Single Adult Wards


Gatsby
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I've never been to a Singles Ward. I'm thinking about going to one since I go/went to a regular family ward.

If I decide to visit or attend a Singles Ward what should I expect? What are the differences between a regular ward and a singles Ward? What are the pros and cons of attending a Singles' Ward?

My goal is to meet new LDS friends that are in the same age range as I.

Thanks in advance.

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Singles wards are for LDS members 18-30 (there are Single ADULT wards for Singles over 30 but I think those are become fewer).

What to expect?

1. Pressure to get Married! The point of going is to be social with other people in your same age group. Hopefully people well be moved by the spirit to find someone to take to the temple. Knowing this going in, you realize what you are getting yourself into.

2. Most of it is the same, just for one age group. There isn't any kids around so sacrament is way more quiet. No primary (Or Young Womans, or Young Men) this means they have to invent new callings. Like Activies (Co-chairs, and members) FHE (Family Home Evening) some bigger singles wards has a Service committe. There is the normal ones like Relief Socity, and Elders and Sunday School.

3. Mostly they have more activites so people well hopefully hook up. Like they have a Family Home Evening every monday. Usually have some ward party once a month (if not other activties). And the usually Temple day.

My current ward has a "Scripture Study" On Sunday night, but its really a toned down verson of FHE. (In FHE you have a lesson then an activity) in this so called Scripture Study you have a lesson, and then talk to others.

Any other questions!

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I have a son almost 22yrs old and full time student and a daughter 19yrs old and a full time student living here at home and each Sunday they attend a Singles ward in our stake. We are spread out in our stake so each sunday they travel to our stake center which is about 90 miles away. My son serves as the Elders Q President and my daughter is a Teacher in Relief Society. They both enjoy it because they are attending church with people their own age and most of them going thru the same things. I to can tell they enjoy it. When they come home they are uplifted excited and you can feel the spirit they bring into our home.
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DON'T DO IT! Singles Wards are a tragedy. I used to be in charge of Young Single Adult activities when the Stake Presidency started discussing with us the possibility of a Singles Ward. I eventually talked them out of it. Part of my defense was from Chapter 8 (maybe 9, I can't exactly remember) of the Church Handbook of Instructions where it says, "The needs or single members are best met by traditional wards and branches."

However, if your area was like mine was, you may have to help teach local priesthood leaders how to utilize young adults properly. Young adults are often not given the callings and responsibilities in traditional wards that will make them feel important or like they're growing. Singles wards are just a way to avoid a larger problem of how singles are treated in the Church.

While I'm on my soap box, young single adults make the BEST teachers...especially for youth. I've heard it said so many times that having a young married person in the youth organization is such a great idea because it sets an example of how important worthy marriage is to the youth. Well, turns out that most youth aren't confused about the importance of marriage, or about how marriage works. If they have a functional family, they've usually got some idea of how these things work. What does worry the youth a little is how to survive post high school and college as a single person. That tends to be something they don't see a lot of examples of.

Disclaimer:

There are some cases where singles wards make sense. Usually in areas around colleges where the membership is predominantly single students (and therefore transient). Singles wards work very well in these areas. They are also wise to require the members of these units who get married to start attending 'married' wards. It's kind of awkward to go back to a ward where you've been flirting with half of the membership.

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I'm going to disagree with MarginOfError on this one. I think Single's Wards are very useful and SAs need to determine for themselves if they should attend or not.

I was in the single's branch (I believe the same one that Jbs2763 is in--but many years prior--I was in it when it first started) and loved my time there. Not only do you get the opportunity to meet people in the same state of life you are in, but you have a better opportunity to serve and gain experience in callings that you probably would never have in a traditional family ward.

Although the CHI says that singles are best served in family wards, if there weren't a need for them, the church wouldn't allow them to happen. Hence, the Single Adult Wards (not the Young Single Adult wards) were done away with several years ago (although now there are some Mid-Single Adult wards, but I believe they are a unit within a traditional family ward).

My advice is to go to the Single's Ward and see how you like it. Don't base your decision on one visit and do what you can to make friends with people there. One of the major cons of a Single's Wards are the tendency to be "clickish." Unfortunately, many people tend to form groups and it appears that "outsiders" aren't invited. I would say to avoid "belonging" to just one group and get to know as many people as you can.

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I'm going to disagree with MarginOfError on this one. I think Single's Wards are very useful and SAs need to determine for themselves if they should attend or not.

I was in the single's branch (I believe the same one that Jbs2763 is in--but many years prior--I was in it when it first started) and loved my time there. Not only do you get the opportunity to meet people in the same state of life you are in, but you have a better opportunity to serve and gain experience in callings that you probably would never have in a traditional family ward.

\

you were in the Indy 4th?? how many years ago? im borderline too old for this one now lol

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you were in the Indy 4th?? how many years ago? im borderline too old for this one now lol

Umm, it's been at least 7 years since I was there last. I don't think anyone that I once knew is still there...except perhaps one of the counselors. At least I think he's still a counselor. He was the HP assigned to our branch. And I have many fond memories of branch activities at his house in the hottub or on his boat on Lake Michigan.

