How was two hour church?

[cherryTreez]

It was so nice to have a short nursery time. My son just went into sunbeams.  He hated it and kept trying to come back to nursery and me. My poor husband had a struggle with him the whole time.  I don't know if this boy will ever be going to class alone. 

     So yes, one less hour of church was amazing. We had family over for dinner after since my oldest was ordained to a Teacher today. 

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Is this because more people are coming to church? Or is there some other mechanism I'm missing? (Fewer teachers in primary?)

Part of it is because there are no other Sunday school classes anymore, like gospel principles. 

[Scott Lloyd]

Apparently the teacher was the only one who hadn’t gotten the message that gospel doctrine will now be held in the third oveflow to accommodate the much larger class size. So she had already written her stuff on the white board in the Relief Society room, and we had to shoehorn ourselves in there. 

Other than that hitch, it was a very good lesson. Good discusssion, insightful comments, evidence that many if not all had studied the material beforehand as individuals and/or families. Made me glad Sunday School was not jettisoned for the shortened schedule. 

Also, Sunday School seemed considerably longer than before — which it was. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Scott Lloyd

[Scott Lloyd]

3 hours ago, hope_for_things said:

There weren’t enough chairs for everyone in GD class, I think they should split it into two classes.  

Move it to one or more chapel overflows like we did. 

Splitting the class is not optimal. One teacher becomes the more popular, making the other feel like a scrub. 

[Scott Lloyd]

4 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I attended two wards yesterday, my own and the one we share the building with. (The stake president asked me to attend both in order to detect any concerns or issues.) Our sacrament meeting ran 8 minutes overtime. We're going to have to do something about that; we regularly ran overtime with testimonies at 70 minutes. It was a good service. I loved sustaining seven Aaronic Priesthood ordinations at the beginning! Sunday school was excellent, with everyone engaged. Clearly most people had studied in preparation and had things to share. We were on topic the whole time. The time flew.

The second ward also had a solid testimony meeting ... and ended on time. No Aaronic Priesthood ordinations or advancements. Their Sunday school was a bit rough. First, the teacher called on someone to give the opening prayer. Then he spent most of the time on what seemed like pet topics instead of the assigned study for the week -- very 'academic'. Interestingly, the class members were all still engaged and clearly prepared, and the comments were of value to me, though the time didn't pass as fast, in my opinion.

Attendance in both wards seemed normal for this time of year. (Many people are still away on holidays, but there were also quite a few visitors.)

I started my day with 6am stake presidency meeting and got home at 4:30pm, after visiting some elderly shut-ins, which was possibly a record return time for me!

I also liked the sustaining of a number of young men to priesthood office all at once. I’m at a loss to explain why except that it seems more efficient and businesslike than having them stand in turn in front of the congregation while the bishop brags the boy up. We don’t do that with offices in the Melchizedek Priesthood. 

[Scott Lloyd]

1 hour ago, bluebell said:

Part of it is because there are no other Sunday school classes anymore, like gospel principles. 

I think that’s the chief reason why. 

[Scott Lloyd]

4 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I attended two wards yesterday, my own and the one we share the building with. (The stake president asked me to attend both in order to detect any concerns or issues.) Our sacrament meeting ran 8 minutes overtime. We're going to have to do something about that; we regularly ran overtime with testimonies at 70 minutes. It was a good service. I loved sustaining seven Aaronic Priesthood ordinations at the beginning! Sunday school was excellent, with everyone engaged. Clearly most people had studied in preparation and had things to share. We were on topic the whole time. The time flew.

The second ward also had a solid testimony meeting ... and ended on time. No Aaronic Priesthood ordinations or advancements. Their Sunday school was a bit rough. First, the teacher called on someone to give the opening prayer. Then he spent most of the time on what seemed like pet topics instead of the assigned study for the week -- very 'academic'. Interestingly, the class members were all still engaged and clearly prepared, and the comments were of value to me, though the time didn't pass as fast, in my opinion.

Attendance in both wards seemed normal for this time of year. (Many people are still away on holidays, but there were also quite a few visitors.)

I started my day with 6am stake presidency meeting and got home at 4:30pm, after visiting some elderly shut-ins, which was possibly a record return time for me!

I think your bishop needs to take the change more seriously. Your meeting was only two minutes shorter than before. Going overtime encroaches on the classes that come afterward. Once people realize the closing time will be strictly adhered to, they’ll stop approaching the pulpit when it’s nearly time to close. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Scott Lloyd

[Tacenda]

28 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Apparently the teacher was the only one who hadn’t gotten the message that gospel doctrine will now be held in the third oveflow to accommodate the much larger class size. So she had already written her stuff on the white board in the Relief Society room, and we had to shoehorn ourselves in there. 

Other than that hitch, it was a very good lesson. Good discusssion, insightful comments, evidence that many if not all had studied the material beforehand as individuals and/or families. Made me glad Sunday School was not jettisoned for the shortened schedule. 

Also, Sunday School seemed considerably longer than before — which it was. 

bold mine

Is this because it got started right on time? I know in the past when going to Sunday School, people slowly went into class, a lot of the time because they were chit chatting with each other after Sacrament, so was wondering what you meant by SS being longer than before.

