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This was our first 5th Sunday as a ward. I want a brownie point for knowing something was up with all the GA’s we’ve had visiting past 2 years. All of them have been top of the line guys. No second tier for us. The reason… Drum roll please…. Our numbers are down. All of them. Converts, actives, missionaries, wards. You name it, we are shrinking like a drought. Panic has ensued. Call out the Missionary Power Point. Holy Geez what a nightmare.
I didn’t get wound up about it while there. In fact it was insightful. The teaching team both explained that the videos were “over the top cheesy”. And they were. Even with the warning, some dweeb felt it necessary to chastise anyone for mocking or hinting at dismissing the video. “The church made it, we need to honor it.”
What got me was that “The Church” has no new pony in the stable. Just the same tired one. Invite a friend. Ward commitment. Nothing new.
A few comments though demonstrated how tired people are about it. More than a few hands were raised pointing out that we have cut back all the fun stuff, so what do you bring your friends to. A couple other people basically said, “We’re tired”. With all the new changes we are also supposed to friend in new people?
My weekly schedule looks good though. I got that updated while I listened. How was your 5th Sunday lesson?
Our fifth Sunday wasn’t about this, but we did have a recent stake council discussion about it. You’re right, no new pony in the stable. If you keep doing the same thing over again and expect a different result… While all of what you said is happening here as well, we’re not getting the GA visitors. But as a percentage of the population we’re already way behind you. We did get a new missionary a couple weeks back, and interestingly we had visitors for the first time in several months this Sunday. Given our lackluster “worship” service and fifth Sunday presentation I ended up feeling sorry for them and wonder if they’ll be back. mom3 wrote:
Even with the warning, some dweeb felt it necessary to chastise anyone for mocking or hinting at dismissing the video. “The church made it, we need to honor it.”
I know that if I were inactive I’d show up for some of that “guy who judges me for not being fake” action. You’re in a tough spot mom3. The sales numbers for the chili fundraiser have come in and they’re not looking good. You could argue that the dead of summer is not the best time to sell chili, that maybe you could sell lemonade or ice cream or something but your task is to sell that chili! And it’s not just the leaders. Dweeb agrees.
I’ve thought about it some and I’d say that the theme of our 5th Sunday was fear. We’re afraid of:
1) Secularists taking away our religious freedoms.
2) The Second Coming.
3) Fake news.
The boogeyman is out to get us and we have to hunker down.
nibbler wrote:
The boogeyman is out to get us and we have to hunker down.
The boogeyman has a name, it is Satan, and he’s been getting some top billing of late even in the church that bears the name of another.
Quote:The boogeyman has a name, it is Satan, and he’s been getting some top billing of late even in the church that bears the name of another.
He doesn’t even have to lift a finger.
Quote:The sales numbers for the chili fundraiser have come in and they’re not looking good. You could argue that the dead of summer is not the best time to sell chili, that maybe you could sell lemonade or ice cream or something but your task is to sell that chili! And it’s not just the leaders. Dweeb agrees.
There was a suggestion to add hot dogs. But it got shot down.
My fifth Sunday was on family history getting names ready for the temple and yes, completing your 4 generations. My great grandparents had their 4 generations done, so now I have either most of the easy work done, and now I have too many temple names since I am working cousin lines. I think my ward gave up on the missionary work since we have not had a Convert baptism for the two years I have lived here. I laughed at the chili in the summer, and they shot down my hot dog idea. Lol. I think the problem with the church is the top down approach. Why not ask members what are you reservations for inviting your friends. My answer would be: who wants to be treated like crap, while paying 10% of their income? When the marginalized feel this way, they actually envy the non members who convey happiness, family values, and a care free attitude, and sense of community without church. Awesome neighbors who share and care with no strings attached. Reciprocate that love and there is no onerous obligation, just cooperation and mutual respect. mom3 wrote:
Quote:The boogeyman has a name, it is Satan, and he’s been getting some top billing of late even in the church that bears the name of another.
He doesn’t even have to lift a finger.
My observation is that he gets lots of credit for stuff he had noting to do with. But my observation about God is pretty much the same.
All of this just reinforces in my mind the fact that I need to be in jail. 
Quote:All of this just reinforces in my mind the fact that I need to be in jail.
Now there is a tender mercy.
I ducked out of formal church this weekend – kiddo was getting over a headache, Hubby was in the middle of a 20 hour school project (he had done his due diligence through the week – it was just a huge project), and I took an online class exam. I also knew it was going to be the young men talking about the joys of scout camp and some formal family history 5th Sunday presentation. But a sister in my branch and I take our kids to the cemetery to work on the billion graves project and talk – so there was ministering and family history going on.
I personally feel that the LDS church is something you do because you believe it will prepare you to pass the big test at the judgement bar and receive eternal reward. Similar to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, it is not exactly something you do for fun or for the sense of community (to be fair the LDS are somewhat less insular than the JWs). If there were no big test, I assume lots of people would not be motivated to jump through all the hurdles to become members and make lifestyle changes. Our 5th Sunday lesson was on Porn. Apparently a couple has been called as Stake Missionaries to specifically support the LDS porn self help group. Lots of what I felt were questionable statistics, misapplied science, and scare tactics. Oh, did I mention that this was a special combined 5th Sunday with the YW and YM? We had 11 yr old boys and girls in the room!
😮 :crazy: Quote:We had 11 yr old boys and girls in the room!
😮 :crazy: Geez. I hope they enjoyed learning that day. At 11 I was still trying to remind my kids to shower and deodorize. Porn was not on the radar.
jamison wrote:
My fifth Sunday was on family history getting names ready for the temple and yes, completing your 4 generations. ……. Awesome neighbors who share and care with no strings attached. Reciprocate that love and there is no onerous obligation, just cooperation and mutual respect.
I was busy with seminary prep, so I missed our lesson for adults, but my kids said that they learned about family history in their class and my teen son actually enjoyed the presentation. He also just came home from EFY, so the Spirit is strong with that one.
I love your sentence about good neighbors!
I have LONG said that if we all looked out for each other ON OUR OWN without having to “be commanded in all things,” then there would not even be a need for Visiting Teaching or Home Teaching…I mean, Ministering. We would just reach out because we WANTED to love our neighbor.
We are becoming friends with some new neighbors here (not members, no church community) and they are floored when we show thoughtfulness. Like, delivering a plate of cookies b/c I know it’s the mom’s favorite is monumental for them.
I’m thinking…eh, that’s nothing! But their expectations are SO low, that it humors me to see them get worked up about the smallest gestures. I guess church community training works.
Anyway, I would love to see a community of Saints (or anyone) who genuinely looks after each other.
Thanks for the plug.
I skipped church to go to the farmer’s market. On the way back, I saw that the neighboring Episcopal Church was having an after-worship luncheon with a bouncy castle and a sno-cone truck. I considered stopping by. They provided some very needed support last summer at a time when I needed it, and I felt the spirit while visiting. And they have sno-cones. AmyJ wrote:
But a sister in my branch and I take our kids to the cemetery to work on the billion graves project and talk – so there was ministering and family history going on.
Can you tell me more about this? I visited several cemeteries recently and was thinking that I would like to help catalog them somehow.
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