Oh, and I hear ya about being too old. That's what happened to me...just grew up I guess. I love being in a family ward now. Although I miss the activities we used to have (see above paragraph...can't get much better than playing around on the yacht at Lake Michigan!).

Edited by beefche
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I appreciate your disagreement beefche, and I'll reemphasize what I said about leaders needing to be trained to use young single adults properly. There's no doubt that singles wards are a solution (in spite of my viewing them as a tragedy)...I'm suggesting that they just aren't the best solution.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I attend a singles branch and although people do hook up and get married it doesn't necessarily mean that there is a ton of pressure to get married.

I feel the whole point of going to a YSA ward is to allow the young single adults to feel more comfortable going to church. If they happen to get married along the way then good for them.

I tried staying with the home ward for awhile. I served as the Elders Quorum secretary and that was kind of fun. I thought it was kind of cool that many of my former youth leaders taught Sunday School or had some kind of roll in the Elders quorum.

As time went on though I began to feel out of place. There weren't many people around my age. Those that were around my age were newly weds and it was kind of awkward for a young single guy to try to hang out with a newly married guy. We were in different stages in life so we didn't totally relate.

I eventually moved to the local Single Branch. Honestly it was kind of cliquey for the first bit. Once we ended up getting a new Branch presidency though they switched some tings up and the cliques began to break up and people got along.

Even when it was all cliquey I still felt more comfortable in a singles branch with people closer to my age that I could relate to.

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  • 4 months later...

If you attend a Single’s Ward, you will inevitably discover what I did when I first began attending one. G-d evidently communicates via text-messaging.

this is the reason for the combined PH,RS,YM,YW meeting today about proper behavior in the chapel.

guard...i mean bishopric ...are going to be stationed inside the closed doors of the chapel about 1/2 hr before the meeting. no visiting in the chapel before the meeting.

:offtopic: sorry!

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  • 2 months later...

DON'T DO IT! Singles Wards are a tragedy. I used to be in charge of Young Single Adult activities when the Stake Presidency started discussing with us the possibility of a Singles Ward. I eventually talked them out of it. Part of my defense was from Chapter 8 (maybe 9, I can't exactly remember) of the Church Handbook of Instructions where it says, "The needs or single members are best met by traditional wards and branches."

I'd say in my situation, the opposite has happened.

We had a really good YSA program in the traditional stake. I go off on a mission and return, and the whole program has fallen apart! I went about a year just living life and I really didn't know any of the single adults in my area that whole time. A lot of them were off at college. The ward had new YSA leaders who never taught class, all the YSAs at home had callings, so they never saw each other on Sundays. Stake activities were twice a year, ward activities were once a month (if I could make them). I felt like I didn't know anyone from my area, so I visited the college ward.

At first, the ward was amazing. Right now, it is all right, but I still attend for the social aspect.

I'd say visit the ward once a month, get to know people and the ward, then compare wards and evaluate your situation and goals.

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  • 2 weeks later...

DON'T DO IT! Singles Wards are a tragedy.

Why? What was your experience in Singles Wards that you consider them such a tragedy?

Now some singles are more comfortable in family wards. They like the opportunities for service that are there. Others (like myself) prefer to be with people in our own stage of life.

I see singles wards as providing much more opportunity for making friends in the church. Just maybe one of them will we one you want to be with for eternity.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Are there any SA or YSA Wards in MI? Are there strict guidelines on the ages of ward members? I feel more comfortable in a singles setting, since I'm single. Plus, I fond out that any singles group, especially in the non-Mormon churches, that has more activities for singles. Thanks!:):cool:

yes, im sure there is a ysa group in michigan, several actually, what city in michigan are you in? are you near a major city? or a major college?

the ysa age bracket is 18-31, and SA is 31-199

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Grand Rapids. Tried looking at the LDS site, but didn't see any around the age of 40.

yes, im sure there is a ysa group in michigan, several actually, what city in michigan are you in? are you near a major city? or a major college?

the ysa age bracket is 18-31, and SA is 31-199

Edited by GNews4BadTimes
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Guest Alana

I've been in YSA branches, where we were lucky to have 10 members some day, and in wards where we weren't the only YSA ward in the stake. They were both a lot QUIETER than a 'family ward.'

There were negatives and positives to both. In the smaller branch I was in, I'd say the negatives out weighed the positives, but none the less, that was the right place to be. Single wards are created to support a certain demographic. You will find support and strength there that you can not get in a family ward. Of course it might be argued you'll find other strengths in a family ward that otherwise wouldn't be in a YSA ward. The point though is that creating these wards are a divinely guided part of the church organization and so I encourage you to go. As for what to expect, the congregation differs as much as any ward due to location. Sometimes there's dating 'drama' (though this usually seems to follow certain people.) Sometimes there is a tight social net, sometimes no one seems to know each other. Either way, it can be positive, hope you enjoy it.

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