[Scott Lloyd]

“Ward business” at sacrament meeting was very minimal. The ward clerk is now tasked with the duty of sending around an email beforehand with the announcements and other part of the printed program on a PDF attachment. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

21 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I also liked the sustaining of a number of young men to priesthood office all at once. I’m at a loss to explain why except that it seems more efficient and businesslike ...

I liked it because it felt powerful and sent a message of trust to our boys.

[Hamba Tuhan]

14 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I think your bishop needs to take the change more seriously.

I think our bishop takes the change seriously. I reside in a ward where people stampede the pulpit the instant the meeting is opened up for testimonies. I'm not sure what the solution is. Possibly telling people who are sitting behind the microphone that they will have to wait till next month?

[Hamba Tuhan]

4 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

The ward clerk is now tasked with the duty of sending around an email beforehand with the announcements and other part of the printed program on a PDF attachment. 

Half our ward don't have email. We still have a printed newsletter. After church yesterday, I threw about 75 of them in the bin. 

[Scott Lloyd]

Just now, Tacenda said:

bold mine

Is this because it got started right on time? I know in the past when going to Sunday School, people slowly went into class, a lot of the time because they were chit chatting with each other after Sacrament, so was wondering what you meant by SS being longer than before.

That may be part of it, but it’s mainly because the scheduled time is indeed longer — 50 minutes as compared with 40 minutes before. 

Also, the opening prayer has been discontinued. 

If anything, there may have been some slight delay this time, as people had to move themselves from the chapel overflow into the RS room because the teacher hadn’t gotten the word about the change in room. 

[Scott Lloyd]

2 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I think our bishop takes the change seriously. I reside in a ward where people stampede the pulpit the instant the meeting is opened up for testimonies. I'm not sure what the solution is. Possibly telling people who are sitting behind the microphone that they will have to wait till next month?

That seems a bit draconian. Does the bishop announce at the outset when testimony bearing will conclude?

[Hamba Tuhan]

31 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Move it to one or more chapel overflows like we did. 

'One or more'? How many chapels do you have in your meetinghouse? Our overflow is a dark, cramped space that is so narrow that chairs can't really be circled comfortably. It would hold three rows of chairs all facing forwards if they're not spaced out too far.

[Tacenda]

Just now, Scott Lloyd said:

That may be part of it, but it’s mainly because the scheduled time is indeed longer — 50 minutes as compared with 40 minutes before. 

Also, the opening prayer has been discontinued. 

If anything, there may have been some slight delay this time, as people had to move themselves from the chapel overflow into the RS room because the teacher hadn’t gotten the word about the change in room. 

Oh, I guess I hadn't realized that the time increased, awesome! I was thinking it was going to be such a rushed feeling of trying to teach a lesson within the alloted time. I guess my inactivity has caused my memory to lapse on the time situation.

I didn't attend today. Our church was changed from 1:00 to 9:00. I wanted to go, but a bad night sleep wise, caused me to wake at 8:20 and I thought I wouldn't make it.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Just now, Scott Lloyd said:

Does the bishop announce at the outset when testimony bearing will conclude?

Yes. We still had five people in the queue when that time arrived yesterday.

[Scott Lloyd]

7 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

I liked it because it felt powerful and sent a message of trust to our boys.

I got a similar vibe. 

[Scott Lloyd]

1 hour ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

'One or more'? How many chapels do you have in your meetinghouse? Our overflow is a dark, cramped space that is so narrow that chairs can't really be circled comfortably. It would hold three rows of chairs all facing forwards if they're not spaced out too far.

We only have one chapel, but there can be up to three overflows, depending on how many accordion-like dividers are pulled open. When dividers are closed, the overflows can be used as classroom or meeting space. Our elders quorum routinely meets in one of them. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Scott Lloyd

[Calm]

I have never been in a church with more than one overflow section, unless you include the cultural hall behind.

[Hamba Tuhan]

5 minutes ago, Calm said:

I have never been in a church with more than one overflow section, unless you include the cultural hall behind.

Same.

[Scott Lloyd]

4 minutes ago, Calm said:

I have never been in a church with more than one overflow section, unless you include the cultural hall behind.

In our building, there is no cultural hall as such. When we have an activity for which a cultural hall is needed, the stake center, within easy driving distance for all of our ward members, is used. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 minute ago, Scott Lloyd said:

In our building, there is no cultural hall as such.

The only time I've ever seen this has been in little phase one chapels built for new branches.

[Scott Lloyd]

59 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

The only time I've ever seen this has been in little phase one chapels built for new branches.

I acknowledge it wouldn’t work in stakes that are far flung geographically. But it has been many years since I have met in a meetinghouse with a traditional cultural hall. 

Edited to add: That said, our overflows, with the dividers opened up, can fulfill some of the functions of a cultural hall. In fact, in the past our meetinghouse has been a popular location for wedding receptions because people like the look of the exterior and the building is conveniently located and accessible. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Scott Lloyd

[JAHS]

Not only was the time shorter but we also moved into another smaller church building today which is actually closer to where most people live (we were meeting in the stake center).
They had to shuffle a few classes around that were too crowded and the chapel certainly looked fuller but not sure if there were more people or because it is a smaller chapel.