Normal Ward Size

[LeSellers]

BCSpace said this: "If your ward has more than one quorum in the HP, EQ, or YM organizations..."

I chalked it up to a type-o, and not a declaration of doctrine.

I am a professional nit-picker. If something is wrong, my inclination is to correct it. (That's why mine are, by percentage, among the top two or three posts here with "Edited by LlSssssss x minutes/days ago" as part of the message: I care about what people understand and how I've presented my arguments. Technical writers make mistakes, but we are expected to correct them as quickly as possible. Since there's a big difference between "writer" and "typist", editing is, by harsh necessity, an integral part of my skill set.)

Allowing misinformation to stand unchallenged is completely contrary to my nature. Not everyone is as understanding as you claim to be.

Lehi

[canard78]

Not just the size but also the number of priesthood leaders. Are active members holding multiple positions vs a ward where all of the positions are filled and active members hold no positions at all.

Anyway, I understand that the church has had bad experiences after splitting wards and stakes, so it tends now to go for very large units over a long period of time to ensure its stability before splitting.

That's interesting to know that's a growing trend. What's the source for that understanding? It would go some way to explain the members/congregation rates in the other recent thread.

[EllenMaksoud]

When I was in Kirtland, the Stake Center/Ward had 2-300 people. I do not know if it was a split or not. My own ward now has about 50 people in it, but we are split into three wards in that building. Our area is filled with inactives, and shadow hippies who are very hostile to any religion except one where they can smoke pot. I just keep doing what I they tell me.

[Tacenda]

When I was in Kirtland, the Stake Center/Ward had 2-300 people. I do not know if it was a split or not. My own ward now has about 50 people in it, but we are split into three wards in that building. Our area is filled with inactives, and shadow hippies who are very hostile to any religion except one where they can smoke pot. I just keep doing what I they tell me.

I thought you were thinking of moving, I still say St. George Utah. Wasn't it because of health reasons?

[EllenMaksoud]

I thought you were thinking of moving, I still say St. George Utah. Wasn't it because of health reasons?

St George Utah? Will they object to an old woman on Social Security? How close is a Military Hospital? I wonder if Medicare works there? Is St George smoggy like SLC?

[rongo]

It takes 15 active priesthood holders to create a Ward; three each for Bishopric, HP, EQ, YM, and SS although that last may not require counselors if classes are small.

SS is not required at all. I didn't have a Sunday School presidency at all when I was a bishop, and we are an active ward of 350-400 in a high Mormon population area. This was by choice ----- it's really an "on paper only" calling, and men of ability flounder in it as they try to make their service relevant. I also chose not to have an executive secretary, as it was much easier and convenient to do my own scheduling/cancelling/rescheduling, as opposed to calling/emailing/texting an ES, not hearing back, and re-trying to get appointments managed. Members also seemed to like calling the bishop to schedule with the bishop. I wouldn't do without good clerks, though . . .

[Tacenda]

St George Utah? Will they object to an old woman on Social Security? How close is a Military Hospital? I wonder if Medicare works there? Is St George smoggy like SLC?

VA hospital in St. George

http://www.saltlakecity.va.gov/locations/st_george_cboc.asp

And as far as smog, St. George shouldn't have any. Usually just near the Wasatch Front we get the inversion. It's like a bowl and just sits there, fog and then smog, horrible air. But St. George is 4 to 5 hours away heading towards Las Vegas. Las Vegas is only an hour or so away. Plus if the summers get to hot, you can alway go to Pine Valley, Cedar Breaks or Zion National Park for relief.

Retiring in St. George is quite popular, so you'd love it!

http://www.st-george-realestate.com/st-george-utah-retirement.html

[Iggy]

Wow, I am really surprised by the majority of the answers here. I joined the Church at 14 at the North Seattle Stake, 5th Ward. moved to the Oregon Coast and discovered after 5 years here that they had a Branch. It was small, comfy and felt like home. There were maybe 55 active members, with 8 children in Primary. I married for the second time, moved to Casa Grande AZ to live with husband (he worked in Phoenix and owned a home in CG) After one year there was a new meetinghouse built, and they split the wards. Moving two and creating a third. Almost two years later, yet another meetinghouse was built, they split one ward and created two new ones. My hubby and I were moved to each new meetinghouse.

