Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville Re-Opens Writers’ Nights Each Wednesday

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville launches new series of writers’ nights, Wednesdays at 7pm.

July 30^th marked the first in a new series of writers’ nights hosted by the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville. This series includes a featured performer in each Wednesday line-up then open mic for over an hour.

The featured performance this week was singer/songwriter Keeli with Sam Cooper on guitar. According to her ReverbNation profile, “Keeli's songwriting connects with people through real life experiences, embracing every part of who we are and the roads we've traveled. Keeli has a unique and enchanting musical style.”

The Nashville Church of Scientology says it has a unique mission to help musicians and other artists. According to its President Corinne Sullivan, “Artists lead the culture forward into a new and vibrant age.” Sullivan says the writers’ nights at the church are geared towards providing the musicians who perform with positive feedback and encouragement.

Artists are welcome to attend writers’ nights each Wednesday. Doors open at 7:00 pm, the featured guest performs at 7:30 pm and open mic follows shortly after. The Church of Scientology is located in the heart of Music City at 1130 8^th Avenue South.

For more information about the Church of Scientology, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.   

Nashville Church of Scientology: Extending the Gift of Happiness on International Day of Friendship

Members of the Nashville Church of Scientology commemorated United Nations International Day of Friendship with a community cleanup on July 29, 2014.

In 2011, the United Nations proclaimed International Friendship Day in the belief that “friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.”  In keeping with the United Nations’ intention, the Church of Scientology helped The Way to Happiness Kids Club get together to clean up a street which had been cluttered with litter.

The Kids Club was proud to set a good example by living The Way to Happiness precept “Safeguard and Improve Your Environment.” The Way to Happiness 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.

Rev. Brian Fesler who coordinates the Way to Happiness Kids Club said, “Friendship is all about helping others. These kids were eager to get out in the community and do something that would help, and I couldn’t be more proud.”

The Way to Happiness was written in 1981 by L. Ron Hubbard.  Non-religious in nature and based wholly on common sense, it has been immensely popular since its first publication with more than 109 million copies distributed in 111 languages in 209 countries, territories and dependencies.  The Church of Scientology and its members are proud to share the tools for happier living contained in The Way to Happiness with anyone who has the goal of a better world. 

“The Way to Happiness - Creating a World of Honesty, Trust & Self-Respect” is one of a series of brochures published by the Church of Scientology International to meet requests for more information about the Scientology religion and its support of global humanitarian initiatives and social betterment programs.  For more information, visit www.Scientology.org/thewaytohappiness.

Entrepreneurs Club Brings Unique Seminar on Being Unique to Nashville Church Of Scientology

Branding expert David Brier excited an audience of business leaders and artists.

Parishioners of the Nashville Church of Scientology engaged in business recently formed an Entrepreneurs Club to help one another succeed in business and life using tools from the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE).

On July 22, 2014, the club brought in branding expert David Brier for a seminar. Members and guests came to learn how to brand or re-brand in order to give the right message and stand out. The seminar was titled “What’s Killing Your Brand (and how to kill it before it kills you).”

For three decades, Brier has provided branding strategies, brand identities and package design for startups, retail, technology and tourism brands. His work has been featured in Ad Age, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, New York Times magazine, INC., Communication Arts and numerous other publications.

At the seminar, Brier stressed the importance of being unique and riveting, in other words, dominating rather than trying to compete with like businesses, which is important in a world that’s too busy too listen.

One attendee said he would be able to use the information he learned in the seminar “by differentiating my field rather than blending in,” and another said, “I had so many realizations to help brand my business and stand out,” while yet another attendee mentioned that the seminar was fun and informative, and “it made me excited to figure out branding.”

Entrepreneur Club leaders say they plan to host more seminars of this nature to help business owners. For more information on WISE, visit wise.org.

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Set Goals for the Coming Year

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) recently elected the new Executive Committee for the 2014-2015 term. The new Executives are setting the pace for the coming year with goals and new projects.

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. Members of the RCC come from many different religions and backgrounds including Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i Faith, Islam and Scientology, among others.

The Nashville Chapter recently elected its new slate of officers for the 2014-2016 year. These are: Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, to continue in his role as President; Drew Pope, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Vice President for Programs; Royya James, Conference Relations Coordinator of United Methodist Communications is Treasurer; Julie Brinker, Director of Community Affairs for the Church of Scientology to continue in her role as Communications Coordinator; and Aisha Lbhalla of the Tennessee Muslim Women’s Council is the new Membership Officer.

“I’m very excited about this slate of officers,” says President Fesler, “We are organizing a very exciting project to help promote goodwill and the good works of all religious people in the city.” He declined to comment on the exact nature of this project but said the details would be released in due time.

