided to organize several local, Facebook-based communities of support for what we like to call uncorrelated (or intellectual/feminist/gay/politically liberal/inactive/post/ex) Mormons.  We have already created 32 groups, and hope to establish a support group for every major city/region in the world.  The idea behind each group will be to: 1) foster local, face-to-face communities of support for non-traditional Mormons, and 2) help to encourage healthy/constructive living amongst those for whom the traditional LDS Church experience is not adequate.  Note: this is NOT meant to replace the LDS church experience.  Instead, it is meant to augment the church experience (for those who still attend), or to provide community support for those who no longer feel comfortable attending church.  Some ideas we are hoping to foster include:

  • Monthly local meet-ups
  • Book clubs/study groups
  • Weekly play groups for children
  • Annual youth conferences for teens
  • College groups for Mormon university students (BYU/UVU and USU already created!)
  • A dating service
  • Service projects
  • Annual conferences/retreats
  • Etc.

If you are interested in any of this, please check out our existing groups for a group near you.

If you would like to start your own local support group, please email us at: mormonstories@gmail.com

 

16 Comments

  1. Joanna Brooks March 31, 2011 at 5:42 am - Reply

    thanks, john, for putting a name to what so many of us feel–a love for Mormonism and its goodness, but parts of ourselves that just don’t fit and needs that go unmet in a regular church setting. uncorrelated, yo!

  2. Heidimillerd March 31, 2011 at 10:24 am - Reply

    Amazing idea. Thanks John for another great idea.

  3. Odell Campbell March 31, 2011 at 12:51 pm - Reply

    Sounds like a great idea. I would be happy to help in Oklahoma City. Please let me know.

  4. Jason March 31, 2011 at 7:18 pm - Reply

    So are these groups like secret combinations or something like that? I’d love to start the first “community group” here in Gadianton!! Haha!! Way to go John & Co. 32 groups already. Thanks for your time and efforts and having the “guts” to do this. You have my full support.

  5. Anonymous March 31, 2011 at 7:25 pm - Reply

    Welcome to the Church of John Dehlin of Latter-day Heretics. ;)

    Seriously, this is good stuff. I have a PostMormon chapter in my area (South Carolina) as that fits where I am, so I can see how something like this will be very useful to Liberal Mormons.

  6. George April 1, 2011 at 6:14 pm - Reply

    I will bring the Orange County group up at PostMormon gathering on the 10th. I am sort of reminded of the Reorganized church thirty years ago, when thousands of members left and organized “Restoration Branches.” I “Stand All Amazed” at the changes rapidly coming…

  7. Aaron Hart April 1, 2011 at 7:09 pm - Reply

    Brilliant idea John! It is about time there were groups for struggling or non-traditional Mormons out there.

  8. Descartes1979 April 4, 2011 at 5:50 pm - Reply

    I run an established monthly ex-mormon meetup in the Denver area and would love to be involved. Feel free to email me at Descartes1979@gmail.com.

    • Anonymous April 6, 2011 at 4:26 pm - Reply

      Join our Denver group!

  9. Randi April 6, 2011 at 4:01 pm - Reply

    I love the term ‘uncorrelated mormon.’ Did John coin the term?

    • Anonymous April 6, 2011 at 4:26 pm - Reply

      Maybe. If I got it from somewhere else, I don’t remember where. But I’m a
      sponge…so who knows. Glad you like it!

  10. Tim April 7, 2011 at 9:13 pm - Reply

    Why don’t you just cut to the chase. You’ve got the priesthood. Start your own congregations.

  11. […] now what? I know that John Dehlin has a vision for these support groups (that I mentioned in my last post) to offer some kind of life direction (retreats, classes, […]

  12. […] then Facebook groups for Mormon Stories (both a general group AND different groups for the various local communities of support) and Mormon Expression as well. I know there must doubtlessly be others, but as I said, I […]

Leave A Comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.