Each ward consists of a minimum 300 members - baptized members. So children under the age of 8 were not counted. Husband retires and we move back to Eden (the central Oregon Coast), back to the Branch. A bit longer than a year goes by and the Stake Presidency comes to tell us in that we are 50 members shy of becoming a Ward. Since then that number has fluctuated from 60 to 25. As new members are baptized, families move because of jobs. Do to us once again having Elders assigned to our area, we are having a wonderful increase in inactive families becoming active and their over age 8 children wanting to be baptized. The number of Melchizedek holders is 28, with 21 active. Of the 21 there are three who are summer visitors. There are 23 Elders, of those only 6 are active. We have 12 young men, 5 are totally inactive, 2 come sometimes. Three of them graduated high school, of those only one was active. We have 125 RS Sisters. 47 are active, 3 of the 47 are summer visitors. We have 8 young women, 5 are active.

The Stake Presidency told us that of all the Wards in our Stake, our little branch tithes the most money per capita, we have the most endowed members per capita, and we have the largest area in miles. Our Stake Presidents parents are in our Branch during the summer, they drive nearly 20 miles one way to get to Church. If they flew, it would only be 10.

Rongo - that is interesting how you feel about a SS President - my husband is the SS President, and he is pretty active in magnifying his calling. He does more than just welcome all to Gospel Doctrine class, greet the visitors, and assign opening & closing prayers. He and his first councilor magnify their callings actually.

[rongo]

Iggy: I meant no slight to Sunday School presidents, but I can see that my wording was ill-chosen. I just chose to allocate my resources differently, especially after the change removing teacher training/preparation from the Sunday School and directly under the bishopric. I didn't see a need to call an auxiliary presidency to do what the bishopric could easily (and with not burden) do in the course of their duties. I also saw, as a counselor in two bishoprics, good men get frustrated trying to make their callings relevant. This wasn't a good feeling, and in my view having them serve in other callings was better for our unit and situations.

Edited June 4, 2013 by rongo

[Iggy]

rongo, okay - understand. I have been called as Librarian, which is under the guidance of the SSPres. Our library has been neglected for way too many years, and as my husband and SSPres. he shares my frustration at getting it organized, running smoothly and trying to find a politically correct way to get the door keys back from all the auxiliary presidents & councilors. By the way ~ I personally detest politically correct. A spade is a spade, a kettle is a kettle and those without authority who have the door key to the library need to return said key. I do not care if your fragile feelings get hurt. You have a dependable librarian now, so give up the keys!!!

[The Nehor]

I also corrected myself in post #16. My posts aren't the word of God until I've had a chance to review and correct them.

Fixed that for you.

[ERayR]

I am a professional nit-picker. If something is wrong, my inclination is to correct it. (That's why mine are, by percentage, among the top two or three posts here with "Edited by LlSssssss x minutes/days ago" as part of the message: I care about what people understand and how I've presented my arguments. Technical writers make mistakes, but we are expected to correct them as quickly as possible. Since there's a big difference between "writer" and "typist", editing is, by harsh necessity, an integral part of my skill set.)

Allowing misinformation to stand unchallenged is completely contrary to my nature. Not everyone is as understanding as you claim to be.

Lehi

Mine are right up there with you but it is because I am prone to make errors.

[Muc'ul Ajwalil]

My ward here has about 300 members on the list, about 120 of them are active. They all speak Spanish and the vast majority of them are descendants of pioneer families in Mexico. The other 180 inactives are a few of the descendants of the pioneers and those who were offended by the said pioneer family and their customs and traditions.

Economically speaking, most are humble to middle class by Mexican standards.

[Kenngo1969]

... Perhaps it's just when I show up that everyone stays home

Don't be so hard on yourself! I mean, you showed up here, and I didn't use that as an excuse to stay home!

[ERayR]

Something I've always thought interesting to point out is that because the Bishop is the head of the Priests quorum, there can only ever be 1 Priests quorum per ward (can't have 2 active bishops to a ward, after all). Should the number of priests exceed 48 in a ward, by definition, the ward needs to be split/rearranged/whatever to bring every given priest in a geographical area to a quorum that also is less than 48 in size. It's the only quorum/group/organization I know within a ward that has a definitive limit to the ward like that.

You are in error about the priests Quorums in a ward. If there are two the Bishop is still the president of both quorums. The number of priests in the ward is not one of the criteria for splitting the ward.

[Iggy]

The number of priests in the ward is not one of the criteria for splitting the ward.

Thank you for stating that.