JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 This might be old news but our California stake has announced that our wards will now have names instead of numbers. I have heard this is going to be happening all over. Has this been happening in Utah?
Traela Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 Our ward received a proper name when it was created about 20 years ago. I think they've mostly been phasing in the real names as new wards are created. So are they actually going to change existing wards' designations?
JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Posted October 24, 2016 31 minutes ago, Traela said: Our ward received a proper name when it was created about 20 years ago. I think they've mostly been phasing in the real names as new wards are created. So are they actually going to change existing wards' designations? In our town we have wards called 1st through 5th wards and they will now have new names based mostly on their location in the city or as decided on by the stake presidency, per instructions from Salt Lake City.
JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Posted October 24, 2016 1 hour ago, Traela said: Our ward received a proper name when it was created about 20 years ago. I think they've mostly been phasing in the real names as new wards are created. So are they actually going to change existing wards' designations? No new wards created in our town but they are also changing the boundaries of some of the existing wards as well as the name changes for all the wards.
The Nehor Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 Instead of (city name) 2nd ward they will be (city name) South ward?
JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Posted October 24, 2016 7 hours ago, The Nehor said: Instead of (city name) 2nd ward they will be (city name) South ward? Not locations as in Compass directions, but as in areas of the city. Examples: Vacaville Alamo Creek ward (formerly Vacaville 1st ward) Vacaville Summerfield ward (formerly Vacaville 2nd ward) etc.
bluebell Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 59 minutes ago, JAHS said: Not locations as in Compass directions, but as in areas of the city. Examples: Vacaville Alamo Creek ward (formerly Vacaville 1st ward) Vacaville Summerfield ward (formerly Vacaville 2nd ward) etc. Do you live in Vacaville? I served in Vacaville on my mission in 1998!
CV75 Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 14 hours ago, JAHS said: This might be old news but our California stake has announced that our wards will now have names instead of numbers. I have heard this is going to be happening all over. Has this been happening in Utah? 10-40 let's 86 the numbers 1
JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Posted October 24, 2016 56 minutes ago, bluebell said: Do you live in Vacaville? I served in Vacaville on my mission in 1998! Small world. Yep. I have been in the (formerly) 4th ward since 1990.
bluebell Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 4 minutes ago, JAHS said: Small world. Yep. I have been in the (formerly) 4th ward since 1990. I only served there for a month (came over from Woodland) and I don't remember at all which ward I was in (other than remembering that we served in a family ward as well as a Student ward). I probably have it written down somewhere. I have fond memories of the place.
rongo Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 Our stake was instructed to propose ward names to replace numbers back in November. It was actually a fiasco, and took months because the CoB kept shooting down proposals. The ward names were supposed to have "real" historical significance, and our town grew from 3,000 in 2002 to 50,000 last year. So, the names that the CoB accepted are a real stretch for historical significance, in some cases. Old-timers in the stake, including me, continue referring to the wards by their number in conversations with other old-timers, because it's the easiest to understand. Some stake leaders want this quashed, but I pointed out that certain things have an institutional memory and just continue because of relevance, such as "mutual" "enrichment." Even when newer people have no idea about the origins or meaning, and even when the Church insists on bureaucratic titles (such as whatever the homemaking/enrichment committee is technically supposed to be called nowadays), these lingering references are perpetuated. 1
Gray Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 Can we name them like sports teams? Like the Columbus Crabs, the Seattle Sea Urchins, the Denver Drifters (doesn't have to be alliterative) 3
Calm Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 1 hour ago, rongo said: Our stake was instructed to propose ward names to replace numbers back in November. It was actually a fiasco, and took months because the CoB kept shooting down proposals. The ward names were supposed to have "real" historical significance, and our town grew from 3,000 in 2002 to 50,000 last year. So, the names that the CoB accepted are a real stretch for historical significance, in some cases. That is some growth! I would go for the name of the largest subdivision in the ward boundaries.
bluebell Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 My hometown in Wyoming has 5 wards and they are all numbers (except the Student ward). It would be really difficult to come up with names that were at all relevant to the area of each ward because the town itself is only 6,000 people. It's not really big enough for distinct areas. Even the elementary schools are just called after the Cardinal directions, except one that is near the center of town named Park because it's next to a park. I'll be interested to see what happens if they are asked to make the change.
rongo Posted October 24, 2016 Posted October 24, 2016 49 minutes ago, Calm said: That is some growth! I would go for the name of the largest subdivision in the ward boundaries. Those were the first to be shot down. "No historical significance." Our area doesn't have a lot of history, unless you go back to Indians and stage routes, and those are the names that ended up being approved by Salt Lake. Some wards took months and more than three proposals. This is the type of thing that CoB bureaucrats thrive on. I don't believe that the Brethren are actively micromanaging ward names.
