The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee Spreads Cheer for World Happiness Day

The Way to Happiness, a book written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1980s, is comprised of 21 precepts, each one predicated on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others—and that without the survival of others, neither joy nor happiness are attainable. In the three decades since it was authored, more than 115 million copies of the book passed hand to hand, thus inspiring the movement which is making its way throughout the city of Nashville, Tenn.

Volunteers for The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee (TWTH-TN) have been working to get the booklet into the hands of every Nashvillian through a series of events. Volunteers have distributed several hundred booklets to households near downtown Nashville, and are planning even more events in the coming months, the next such event to take place on March 14^th in celebration of World Happiness Day.

The United Nations proclaimed March 20 the International Day of Happiness in 2012, “recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives,” according to un.org. The theme for 2020 is “Happier Together,” and the Tennessee chapter of TWTH plans to incorporate this as they plan events around the day.

According to thewaytohappiness.org, “This code of conduct can be followed by anyone, of any race, color or creed and works to restore the bonds that unite humankind.” In the three decades since it was authored, 100 million copies of the book passed hand to hand. "This book is based on common sense principles and acts as a moral compass,” says Judy Young, Director of The Way to Happiness Association of Tennessee, “when people read it, they are able to easily put the concepts in it into practice to live a better life.”

TWTH-TN is making a true impact across Tennessee and reaching other parts of the world. To learn more about the program, or to order copies of The Way to Happiness booklet, visit twthtn.org.

Church of Scientology Celebrates its 35th Anniversary in Nashville, Tennessee

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre in Nashville, Tennessee is preparing for its 35th anniversary celebration, which will take place in its home – the remodeled Fall School building on 8th Avenue South.

“We go all-out to celebrate our anniversary, but this year will be particularly special,” says Pastor of the church, Rev. Brian Fesler.

Director of Community Affairs, Julie Brinker, is organizing the affair: “Our aim is to give our parishioners and community guests a wonderful time. From live music, to authentic Nashville fare, this will be a night to remember.” Each year the black tie soiree brings its parishioners together with dignitaries and community leaders to rejoice in a year of growth and achievement. Attendees delight in an evening of fine dining, inspirational speeches and exuberant entertainment.

“There is certainly a lot to celebrate,” Fesler continues, “since our 2009 opening in the Fall School, our parishioners have been more active than ever in reaching out into the community with our social betterment programs.”

Among the church’s community initiatives are The Truth About Drugs, a campaign to enlighten youth and teens on the dangers of street drugs. Another is a human rights program which educates about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed into existence in 1948 just after World War II. Each of these campaigns has booklets for general distribution and enlightenment, along with public service announcements. “It’s all about education and improving the world we live in,” says Fesler.

Parishioners have gone straight to schools in Tennessee to teach kids about the dangers of drugs. They have visited more than 30 counties and delivered over 230 seminars. Fesler described the church’s involvement in the annual celebration of International Human Rights Day in Tennessee. “We work with agencies to put together the event, which includes an education portion about the Universal Declaration’s list of rights, speeches and an award ceremony for those who have demonstrated a life-long commitment to human rights.”

The church plans to have its private 35th anniversary celebration in May. Located at 1130 8th Avenue South, the church is open 9am-9pm Monday through Friday and 9am-6pm on the weekend for tours of its public information center. For more information, visit http://www.scientology-ccnashville.org.

Meet a Scientologist Transforms the Look of Reality With Christy Lee Rogers

Scientology Network’s MEET A SCIENTOLOGIST, the weekly series spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists from around the world and all walks of life, announces an episode featuring renowned photographer and fine artist Christy Lee Rogers.

MEET A SCIENTOLOGIST airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Scientology Network.

Christy Lee Rogers creates breathtakingly beautiful photographic works of art using a novel underwater technique. By blending a baroque aesthetic with modern technology, her work is winning prestigious awards and fans all across the world.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Christy Lee Rogers grew up in and around water, developing an affinity for the element that would play a pivotal role in her future career. As a teenager, Christy became passionately interested in photography, spending hours in a darkroom developing her images. After finding the courage to pursue her passion professionally, she presented her first collection—models submerged in water, surrounded by billowing gowns against a solid black background. As her artwork defied conventional categorization, Christy found gallery owners hesitant to take her on. But the stunning luminescence, color and composition of her work garnered admirers and clients, and quickly become a gallery favorite. Today, Christy’s art is world-renowned, and the story of how she got there is a picture worth a thousand words.

The Scientology Network debuted on March 12, 2018. Since launching, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The Network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church’s global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network can be streamed at Scientology.tv and is available through satellite television on DIRECTV Channel 320, mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

In 2019, The Way to Happiness held its inaugural event to observe World Happiness Day. This year, volunteers plan to ring in the occasion with an event to acknowledge the work of a local neighborhood that is working to end violence. The Way to Happiness Association wants this event to bring people together who care about all people, so they can connect and do bigger things. The Way to Happiness Association was formed around the book The Way to Happiness, written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard.

The Way to Happiness is filled with twenty-one precepts based on the fact that one’s survival depends on the survival of others. The book begins with a message under the heading Why I Gave You This Book: “Your survival is important to me.”

When copies of this book are widely distributed in communities, crime rates plummet. According to TheWaytoHappiness.org, “We live in a world of increasing immorality and rising criminality. Anyone who has had to rely upon the good will and honesty of others—police, insurance companies, merchants or banks, in particular—have experienced the harm resulting from the lowering levels of morality. The Way to Happiness was written to fill this moral vacuum in society.”

