Improving Sacrament Meeting: Seeking Suggestions

[Duncan]

Babysitting issues:

 

 

 

Bluebell and others mentioned the difficulty of "babysitting" during Sacrament Meetings.  This was discussed and recognized as a big issue during the training--of course, actual solutions were not provided.  Those, it seems, will be left up to us; however, I appreciate the responses from Calmoriah and others regarding potential aids, such as the Ward Bulletin puzzles, etc.

 

 

And just as Calmoriah mentioned, my wife wonders why it would not be possible to record the talks, so both shut-in’s as well as “babysitters” could listen later.  During the discussions at our Stake training, one sister said:  "I miss the old-style chapels that had a "cry-room"--why don't we have those anymore?"  Our Stake President shook his head in agreement but did not offer an answer.

 

 

I can't find the link to this training, do you know where it is

[BookofMormonLuvr]

One thing I enjoy at our sacrament services- first Sunday of the month- is a hymn/song of meditation being played on the piano while the sacrament is being served.

[rameumptom]

A big key is not just to assign speakers a talk, but to challenge them in the assignment with certain things to ponder: will my talk inspire the members? will my talk bring them closer to Christ?  Will my talk invite the Spirit?

 

Invite them to read certain sections or paragraphs in Teach My Gospel, on creating a spiritual atmosphere.  Bishops need to explain the expectation to all the members, so they know where everyone is going.  Then explain each person's responsibility and part to encourage the Spirit.

[Okrahomer]

I can't find the link to this training, do you know where it is

 

I got the impression that the training videos will not be posted to the general public--at least for a while; however, the gist of the training has been reported here and here and here and here.

[Duncan]

I got the impression that the training videos will not be posted to the general public--at least for a while; however, the gist of the training has been reported here and here and here and here.

 

 

fair enough

[Okrahomer]

One thing I enjoy at our sacrament services- first Sunday of the month- is a hymn/song of meditation being played on the piano while the sacrament is being served.

 

My parents recall music and/or speakers during the passing of the Sacrament in their youth.  According to the historical article Nofear linked to in post #29, that was all stopped by the First Presidency in 1946--in favor of the complete silence we still have today.

[Five Solas]

I have four kids, two who are still babies.

...

I'm intrigued, bluebell.  Since you offered a bit of personal information (nothing wrong with that, I have too on the board)--please let me ask you a personal question:  18,910 posts.  If you spend ~ six minutes reading, thinking and composing your replies, that would be full-time work (assuming 40 hours/ week) for ~ a year.  Assuming you made minimum wage in Seattle--that time would be worth ~ $30,000 to your bank account, before tax.

 

1) What motivates you to make such an enormous investment MD&D?  What returns on this investment are you seeing (e.g., have your posts converted anyone to the Mormon faith)?

 

2) How do you prioritize the time you devote to this forum vis-a-vis your other responsibilities/opportunities?

 

--Erik

[bluebell]

I'm intrigued, bluebell.  Since you offered a bit of personal information (nothing wrong with that, I have too on the board)--please let me ask you a personal question:  18,910 posts.  If you spend ~ six minutes reading, thinking and composing your replies, that would be full-time work (assuming 40 hours/ week) for ~ a year.  Assuming you made minimum wage in Seattle--that time would be worth ~ $30,000 to your bank account, before tax.

 

1) What motivates you to make such an enormous investment MD&D?  What returns on this investment are you seeing (e.g., have your posts converted anyone to the Mormon faith)?

 

2) How do you prioritize the time you devote to this forum vis-a-vis your other responsibilities/opportunities?

 

--Erik

 

1)-  I need the intellectual stimulation and i love discussing religion.  I doubt my posts have converted anyone else, but they definitely helped to convert me.

 

2)- It's taken me 9 years to post 18,910 times (I joined in 2006).  That's roughly 5 posts a day (or by your calculations-30 minutes a day).  That's not really that huge of a time commitment.  

Edited June 19, 2015 by bluebell

[Okrahomer]

I'm intrigued, bluebell. Since you offered a bit of personal information (nothing wrong with that, I have too on the board)--please let me ask you a personal question: 18,910 posts. If you spend ~ six minutes reading, thinking and composing your replies, that would be full-time work (assuming 40 hours/ week) for ~ a year. Assuming you made minimum wage in Seattle--that time would be worth ~ $30,000 to your bank account, before tax.