JAHS Posted October 24, 2016 Author Posted October 24, 2016 2 hours ago, rongo said: Our stake was instructed to propose ward names to replace numbers back in November. It was actually a fiasco, and took months because the CoB kept shooting down proposals. The ward names were supposed to have "real" historical significance, and our town grew from 3,000 in 2002 to 50,000 last year. So, the names that the CoB accepted are a real stretch for historical significance, in some cases. Old-timers in the stake, including me, continue referring to the wards by their number in conversations with other old-timers, because it's the easiest to understand. Some stake leaders want this quashed, but I pointed out that certain things have an institutional memory and just continue because of relevance, such as "mutual" "enrichment." Even when newer people have no idea about the origins or meaning, and even when the Church insists on bureaucratic titles (such as whatever the homemaking/enrichment committee is technically supposed to be called nowadays), these lingering references are perpetuated. Yeah I am sure the old timers of our stake are going to have a hard time making the switch for a while until they can remember the new names. It's going to be like the performer formerly known as Prince. ;-) It means we will also need to have all our tithing envelopes, stationary, etc. be reprinted with the new names.
Duncan Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 Our stake went to names, mostly based on the street the building was on, except for 2/6 wards but that was 1990 ish?
bluebell Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 1 hour ago, Duncan said: Our stake went to names, mostly based on the street the building was on, except for 2/6 wards but that was 1990 ish? Does each ward have a chapel all to themselves? If so that is a good way to name them. I was thinking that maybe that would work in my hometown but then i quickly realized that all five wards share two chapels. Calling them after the street the church is on wouldn't really work well, especially since one of the chapels is on 7th street (and changing from 2nd ward to 7th would just be weird!).
Rain Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 We have 8 wards in 2 square miles, similar to many Utah wards. Other stakes nearby have similar wards. It will be awfully difficult to go to names if we have to. 3
Duncan Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 5 minutes ago, bluebell said: Does each ward have a chapel all to themselves? If so that is a good way to name them. I was thinking that maybe that would work in my hometown but then i quickly realized that all five wards share two chapels. Calling them after the street the church is on wouldn't really work well, especially since one of the chapels is on 7th street (and changing from 2nd ward to 7th would just be weird!). we have 6 wards and only 2 for now have their own building but with the Temple coming they are building another chapel here but who knows what ward will go there. So, yeah it's weird with the other four wards because two of them are named after the street that the chapel is on but the two other wards (mine included) it's just kind of willy nilly what street they were named after. I don't know who makes these decisions! Maybe they will do what was done here and just pick a random street name! Funnily enough here of the 6 wards 2 wards the chapel isn't even in ward boundaries! with one ward really, isn't in ward boundaries
Marmonboy Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 Our wards still have numbers, but stake conference is coming up so we'll see. When we moved out of El Paso 10 years ago they changed the ward boundaries and named the 2 wards involved. Duncan, the chapel we go to isn't even in our stake boundaries! Every Sunday I drive into my old ward in the old stake to get to my new ward in the other stake.
Calm Posted October 26, 2016 Posted October 26, 2016 5 hours ago, Rain said: We have 8 wards in 2 square miles, similar to many Utah wards. Other stakes nearby have similar wards. It will be awfully difficult to go to names if we have to. Call them by local flora names.
JAHS Posted October 26, 2016 Author Posted October 26, 2016 The change to names instead of numbers might be a very gradual thing and might not apply in all areas. In my stake they had at first only decided to change ward boundaries to even out some numbers and when they contacted HQ to tell them they wanted to do this, they were told, while you're at it change the numbers to names also. I can imagine it might be more difficult to do this in a place like Provo that has over 120 YSA wards.
Rain Posted October 27, 2016 Posted October 27, 2016 7 hours ago, Calm said: Call them by local flora names. There ya go. Visitors might not feel welcome at the Engelmann Prickly Pear, Mojave Prickly Pear, Brittle Prickly Pear, Plains Prickly Pear, and Twist Spine Prickly Pear Wards, but maybe we can make up for it with the Violet Prickly Pear, Smooth Prickly Pear and Tulip Prickly Pear Wards. 2
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