Fesler did go on to say that one goal of the new Executive Committee is to double attendance, and they will be reaching out further to gain new members and re-interest past members.

The Nashville chapter will continue to meet on the third Tuesday of each month for lunchtime presentations designed to improve attendees’ skills in some aspect of religious communications. For more information or to attend an upcoming meeting, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter.

The Way to Happiness Youth Club Organizes Community Cleanup for Nashville

Nashville’s “The Way to Happiness” Youth Club is organizing a community cleanup in honor of the United Nations International Day of Friendship. They are inviting others to join them in this effort to keep Nashville clean and beautiful.

The Way to Happiness Youth Club wants to help take care of the world. In Nashville, the youth group is getting together to make a difference by clearing up debris and trash in some of the trouble spots in the city.

Rev. Brian Fesler who serves as regional coordinator for The Way to Happiness Foundation’s Tennessee Chapter says, “It touches my heart to see these young people take The Way to Happiness precepts to heart and want to do something to change the world.”

The Way to Happiness Foundation was formed around the book of the same name by L. Ron Hubbard. The Way To Happiness 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.

The precept guiding the cleanup from The Way to Happiness is “Safeguard and Improve Your Environment.” 

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.” The Way to Happiness aims at giving people back a sense of what is right and wrong in a way that is easy to understand. In the two decades since it was authored, some 80 million copies of the book passed hand to hand.

The Way to Happiness Youth Club will be cleaning up neighborhoods near the Fairgrounds next week to honor the United Nations International Day of Friendship.

To find out more about The Way to Happiness or to become involved, email twthnashville@gmail.com.

Branding Expert David Brier Talks to Entrepreneurs at Nashville Church of Scientology

The Entrepreneurs Club is a group of businessmen and women dedicated to helping one another succeed and have recently asked award-winning David Brier to come to Nashville to talk about branding during a special seminar.

Since its recent inception, the Entrepreneurs Club has been meeting weekly at the Church of Scientology where members share updates on business success and strategies. Working together, they are utilizing tools from the World Institute of Scientology Enterprises (WISE) to expand their businesses.

Dan Maddox is deputy chairman of the Entrepreneurs Club, and wanted to bring in someone to help others learn how to successfully brand their business. That man is David Brier, a branding veteran who for three decades has provided branding strategies, brand identities and package design for startups, retail, technology and tourism brands. His work has been featured in Ad Age, Forbes, Fortune, Fast Company, New York Times magazine, INC., Communication Arts and numerous other publications.

“An expert working with business owners, CEOs and entrepreneurs, David brings real-world savvy to today's companies seeking to get noticed and achieve brand leadership in a world that's too busy to listen,” according to whywebpr.org.

Brier is leading a seminar titled “What’s Killing Your Brand (and how to kill it before it kills you)” on July 22 at 7:30pm in the Nashville Church of Scientology community room.  The event is sponsored by the Entrepreneurs Club and open to the general public.

For more information on David Brier, visit his website www.risingabovethenoise.com. To RSVP for the event, contact Rev. Brian Fesler at the Church, 615-687-4600. 

Nashville Religion Communicators Council Elects New Officers for 2014-2015 Term

The Nashville Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) meets monthly. The group recently met to nominate incoming officers for the 2014-2015 year term.

The Religion Communicators Council (RCC), founded in 1929, is an interfaith association of religion communicators at work in print and electronic communication, marketing and public relations. Members of the RCC come from many different religions and backgrounds including Christianity, Judaism, Baha’i Faith, Islam and Scientology, among others.

The group met recently to elect its incoming officers for the 2014-2016 year. The nominations included Rev. Brian Fesler, Pastor of the Church of Scientology, to continue in his role as President; Drew Pope, Public Affairs Director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to be the Vice President for Programs; Royya James, Conference Relations Coordinator of United Methodist Communications to be Treasurer; Julie Brinker, Director of Community Affairs for the Church of Scientology to continue in her role as Communications Coordinator; Aisha Lbhalla of the Tennessee Muslim Women’s Council and Abbie Wolf of the Jewish Federation of Nashville to be Co-Membership Officers.

President Fesler says, “I’m very excited about this slate of officers. I’ve been fortunate to have good people during my first two terms and very much looking forward to the third with this bright and productive team.”

The Nashville chapter meets on the third Tuesday of each month for lunchtime presentaitons designed to improve attendees’ skills in some aspect of religious communications. “We always try to reach outside the box and learn more,” says Fesler.

For more information or to attend an upcoming meeting, visit religioncommunicators.org/nashville-chapter. 

