Duncan Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 how many members would you need for a ward or a branch and what do you do for folks in areas who don't meet those critieria?
volgadon Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) There is a branch in Ukraine with only 3 active members!The missionaries make 5. Edited October 8, 2011 by volgadon
KevinG Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 The two wards I was in that were split were at 800 members. The Stake I was in that split was a 16 units. That's my only point of reference.Somewhere I heard there should be 400 active members to support a Ward but that is rumor + my memory so don't trust it.
ERMD Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 No definite number required to divide a ward. I have been in units with far fewer than 400 active members that divided. Mega-wards limit the ability of all to have a meaningful role, in my opinion. My present ward has between 275-300 active members, and we may well split next year. We have many active members without callings, and that's while we're double staffing primary classes, YM/YW quorums and classes, different types of specialists, and several assistant ward clerks.It's really up to the stake president--does he like big wards, or small wards? As long as there are enough Melchizedek Priesthood holders to provide leadership, a unit can be created.
rpn Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 Branches require 20 members and 4-6 active fully worthy tithe paying Melchezedik priesthood holders. Wards require 150 members and 15 active worthy full tithe paying MP holders, and 1 for each 20 members.
volgadon Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) No, branches require a branch president. That is the difference between a branch and a group. My home branch has gone through long stretches without 20 members or 4-6 active fully worthy tithe paying Melchezedik priesthood holders, and the same goes for several areas in my mission. Edited October 8, 2011 by volgadon
ERMD Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 I served in a branch on my mission where there were 2 active MP holders, and the branch president came from another ward in the stake. For the first few months I was there, we averaged 10-12 people in Sacrament meeting.
Duncan Posted October 8, 2011 Author Posted October 8, 2011 Reason why I ask is because our ward boundaries need a change. I talked to one of the stake presidency and he is on board but apparently the stake presidency is "conservative" and "it's too much work" but this mission has the lowest retention rate in the area and I fully believe it's due part to transportation. I am trying with limited success to get the missionaries to help the investigators and recent converts help themselves but still when someone in a very poor area has to travel by bus for an hour with kids or whoever else, they simply won't come ($) unless they get a ride of which our giving rides situation is almost non-existent due to no one living in the poorer area with a car. I an others see the need to create a group or a branch or something that helps the people in the poorer area not have to travel so far.
ERMD Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 It's up to the stake president. The bishop can communicate with both the high councilor assigned to the ward and with the stake president in his quarterly interview. Since the president holds the keys, it's his stewardship.
Calm Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) Reason why I ask is because our ward boundaries need a change. I talked to one of the stake presidency and he is on board but apparently the stake presidency is "conservative" and "it's too much work" but this mission has the lowest retention rate in the area and I fully believe it's due part to transportation. I am trying with limited success to get the missionaries to help the investigators and recent converts help themselves but still when someone in a very poor area has to travel by bus for an hour with kids or whoever else, they simply won't come ($) unless they get a ride of which our giving rides situation is almost non-existent due to no one living in the poorer area with a car. I an others see the need to create a group or a branch or something that helps the people in the poorer area not have to travel so far.People with cars sometimes don't get the problems of those who don't drive. It's not just a matter of being patient enough to wait for a bus.I'd do a lot of praying and maybe suggest to the bishop about devoting a Fast Sunday to helping the newcomers with this issue. Edited October 8, 2011 by calmoriah
Duncan Posted October 8, 2011 Author Posted October 8, 2011 a further wrinkle to this ongoing saga is this past week a General Authority challenged the missionaries and Mission President to essentially create another stake here... to prepare for the Temple coming here in ? and yes in sheer numbers we have a stake of actives and a stake of inactives but the Stake President seems to have shutdown the attempts in the past to do anything like creating another unit or group
Calm Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) Talk to the missionaries about talking to other missionaries about talking to their bishops about holding a Fast Day. Maybe the Stake President will get the message by mundane means if not spiritual. Or maybe he will be inspired with an even better idea.How long has he been a stake president? He may be thinking it would be better to wait for changing the stake at the same time as the leaders to minimize the overall upheaval time. Edited October 8, 2011 by calmoriah
ERMD Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 The GA's challenge to the missionaries was to baptize enough people to form the stake, not creatio ex nihilo.
Duncan Posted October 8, 2011 Author Posted October 8, 2011 Talk to the missionaries about talking to other missionaries about talking to their bishops about holding a Fast Day. Maybe the Stake President will get the message by mundane means if not spiritual. Or maybe he will be inspired with an even better idea.How long has he been a stake president? He may be thinking it would be better to wait for changing the stake at the same time as the leaders to minimize the overall upheaval time.since like 2005? something like that. I think you know where I live in Canada but since our stake formed in 1978 we have had 4(including the current Stake Pres.) Stake Presidents, none were or are from here and the first three moved as soon as they were released, and the current one will probably move when he is done if he isn't called into the Temple Pres.(don't get me started on that) and we only have three former stake pres. members left-all the other ones have moved away. I just wonder how invested in the community some of these people are because they just move away and don't have to live with the consequences of their decisions.
Calm Posted October 8, 2011 Posted October 8, 2011 since like 2005? something like that. I think you know where I live in Canada but since our stake formed in 1978 we have had 4(including the current Stake Pres.) Stake Presidents, none were or are from here and the first three moved as soon as they were released, and the current one will probably move when he is done if he isn't called into the Temple Pres.(don't get me started on that) and we only have three former stake pres. members left-all the other ones have moved away. I just wonder how invested in the community some of these people are because they just move away and don't have to live with the consequences of their decisions.Apparently Stake Presidents serve around 10 to 12 years so my theory isn't looking so appealing.Go for the Fast Day or brainstorm with the missionaries to see if they can come up with a better idea.
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