The First Presidency has sent the following message to Church leaders in the United States:
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence throughout 2026. A new video will be available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org in which President D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Quentin L. Cook will offer instruction about the significance of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and related events that enabled the Restoration of the Church. All wards and branches in the United States are invited to use this video during a fifth-Sunday meeting on May 31 to discuss the importance of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and how these documents support religious freedom and our God-given agency.
Additionally, on Sunday, July 5, 2026, all are invited to participate in a unified fast to express gratitude for religious liberty and to pray that it be strengthened throughout the world. Please convey this invitation to members of your stakes, wards, and branches beforehand so they can prayerfully consider the focus of their fast.
Over the course of 2026, members are also invited to participate in service projects and activities associated with the 250th anniversary observance, including projects organized through JustServe and FamilySearch.
Sincerely,
The First Presidency
Dallin H. Oaks
Henry B. Eyring
D. Todd Christofferson
This is such an inspiring initiative by the First Presidency, especially the emphasis on religious liberty during the 250th anniversary. As our ward prepares for the special video and the unified fast in July, we’re also discussing how to safely manage our community activities and resources online. Since the article mentions “Online Safety” as a topic on this site, I was wondering if anyone has experience with evaluating the security of international platforms that are now entering the local market under new regulations? For example, I came across this technical review of a regulated operator https://guiadenovibetbrasil.com and I’m trying to understand if these types of federal licensing standards (like the ones mentioned there) are sufficient to ensure our members’ data privacy when they participate in local digital projects or service activities. Does anyone have advice on what specific security markers we should look for to keep our community safe?