Drug-Free South to Participate in National Night Out

Drug-Free South will participate in National Night Out Against Crime by distributing the Truth About Drugs booklets.

Stopping crime before it starts: that is the idea behind a series of block parties that are planned for August 5^th throughout Nashville as part of National Night Out.

National Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back, according to natw.org.

This year will mark the 30th annual event held to combat drug use and prevent crime.  This is the 5^th year that Drug-Free South will participate in the Nashville festivities.

In the Edgehill neighborhood, groups will be coming together for food, dancing, information booths and a crime forum to help promote a safer neighborhood.  

Drug-Free South representatives say they want to reach more people this year.  “We want to give a booklet to everyone we see at the Night Out celebration,” says Anne Vallieres.  She said at least 1,900 booklets were distributed at the NNO events last year, and Vallieres is anxious to beat that number this year.  “It is important to get this booklet into many people’s hands so we can prevent drug abuse at all levels.”

For more information on National Night Out, visit natw.org.  For more information on Drug-Free South or to order a Truth About Drugs booklet, visit drugfreesouth.org. 

Drug-Free South to Participate in East Nashville Community Festival

Volunteers with the Drug-Free South are saying that every person counts in the struggle to end drug abuse.

In just the past month, more than 60 drug and alcohol violations have occurred in East Nashville, according to crimemapping.com. That’s not to mention the more than 300 other crimes that occurred in that area in the same timeframe.

Rev. Brian Fesler who coordinates Drug-Free South (DFS), a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World says Nashville is in danger and, “we need to move like wildfire in spreading this drug-free message. That’s the only way we’ll create a drug-free zone in Tennessee.”

In light of that, Fesler announced that Drug-Free South will participate in East Nashville’s second annual Community Festival at the South Inglewood Community Center. The festival takes place on August 2^nd, from 11am-4pm. The festival is family-oriented and will have live music, food, one-on-one basketball and much more.

Participating in community festivals is part of continued efforts by DFS to create drug-free zones across Tennessee.  DFS works with youth, educators, parents, community leaders and law enforcement officers to provide drug education to children and teens by working together with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. DFS also enters the classroom, with a series of drug education resources that work—a multimedia program that speaks to the youth of today, informing them of the truth about drugs and empowering them to make their own decisions to live drug-free.

Drug-Free South is dedicated to handling the drug problem in Tennessee.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org.

Drug-Free South: “Every Penny Counts When You are Saving Lives”

Volunteers with the Drug-Free South are saying that every penny counts in the struggle to end drug abuse.

According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services website, “The abuse of prescription drugs, specifically opioids, is an epidemic in Tennessee, with disastrous and severe consequences to Tennesseans of every age including: overdose deaths, emergency department visits, hospital costs, newborns with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, children in state custody, and people incarcerated for drug-related crimes.”

The Tennessean recently ran an article titled “Tennessee teens' appetite for hard drugs grows,” in which the newspaper states, “Tennessee teenagers are using heroin and shooting up drugs at twice the national average, according to a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And many more — roughly one in every five — pop pills for recreational use.”

“That’s exactly why we have to work harder than ever before,” says Rev. Brian Fesler who coordinates Drug-Free South, a chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World.  Fesler says Tennessee is in danger and, “we have to double and triple our efforts to create drug-free zones.”

Volunteer Anne Vallieres with Drug-Free South (DFS) recently contacted a teacher in Spring City, a rural area in Rhea County, Tennessee.  She said crystal meth is a serious problem in Rhea County, a problem she wanted to solve.  She had ordered some free materials from the Foundation’s website and wanted more, but her school did not have enough funds for shipment.   Vallieres emptied her penny jar and gathered some donations to ship a DVD on the Truth About Drugs, as well as pamphlets on the Truth About Marijuana and the Truth About Crystal Meth.

This is all part of DFS’ continued efforts to create drug-free zones across Tennessee.  DFS works with youth, educators, parents, community leaders and law enforcement officers to provide drug education to children and teens by working together with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. DFS uses a series of drug education resources that work—a multimedia program that speaks to the youth of today, informing them of the truth about drugs and empowering them to make their own decisions to live drug-free.

The cornerstone of the program is a series of booklets that provide the facts about the most commonly abused drugs: marijuana, alcohol, ecstasy, cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal meth, inhalants, heroin, LSD, prescription drugs, painkillers, and Ritalin.

Drug-Free South is dedicated to handling the drug problem in Tennessee, and wants to encourage all educators to visit drugfreesouth.org to schedule a drug education seminar in their school. “2014 is the year to reverse the demand for drugs in Tennessee,” says Fesler.