The Church Is Shrinking In My Area

[rockpond]

I've heard people say that the church is bleeding members, or that it's the beginning of the end for the church, many different times.

The latest was a quote that was given in an article in the mass resignation event.

Have you really never heard ex Mormons and critics say such things?

 

I heard the quote from Elder Jensen that we were in the midst of an apostasy that is worse than anything we've seen since Kirtland.

 

I don't listen much to ex-Mormons or critics so maybe they are talking about it and I don't know.

 

I'll have to look for the article on the "mass resignation" event.  I didn't pay much attention to it because I didn't really see 90+ people resigning as a "mass event".

 

Edited to add:  I just read an RNS article and a SLTrib article on the "mass" resignation event.  I didn't see anything in those articles about the slowing growth rate.

Edited July 30, 2015 by rockpond

[bluebell]

 

 

Edited to add:  I just read an RNS article and a SLTrib article on the "mass" resignation event.  I didn't see anything in those articles about the slowing growth rate.

 

I'll just quote it for you so you don't have to dig for it.

 

"Brent Parkin said he resigned three months ago after protracted discussions with the lay bishop of his Mormon congregation.

He described the participants at the mass resignation — which took place the day after Pioneer Day, a celebration of the Mormon settlers' arrival in Utah — as pioneers at the early stages of what will be a mass exodus of disaffected Latter-day Saints.

"The house of cards," he said, "is falling down."

[rockpond]

I'll just quote it for you so you don't have to dig for it.

 

"Brent Parkin said he resigned three months ago after protracted discussions with the lay bishop of his Mormon congregation.

He described the participants at the mass resignation — which took place the day after Pioneer Day, a celebration of the Mormon settlers' arrival in Utah — as pioneers at the early stages of what will be a mass exodus of disaffected Latter-day Saints.

"The house of cards," he said, "is falling down."

 

You take that statement as him referring to the slowing growth rate of the church?

 

I read it and didn't interpret it that way.  I thought he was referring to some of the issues that were earlier in the article like the topics the essays deal with.

[Gray]

I'll just quote it for you so you don't have to dig for it.

 

"Brent Parkin said he resigned three months ago after protracted discussions with the lay bishop of his Mormon congregation.

He described the participants at the mass resignation — which took place the day after Pioneer Day, a celebration of the Mormon settlers' arrival in Utah — as pioneers at the early stages of what will be a mass exodus of disaffected Latter-day Saints.

"The house of cards," he said, "is falling down."

 

I think some ex-Mormons tend to engage in a lot of wishful thinking about the demise of the church. Stagnation is not the same thing as "the house of cards falling down." 

Edited July 30, 2015 by Gray

[bluebell]

You take that statement as him referring to the slowing growth rate of the church?

I read it and didn't interpret it that way. I thought he was referring to some of the issues that were earlier in the article like the topics the essays deal with.

I interpret it as a symbolic gleeful hand rub over the church losing members.

Slow growth or people leaving--I don't think critics care how it happens.

[bluebell]

I think some ex-Mormons tend to engage in a lot of wishful thinking about the demise of the church. Stagnation is not the same thing as "the house of cards falling down."

I agree.

[Okrahomer]

Yep, that's exactly where my family is from. Powell and Byron specifically.

I wonder if we know each other?!?

 

You might know some of my relatives, but I grew up in Oklahoma.

[cinepro]

I've gotten news that we are going to dissolve perhaps two wards in our stake. The news is we have few active MP holders.

I do the counting on my fingers and it seems we have tons of MP holders, but we also have a ton of retired-aged people who come religiously but don't have any callings. Since we've lived here (8years) I've had two or three callings simultaneously (right now I feel a little light in that I am the 2nd councilor in elders (2 years) and a youth SS teacher (3 or 4 years now)).

Ah well, just curious if other dissolving is happening out there. are we seeing the effects of the Church losing?

Perhaps it's a lack of faith in your area? I, on the other hand, have confidence in my ward's ability to grow. In fact, I am expecting miracles in the next few years, and I would go so far as to predict my ward will grow by 15 - 30%.

On an unrelated note, my city has recently announced approval for over 3500 new houses to be built in several new developments in our ward boundaries.

Edited July 30, 2015 by cinepro

[bluebell]

You might know some of my relatives, but I grew up in Oklahoma.

Pm me their last name. Now I'm curious.

[Stone holm]

What you need is a general authority to visit and divide wards exactly in half, right down the middle, assigning half the ward to either of the two major parties.  This was done a century ago when Mormons were voting as a block and the Brethren saw that it was very harmful politically -- as it is in Utah today.

Ward is too small to divide and in this case don't think it would be helpful because neither side is enamored with us. It has been helpful on occasion in keeping politics out of our Ward. When the Church was sending out letters to Stake Presidents in the battle against Civil Unions in Vermont, they overlooked our Ward because we were in a NH Stake. So while other Wards had their Priesthood Quorums converted into political PACs organizing the fight -- we got left out, and then later when NH went through the same thing we were able, actually the Relief Society was able, to tell the Stake to take a hike as half the Ward were Vermonters. Unfortunately, although our Ward is very good at keeping the politics to a minimum -- the public reacts to the overall political image of the Church which is pretty much established by Utah and unpopular by most groups in our part of New England.

[Avatar4321]

It seems to me that there was a period of great dissension among the nephites right before Nephi and Lehi converted all the laminates with the power of God and the fire of the Spirit.

I see no reason why the Lord won't do the same today

[Thinking]

I am convinced If it weren't for the priesthood men would be much less involved in the spiritual growth of their families.

 

Sometimes we get the calling because of what we contribute, sometimes we get the calling because of what it contributes to our lives.

 

I used to joke that the priesthood was the great equalizer. It's what elevates males to begin to approach the level of females.