From Titanic’s Discovery to Spiritual Revival in Colorado

On Monday, May 5, 2025, Kim Monson explores the intersection of history, faith, and civic engagement with exhibition producer John Zaller, insurance expert Roger Mangan, and prayer movement leader Amy Everette, as Colorado faces both cultural challenges and spiritual renewal.

Discovering the Titanic’s Final Resting Place

Start listening at 28:47 – Hour 1

John Zaller, executive producer of Exhibition Hub, reveals the remarkable story behind Dr. Robert Ballard’s 1985 discovery of the Titanic wreck. The Navy had funded Ballard’s expedition equipment development with a secret condition: he first had to locate two missing nuclear submarines before the Russians found them during the Cold War. With only days remaining in his mission after completing the covert operation, Ballard redirected his ships and discovered the legendary vessel two and a half miles beneath the Atlantic.

Zaller’s exhibition, Titanic: An Immersive Voyage, opens in Denver at 3900 Elati Street, featuring virtual reality experiences that place visitors on the bridge as ice warnings come in, in the crow’s nest spotting the iceberg, and in the boiler room as water rushes through the breached hull. The experience includes artifacts from the Molly Brown House collection, honoring Denver’s connection to the tragedy through the legendary survivor who raised $10,000 for victims’ families before the rescue ship Carpathia even reached New York.

“Titanic is the Greek tragedy of our modern era. In a great tragedy, there’s always a lesson to be learned, no matter what age you are. There’s always something in you that connects to part of the story.”

John Zaller, Executive Producer, Exhibition Hub

Navigating Insurance Challenges in Colorado

Start listening at 60:37 – Hour 2

Roger Mangan of State Farm Insurance breaks down the realities facing Colorado homeowners as hail and wildfire losses drive premium increases across the state. In 2022 alone, State Farm lost $129 million on Colorado claims while collecting only $110 million in premiums, forcing rate hikes that have shocked policyholders. One homeowner saw their premium jump from $3,270 to $5,334, a 63% increase in wildfire-prone areas.

Mangan recommends homeowners consider higher deductibles as a strategy to manage costs, noting that increasing from 1% to 5% deductible could keep premium increases manageable. He also cautions about a common misconception: when hail melts and floods a basement through window wells, the loss is classified as water damage and typically not covered, since only “friendly water” from internal sources qualifies for homeowner claims.

“You are in a large pool of other insureds. When the insurance company collects premium and we had $129 million in losses but maybe collected $110 million in premium, that $19 million, we can’t sustain. So you’re going to get a rate increase.”

Roger Mangan, State Farm Insurance

Building a Statewide Prayer Movement

Start listening at 69:33 – Hour 2

Amy Everette, founder of Colorado Prays, describes an eight-year effort to blanket the state in continuous prayer through Church Prayer Watches. With 60 churches each hosting one 24-hour prayer session monthly, every day of the calendar now sees nonstop intercession across Colorado. The movement has established 26 civic prayer teams covering communities from Pagosa Springs to Grand Junction.

Everette reports signs of transformation in communities where prayer efforts concentrate. In Pagosa Springs, four church prayer watches and a civic prayer team have begun breaking what local leaders identify as spiritual strongholds, with one former practitioner of witchcraft coming to faith and sharing the gospel with her previous coven. Grand Junction has seen unity emerge among pastors and a “kindness initiative” spreading through Mesa County schools.

“When believers come together and pray and intercede together as one, the spiritual climate of a community can change and shift. When the spiritual climate shifts, those powers of darkness have less ability to control people.”

Amy Everette, Founder, Colorado Prays