Practical application- unifying the quorum

[CV75]

1 hour ago, Avatar4321 said:

That’s why it was on my mind

Great! That in my opinion is the first step. I think the ministering brothers could solicit input from those unable to attend the councils in the 3rd hour either before or after the meeting and share in their behalf. Some communication and discussion can also occur online through a virtual council meeting throughout the week (before or after the quorum council meeting) until the leadership decides the course of action on the issue at hand.

[smac97]

17 hours ago, Avatar4321 said:

Do you guys have any ideas what we can do to unify our quorums in the various wards?

any ideas on how those of us with 3rd hour callings taking us from priesthood meeting can unite with the quorum?

I often think of this for my ward, and I look to our Relief Society for examples.  The women in our ward are a pastiche of A) older sisters (both married and widowed), B) young marrieds with no or few children (we live in Provo, so we have a lot of students), and C) a few middle-aged women (this is the smallest contingent).  We also have probably 50% or more of our ward being renters, which means a lot of moving it/out, which means a lot of women being in the ward for months or a year or so only.  So there's a lot of disparity in terms of duration, situation (retired folks, young marrieds just getting started, divorced or never-marrieds, middle-aged, etc.), financial stability, personal interests, and so on.

And despite this, our Relief Society has done a very good job of instilling and maintaining and strengthening a sense of esprit de corps ("a sense of unity and of common interests and responsibilities, as developed among a group of persons closely associated in a task, cause, enterprise, etc.").  Part of that may be attributable to some broadly applicable characteristics of women-women dynamics (as compared to men-men dynamics).  The women in our ward, compared to the men, tend to be more emotionally "open."  They hug each other.  They cry together.  They laugh and talk fairly easily.  Not all of them, mind you, but enough to create a critical mass.  Momentum.  An environment where women feel "safe" in sharing and expressing their thoughts and struggles and triumphs.  Women get together outside of the three-hour block.  Relief society activities are very well-attended.  There are no small number of informal gatherings, as well (tea parties have become very popular).  They get together to go to the temple, or other activities.

I don't observe the same dynamic among the men in my ward.  We are polite and generally friendly, to be sure.  But we are substantially more reserved in expressing or demonstrating "a sense of unity and of common interests and responsibilities" in the ways described above.  Part of that may be attributable to basic differences in male intra-gender dynamics.  Part of this may also be due to men allowing memories of past esprit de corps experiences to atrophy (for example, I have fond memories of camaraderie with my fellow missionaries in Taiwan, but not much in the way of such things in any Elders Quorum I have been in during the 20+ years since my mission).  

To some extent, I also have to wonder if men generally do not feel entitled to have the sorts of get-together activities that we see in the Relief Society, YM/YW, and Primary, and which enrich and strengthen sociability in those groups.  Do men feel that their job is to facilitate such things for the sisters and the children in the Church, but not for themselves?  That to do so would be self-indulgent?

Thanks,

-Smac

[cinepro]

16 hours ago, Calm said:

We do progressive dinners...usually about four homes.

Interesting.  Do you just sit around eating tofu burgers and talking about Bernie Sanders, or do you focus on more specific topics (the need to increase corporate income tax rates, universal healthcare, free college tuition etc.)?

Edited June 6, 2018 by cinepro

[Hamba Tuhan]

6 hours ago, smac97 said:

But we are substantially more reserved in expressing or demonstrating "a sense of unity and of common interests and responsibilities" in the ways described above.

I personally believe that the Melchizedek Priesthood is the divinely inspired 'fix' to what you describe. My closest brothers in the ward are those who've given themselves over to priesthood service. We've gone beyond friendship and even brotherhood to unity and intimacy.

Edited June 6, 2018 by Hamba Tuhan

[Avatar4321]

1 hour ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I personally believe that the Melchizedek Priesthood is the divinely inspired 'fix' to what you describe. My closest brothers in the ward are those who've given themselves over to priesthood service. We've gone beyond friendship and even brotherhood to unity and intimacy.

What does it take to reach that point? Not necessarily asking you specifically, just thinking outloud

[Hamba Tuhan]

37 minutes ago, Avatar4321 said:

What does it take to reach that point?

Well, in my case, it's only part of our quorum that has reached that point. Our meetings are an interesting mix of those who've forged a divine brotherhood by serving in the trenches together, both formally and informally, and those who seem to have no clue that this is even one of the privileges of membership. I think the sharing of experiences is an essential part of opening others' eyes. In our quorum, we begin literally every meeting with an invitation for men to share a ministering experience from the previous week. We do this to edify and uplift each other but also in the hope that those who have nothing to share might start to feel like they're missing out. I think that's just a beginning, though. It's likewise essential to invite those who seem to exist on the fringe of the quorum into the centre by taking them along when we serve. That's not always easy since often invitations are declined, but one never gives up and just keeps inviting. It's definitely all a labour of love!