--Erik

You might want to run the numbers again: A Full-time job = 2,080 hours or 124,800 minutes over the course of an entire year. 18,910 posts X 6 minutes = 113,460 minutes or just 1,891 hours.

But Bluebell has been posting here since 2006, which averages to just 210 hours per year or about 4 hours per week.

Edit: Oops...! Sorry for jumping in.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Okrahomer

[rpn]

I should also have mentioned that many sisters find it hard to rejuvenate spiritually when they have young children.   I was so excited when I learned that buildings were being equipped with wifi so presidencies could meet via skype.   But so far, bishops are not approving streaming the meetings to those in nursing homes, or home with sick children.   

[Okrahomer]

1)-  I need the intellectual stimulation and i love discussing religion.  I doubt my posts have converted anyone else, but they definitely helped to convert me.

Your posts have certainly been beneficial to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...

[bluebell]

Your posts have certainly been beneficial to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...

 

Thank you.  

[Duncan]

Your posts have certainly been beneficial to me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one...

 

 

YES!!!! me as well!!!!! 

[Rain]

I'm intrigued, bluebell. Since you offered a bit of personal information (nothing wrong with that, I have too on the board)--please let me ask you a personal question: 18,910 posts. If you spend ~ six minutes reading, thinking and composing your replies, that would be full-time work (assuming 40 hours/ week) for ~ a year. Assuming you made minimum wage in Seattle--that time would be worth ~ $30,000 to your bank account, before tax.

1) What motivates you to make such an enormous investment MD&D? What returns on this investment are you seeing (e.g., have your posts converted anyone to the Mormon faith)?

2) How do you prioritize the time you devote to this forum vis-a-vis your other responsibilities/opportunities?

--Erik

I'd guess she does it the same way the fathers here do it.

[Rain]

1)- I need the intellectual stimulation and i love discussing religion. I doubt my posts have converted anyone else, but they definitely helped to convert me.

2)- It's taken me 9 years to post 18,910 times (I joined in 2006). That's roughly 5 posts a day (or by your calculations-30 minutes a day). That's not really that huge of a time commitment.

I felt this way when my children were young too. Especially the couple of years when DH was out of town a huge amount of time with work. By participating on a message board I could keep my mind stimulated and get somewhat of a social life at the same time. It kept me sane when DH was gone month after month. When he stopped traveling it kept my mind going while he was stimulating his brain at work.

[HappyJackWagon]

Nobody is asking for a correlated testimony meeting.

 

A testimony is what you know to be true and how God manifested that truth in your life.  If that involves an anecdote, so be it.

What a testimony is not is an excuse to preach a pet sermon, fill us in on your entire life the past month, weep uncontrollably for no real reason, or give thanks for every cent of money and grain of food you've received item by item.

 

Of course we want people to speak as prompted by the spirit.  They can give testimony of whatever they are moved to.  There's no list or restriction.  But a testimony is a witness of a truth and it is in the bearing witness of God in their lives that others are strengthened.  That is the purpose of a testimony meeting.  That is all I was referring to.  Context is certainly not what I was speaking against.

 

And think what an aid it would be to the youth if when they stood up and said "I know this Church is true" that they both understood what that means and expressed how they know it.

Actually, there are numerous talks about what is and isn't an appropriate testimony Remember this testimony glove that is used to teach what you should bear testimony of? In some ways testimonies have become very correlated and I think that is damaging, even in the simple sense that we are to testify of what we "know" instead of what we believe or hope or have faith in.

 

ETA- sadly I couldn't include the picture of the testimony glove. Darn.

[GingerRed]

Every couple of months, my ward has a 'hymn' Sacrament meeting.   No talks are assigned. Several people in the congregation are chosen ahead of time to choose their favorite hymn, come up to the podium and give a brief introduction as to why that hymn means so much to them, ( I love hearing these background stories!) and then we sing it! That's the whole meeting!  These have been my favorite Sacrament meetings!    Sometimes we get to sing a hymn that's rarely sung, or one that's been in the hymn book forever and I haven't even heard it before! Sometimes we all stand for one of the hymns. Sometimes they choose one of MY favorites....its really cool and inspirational! 