World Happiness Day occurs each year on March 20^th and is celebrated by the United Nations. According to un.org, “Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world…The United Nations invites each person of any age, plus every classroom, business and government to join in celebration of the International Day of Happiness.”

The World Happiness Day in Nashville is set for March 14, at noon, and will take place in the community hall of the Church of Scientology, 1130 8^th Ave South, Nashville, Tenn.

For more information on The Way to Happiness Association, its upcoming events or if you would like to participate, visit twthtn.org. 

Nashville Religion Communicators Council to Tour Thistle Farms

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

The March meeting will be a tour of Thistle Farms, to learn about the non-profit’s mission and activities. Thistle Farms is a nonprofit social enterprise, based in Nashville, TN, dedicated to helping women survivors recover and heal from trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. According to its website, “[Thistle Farms] provide[s] a safe place to live, a meaningful job, and a lifelong sisterhood of support because we believe love is the most powerful force in the world.”

The meeting takes place at 11 am on March 3^rd, 2020 at Thistle Farms on Charlotte Avenue, and is open to both members and non-members of RCC. Registration for the meeting is required by emailing rccnashville@gmail.com.

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development.

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. The next Nashville Chapter meeting will be Feb. 4^th, 2020 at 11:30 am at United Methodist Communications, and will feature Jamie Dunham, Chief Brand Strategist for Brand Wise. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter. 

Church of Scientology Nashville Celebrates Interfaith Harmony Week with Special Service

The Church of Scientology Nashville opened its doors to all religious communities for a special service in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.

Hate graffiti, death threats, and violence toward people of religion have become recurrent mainstream news. FBI hate crime statistics show that incidents in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques increased 34.8% between 2014 and 2018, the last year for which FBI data is available.

“In order to truly combat religious discrimination in this day and age, we have to come together and learn about the religious other,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, who brought together people of many different faiths and cultures to take part in a service for World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week of February. The theme was “Faith In Harmony,” and featured music as a key part of the special service.

More than a half dozen different faith groups were present for the service, and a beautiful mix of people sang and played music together while faith leaders shared words of wisdom on why it is so important for all people to come together as one in harmony.

Rev. Fesler is passionate about bringing together all peoples. “Everyone, regardless of their race, religion, culture—everyone deserves to have a voice, to live in peace, and to practice their religion in harmony with the rest of mankind,” he says.

The Church of Scientology’s creed begins with the words: “We of the Church believe that all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights; that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance…”   

“It is part of our very fabric to support others’ rights and abilities to practice their religion in peace, so that is what we are lifting up through this service,” says Rev. Fesler.

For more information about Scientology, its practices or beliefs, visit scientology.org. 

Church of Scientology Partners with Other Faith Groups for ‘Faith In Harmony’ Service

The Church of Scientology Nashville is opening its doors to all religious communities for a special service in observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.

Hate graffiti, death threats, and violence toward people of religion have become recurrent mainstream news. FBI hate crime statistics show that incidents in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques increased 34.8% between 2014 and 2018, the last year for which FBI data is available.

“In order to truly combat religious discrimination in this day and age, we have to come together and learn about the religious other,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, who has called together people of many different faiths and cultures to take part in a service for World Interfaith Harmony Week, the first week each February. The theme is “Faith In Harmony,” and will feature music as a key part of the special service.

Rev. Fesler is passionate about bringing together all peoples and has reached out to many different faith leaders for this special service. “Everyone, regardless of their race, religion, culture—everyone deserves to have a voice, to live in peace, and to practice their religion in harmony with the rest of mankind,” he says.

The Church of Scientology’s creed begins with the words: “We of the Church believe that all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal rights; that all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and their performance…”   

“It is part of our very fabric to support others’ rights and abilities to practice their religion in peace, so that is what we are lifting up through this service,” says Rev. Fesler.

The World Interfaith Harmony Service will take place on February 9, 2020 at 3:00pm in the Church of Scientology community hall in Nashville, Tenn. To anyone who wishes to participate, contact rccnashville@gmail.com.

For more information about Scientology, its practices or beliefs, visit scientology.org. 

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Learns the Rules of Podcasting

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly to talk about topics of interest and hear from professionals in religious communications.  

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC) is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. The Nashville Chapter meets monthly at rotating locations to learn about other faith traditions, learn from fellow communicators and gain professional development opportunities.

The February meeting took place at United Methodist Communications, and RCC members heard from Jamie Dunham, Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Wise, on the topic Podcasting for Your Brand. Dunham is a blogger, brand strategist and cultural curator. Her focus is building cultural relevancy for brands that lead to stronger and more profitable consumer relationships. She has provided counsel to a wide variety of consumer sectors – the arts, faith-based communities, grocery, healthcare, hospitality, restaurants, travel and package goods.  She is particularly passionate about The Lipstick Economy – the 108 million women that account for 85% of all consumer purchases. That is also the name of her podcast, which comes out every two weeks.

RCC members were able to learn how important podcasts are today, especially being a relatively non-crowded market to send out a message, as well as successful ways to go about starting a great podcast.

The RCC has members from every faith group and walk of life including Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Scientologists, Sikhs, Hindus and more. The RCC, founded in 1929, is an association of communications professionals who work for and with a diverse group of faith-based organizations in the areas of communications, public relations, advertising and development.

The RCC provides opportunities for communicators to learn from each other. Together, RCC members promote excellence in the communication of faith and values in the public arena. The next Nashville Chapter meeting will be in March at Thistle Farms. For more information about the Religion Communicators Council, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.