General Conference Change of Venue, Smaller

[bsjkki]

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/19/21186779/general-conference-mormon-church-covid19-coronavirus-attendance-utah

Only the First Presidency, the speakers and those giving opening and closing prayers will attend each session of the April 4-5 conference, which will be moved to a small auditorium on Temple Square, according to a letter released by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

[pogi]

No live choir either - it has all been pre-recorded.  

Good move!

[ALarson]

1 hour ago, bsjkki said:

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/19/21186779/general-conference-mormon-church-covid19-coronavirus-attendance-utah

Only the First Presidency, the speakers and those giving opening and closing prayers will attend each session of the April 4-5 conference, which will be moved to a small auditorium on Temple Square, according to a letter released by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

This announcement was expected.  It's too bad, but wise to do this!

[Meadowchik]

Will this change with the new state-wide limit of ten people?

[Boanerges]

I expected this change as well. All the general authorities and officers plus the choir is a pretty large gathering. AND, look at who our Q15 are - all of them are higher risk just because of their ages. Do we really want to put them at more risk/exposure? I hope they practice good social distancing as well - six feet apart, hand washing/sanitizing, maybe even wiping the podium/microphones between each other. We can't be too careful.

As I've said before, this really affects me very little because I will be sitting on my couch watching on TV like I always do. I live on the east coast, so jammies (and my blankie) are part of my attire for the evening session. 

[Amulek]

6 hours ago, Meadowchik said:

Will this change with the new state-wide limit of ten people?

It sounds like the change was made to fall in alignment with the social gathering limitations. 

Three members of the first presidency, plus two more individuals for prayers, leaves five other spots available for other speakers, and that's assuming they don't have anyone come or go. 

 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Amulek said:

It sounds like the change was made to fall in alignment with the social gathering limitations. 

Three members of the first presidency, plus two more individuals for prayers, leaves five other spots available for other speakers, and that's assuming they don't have anyone come or go. 

 

Plus anyone needed for filming etc.

[Rain]

I did wonder if there was a family exception to the law?  I have known a few families over the years with more than 8 children.

[Amulek]

15 minutes ago, Rain said:

Plus anyone needed for filming etc.

Probably not an issue. With the smaller format, there won't be a need for moving camera shots of the crowd, choir, etc. They'll probably just set up several fixed cameras and then control everything remotely.

 

[Calm]

39 minutes ago, Rain said:

I did wonder if there was a family exception to the law?  I have known a few families over the years with more than 8 children.

Grandparents or adult children with spouses and children at home of their own

[Meadowchik]

47 minutes ago, Calm said:

Grandparents or adult children with spouses and children at home of their own

There must be exceptions for existing households, I would think. They won't be closing nursing homes, either, I assume.

ETA: So families do not seem to be subject to the limit, and nursing homes would be another case as well.

Edited March 20, 2020 by Meadowchik

[Robert F. Smith]

21 hours ago, bsjkki said:

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2020/3/19/21186779/general-conference-mormon-church-covid19-coronavirus-attendance-utah

Only the First Presidency, the speakers and those giving opening and closing prayers will attend each session of the April 4-5 conference, which will be moved to a small auditorium on Temple Square, according to a letter released by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

I would have put it in the Tabernacle, and let one organist do his socially distancing thing for us between speakers.   Maybe have a chorister lead us all in song while standing at home.  It's all in the presentation:  Perception is everything.

[Robert F. Smith]

7 hours ago, Boanerges said:

............................

As I've said before, this really affects me very little because I will be sitting on my couch watching on TV like I always do. I live on the east coast, so jammies (and my blankie) are part of my attire for the evening session. 

How about H Edward Bear?

[mfbukowski]

10 minutes ago, Robert F. Smith said:

I would have put it in the Tabernacle, and let one organist do his socially distancing thing for us between speakers.   Maybe have a chorister lead us all in song while standing at home.  It's all in the presentation:  Perception is everything.

No Mo-Tabs??  😪

 

[mfbukowski]

In the Bay Area- (San Francisco etc) cops are actually cruising the streets handing out $200. tickets to those who break the rules.

Talk about draconian-  and they could actually be spreading the disease between "crowds" that are a few members too big.

Totally wacko.

 

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

In the Bay Area- (San Francisco etc) cops are actually cruising the streets handing out $200. tickets to those who break the rules.

Talk about draconian-  and they could actually be spreading the disease between "crowds" that are a few members too big.

Totally wacko.

 

The Utah governor had to do a press conference today explaining that Utahans won’t be ticketed if they break the 10 person rule, as compliance is still voluntary. 

[Robert F. Smith]

2 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

No Mo-Tabs??  😪

Well, yeh, but prerecorded.  They have a vast collection of old broadcasts.  The whole program needs to be coordinated and highly produced.  Like a television spectacular.

[longview]

I hope they will play the Ladies Maori Choir.  It was electric!

[Scott Lloyd]

On 3/20/2020 at 1:09 PM, Robert F. Smith said:

I would have put it in the Tabernacle, and let one organist do his socially distancing thing for us between speakers.   Maybe have a chorister lead us all in song while standing at home.  It's all in the presentation:  Perception is everything.

Do you sing at home while watching conference? I never have. 

[Scott Lloyd]

On 3/20/2020 at 1:24 PM, mfbukowski said:

In the Bay Area- (San Francisco etc) cops are actually cruising the streets handing out $200. tickets to those who break the rules.

Talk about draconian-  and they could actually be spreading the disease between "crowds" that are a few members too big.

Totally wacko.

 

Salt Lake County was threatening to do that. The state had to tell the county to stand down. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

20 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Do you sing at home while watching conference?

Absolutely! We stand and sing every congregational hymn. Just like we raise our hands to sustain and say 'Amen' after the talks and prayers. And just as we joined in the Hosanna Shout that one time too. For the vast majority of us Saints who will never attend a General Conference in person, watching it on the internet (or, previously, in our chapels) makes us feel like we are there. Why wouldn't we sing with everyone else?

Edited March 24, 2020 by Hamba Tuhan

[Rain]

44 minutes ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Do you sing at home while watching conference? I never have. 

If the congregation sings we always sing.  Usually if a choir sings we just listen, but occasionally sing.

[Scott Lloyd]

38 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Absolutely! We stand and sing every congregational hymn. Just like we raise our hands to sustain and say 'Amen' after the talks and prayers. And just as we joined in the Hosanna Shout that one time too. For the vast majority of us Saints who will never attend a General Conference in person, watching it on the internet (or, previously, in our chapels) makes us feel like we are there. Why wouldn't we sing with everyone else?

Don’t know how it is where you are, but in Utah, the station breaks and voice-over announcements in the broadcast occur during the congregational singing. Not conducive to singing along. 
 

I think these are not part of the transmission carried to local meetinghouses, though, where it is customary to join in the singing with the congregation at the originating locale. 

Edited March 24, 2020 by Scott Lloyd

[Hamba Tuhan]

3 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Don’t know how it is where you are, but in Utah, the station breaks and voice-over announcements in the broadcast occur during the congregational singing. Not conducive to singing along. 

Mate, we watch via internet (and before that via satellite). There are no 'station breaks'.

[Scott Lloyd]

16 minutes ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

Mate, we watch via internet (and before that via satellite). There are no 'station breaks'.

I figured that was the case. 
 

But I’ve been viewing conference via local over-the-air broadcast since many, many years before there was such a thing as an internet, and, under the circumstances, perhaps you can see why I haven’t made a habit over the years of singing along on the congregational hymns.