On December 5, 2025, members of the Belonging Colorado Cohort gathered in front of the Denver Colorado Temple for a first look at the faith, customs, and culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Belonging Colorado Cohort was created by the University of Denver Iliff School of Theology to foster dialogue and collaboration among leaders of various faith traditions. The cohort includes 15 organizations representing local Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Native American, and unaffiliated faith communities.
Each month, a different faith leader hosts a group, provides a tour of the sacred space, and shares important aspects of the tradition.
There’s no better place to introduce believers to the faith than the temple, Beca White, interfaith specialist for the Denver Metropolitan Church, said in a news release posted on the church’s Colorado website.
Elder Thaddeus M. Brown, an Area Seventy in the United States Central Area, and his wife, Sister Raylene Brown, attended the event, along with President Justin Matthews and his wife, Gayla Matthews, president of the Aurora Colorado South Stake.
Heidi Staheli, communications director for White Staheli and the Church’s Denver North Communication Council, explained the purpose of temples around the world. They described temples as special places of worship and learning where sacred ceremonies such as eternal marriage and proxy baptism for the dead were performed.
The group toured the temple’s exterior and ended in the annex, where an 8-foot-tall replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Christus statue is on display and open to the public.
Hamza Scheidiger of the Islamic Society of Denver said the statue reminded him of visiting Salt Lake City’s Temple Square as a child.
“There was a statue of Jesus similar to the one we saw in the temple tonight,” Scheidiger said in a news release. “My sister saw that statue and was in tears. It had a huge impact on me. These are the memories that came back to me today.”
After visiting the temple, the leaders headed to the Littleton Colorado Stake Center, where the tour continued. The group moved through different rooms in the meetinghouse to learn what happens during Sunday services and weekday activities.
“We learned a lot about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tonight,” said the Rev. Amanda Henderson, director of the Institute of Religion, Politics, and Culture at Iliff Theological Seminary. “I’ve been involved in interfaith work for 20 years, but I had never heard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until tonight. So I felt this was a real gift and a real opportunity to look inside.”
President Matthews and Sister Brown explained the purpose of the various rooms in the building. Before leading the group into the chapel, they discussed the Primary room, where children receive religious instruction, and the Relief Society room, where women meet to coordinate lessons and services.
In the chapel, Sister Matthews and Sister Brown addressed the attendees. According to a news release, Sister Matthews spoke about the service that women in the church provide to those in need in the community. Sister Brown discussed the Book of Mormon and its central role alongside the Bible in establishing the fundamental beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Brown concluded by sharing his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Interfaith leaders received copies of the Book of Mormon.
The evening ended with dinner and a discussion among participants about what they learned during their visit.
“I feel like I’ve gotten better, and one of the things I strive for throughout my life is to have experiences that make me a better person,” said Thomas Mays, senior pastor at Living Water Christian Center and president of the Aurora branch of the NAACP. “And I’ve become better because I don’t experience life, I grow through life. And I feel like I’ve grown. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has drawn me to know more, to accept more, to love more, to be more accepting. So tonight I grew.”
— Corey Christiansen, news media specialist for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Denver metropolitan area, contributed to this report.
