Towns in the northwest of England like Downham, Chatburn or Clitheroe may not be household names but these places contain rich history for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Events that occurred in these towns, as well as in nearby Preston, will be the subject of the British Pageant performed this summer in Chorley.
The British Pageant, a musical experience that tells the history of the Mormon faith in the British Isles, was first produced in 2013 and returns to the United Kingdom this summer after months of preparation and rehearsals.
James Perry, who volunteers as the Pageant Communications Director, tells of the importance of Preston and the surrounding villages in this short video. Early Mormon missionaries Heber C. Kimball and England native Joseph Fielding arrived in Preston in 1837 to preach. The two made many converts in the area and came to love the people.
“As I left them, my feelings were such as I could not describe. These were sisters and brothers to me now and I felt as if the place was holy ground,” Heber C. Kimball said of the people in the region.
Mormon volunteers will come together this summer to produce and perform the stories of these missionaries and the people they taught through song and dance.
The British Pageant will be performed 1-5 and 8-12 August 2017 and is free to the public. Visit www.ldsbritishpageant.co.uk for more details.