 

Anyone else do this in their ward?

 

 

Red

Edited June 19, 2015 by GingerRed

[mnn727]

Welcome and announcements

Opening Hymn

Opening Prayer

Ward Business

Sacrament

Closing Hymn

Closing Prayer

 

Dismissal to Sunday School

[mnn727]

I don't know why YW cannot do all the ushering, giving them a role in the meeting.

 

What 'ushering'? I've lived in 6 different Wards and visited  6 or 8 others and never have seen an usher except at Stake Conference (and then they did almost nothing)

[strappinglad]

Here's a link to what it is thought a church meeting in Christ's time would look like . Some here might be a smidge uncomfortable there .

http://www.bible-history.com/jesus/jesusThe_Synagogue.htm

[bluebell]

Every couple of months, my ward has a 'hymn' Sacrament meeting.   No talks are assigned. Several people in the congregation are chosen ahead of time to choose their favorite hymn, come up to the podium and give a brief introduction as to why that hymn means so much to them, ( I love hearing these background stories!) and then we sing it! That's the whole meeting!  These have been my favorite Sacrament meetings!    Sometimes we get to sing a hymn that's rarely sung, or one that's been in the hymn book forever and I haven't even heard it before! Sometimes we all stand for one of the hymns. Sometimes they choose one of MY favorites....its really cool and inspirational! 

 

Anyone else do this in their ward?

 

 

Red

 

I always thought this sounded like a wonderful idea!  But, i was under the impression that leadership said such sacrament meetings weren't allowed, though i don't remember where i heard that.

[ksfisher]

I always thought this sounded like a wonderful idea!  But, i was under the impression that leadership said such sacrament meetings weren't allowed, though i don't remember where i heard that.

 

Our stake president has said he's been told the same thing by area leaders. 

[The Mean Farmer]

1 - 98% of the congregation arrives on-time / early.

2 - The Bishopric stands outside the chapel doors and welcomes each member with a smile and handshake. 

    2a. Bishopric members take their seat 3 minutes before meeting starts.

    2b. Actual ushering takes place.  Greet people, establish friendship and love, help families carry bags, infant seats, find seats etc..

3 - Sing loudly.  EVERYONE belts it out.  Hymns can be reverent, but don't need to be a death march.

4 - Give the speakers ample time to be ready, and have their topics posted and available to all members. Encourage them to have read, studied the topics beforehand so they can be ready to get the speakers take on it and add it to their own.  Same that CAN be done with Sunday School and Priesthood/R.S. lessons.

 

Yes, this can be a large change but currently most of us attend church meetings and are able to tune out what is being said.  We can do better by prepping ourselves and utilizing D&C 50, so that we can be edified together.  We can be ready for revelation, we can correlate sacrament meeting to the rest of the block meetings.  We can foster friendship and love between members.

[HappyJackWagon]

1 - 98% of the congregation arrives on-time / early.

2 - The Bishopric stands outside the chapel doors and welcomes each member with a smile and handshake. 

    2a. Bishopric members take their seat 3 minutes before meeting starts.

   

In mormondom early means "almost on time" which makes item 2 difficult to accomplish.

 

In other words, the bishopric can't stand and greet AND be on the stand before the meeting begins. Inevitably someone will strike up a conversation at the last possible minute.

 

I also love when the bishopric gets up to start conducting and people continue to stand in the chapel and carry on their conversations.

 

In short, I think "reverence" should be the goal while keeping a welcoming attitude. It's a tough balance to reach.

[Jeanne]

I should also have mentioned that many sisters find it hard to rejuvenate spiritually when they have young children.   I was so excited when I learned that buildings were being equipped with wifi so presidencies could meet via skype.   But so far, bishops are not approving streaming the meetings to those in nursing homes, or home with sick children.   

My Mom and a lot of others just thought Sunday was a lot of hard work.  Saturday we were all covered in shoe polish!    In a country town of about 400 people...it was bath night..h boy!