Guest saintish Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 I have been in wards of all different sizes but this past Sunday I attended possibly the smallest ward in my life. As I understand there were over 300 members on the books but only 50! In attendance. I asked if this was normal, they told me usually there are 75 to 80. So less than 1/3 of the ward is active. I guess my question is how common is this? And, do branches exist in the US anymore? (besides YSA branches) what distinguishes between a large branch and a small ward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applepansy Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Yes there are branches in the Odgen, Utah area. Mostly Spanish speaking.... and many of those Spanish speaking branches have become wards, but not all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saintish Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Yes there are branches in the Odgen, Utah area. Mostly Spanish speaking.... and many of those Spanish speaking branches have become wards, but not all.wouldn't those be considered specialty branches, like YSA branches? Gosh even those are becoming wards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 I know someone in a branch in South Dakota - 40 people - and they still have missionaries there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 There are many branches in the US. I know of 2 members of this site that belong to a branch. One in Alabama and one in Missouri. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Oh yeah, Missouri. My missionary got sent to the branch in Hannibal. : ( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Everytime I hear the name Hannibal..I think of Hannibal Lechter. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saintish Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 what is the difference between a small ward and a branch then? why wouldn't they just have small wards instead of branches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rameumptom Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 The Montgomery Alabama stake has 4 wards and 8 branches. None of the branches has more than 50 in attendance on any given Sunday. One of the wards is a favorite for Air Force officers attending the 10 month long officer schools/training (Air War College, etc). During the summers the Prattville ward is often down to 75 active members in attendance until the next class of officers show up. Here in Indianapolis West stake, we have 2 branches. One is out in the country, Greencastle. The other is an inner-city Spanish branch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 There are many branches in the US. I know of 2 members of this site that belong to a branch. One in Alabama and one in Missouri.Ahem, you know me- I am from a Branch in Oregon. The difference is that Branch's have less people, and if putting those less people into neighboring Wards makes the Wards too big, then they remain a Branch.The area the people live in our Branch encompasses a lot of land. The neighboring Ward used to be the largest Ward in the Stake. 80 of it's members (30 families) were just reassigned and are now in our Branch. About half of them are inactive. Our membership needs to double for us to attain Ward status. That is something we are working on, that and helping our inactives become active again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 The reasons between ward and branch are usually leadership. If there are sufficient active members to support a ward it is a ward. Staffing for all auxiliaries etc. It does happen but not common for a ward to become a branch. Very common that branches become wards as membership grows. Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saintish Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 So is it up to the stake / district president or does it go higher than that? Basically there are no set rules for what is a branch or a ward, is that right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 It goes from a stake level up to SLC. Decision is made there based on recommendation of Stake Presidency. There are certain levels needed to grow or shrink. I don't know them any longer. Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vort Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 And, do branches exist in the US anymore? (besides YSA branches) what distinguishes between a large branch and a small ward?I grew up in branches. Yes, they still exist.A ward is a regularly organized unit of a stake. I know of two types of branches: Dependent branches and independent branches. Dependent branches are usually very small and are financially dependent on a sponsoring ward. They typically are used when a small group of people live far enough away from the main ward that travel is prohibitively difficult. An independent branch has no sponsoring ward, and can be quite large, but lacks sufficient Melchizedek Priesthood presence to staff all the needed positions in the ward.Or so is Vort's non-authoritative understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saintish Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 Never heard of dependent and independent Branches, thanks. you learn something new every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 When I was a full time missionary in Puerto Rico I served as a Branch President of a dependent branch. We collected tithing, didn't open it and took it to the Branch President of the branch we were dependent on. That dependent branch is now a ward. Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwen Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 I'm in a branch (in Alabama). Over the years it's not been uncommon for my kids to be the entire primary (we currently have 7 kids in primary and 5 are mine). We went through a time when we had 4 or less mel. priesthood holders in the area, some lived 30 min from the branch building. Our nearest ward is an hour away, it's 2 hours to the stake ctr. There was a branch about 20 min or so from us that was even smaller than we are, this branch was closed and merged with ours last Sunday. We just doubled in size and we had..... 30 or so people there Sunday. Our building maxes out at about 60 or so in attendance. We have a piano that is really a glorified keyboard and it has many of the hymns programed in, before that we did the music off of cd's. hummmmm what else would you find visiting us that doesn't happen in a ward..... We are on a 2 hour meeting schedule, sunday school is home study. The priesthood often use their hour to go visit inactive members, those who are sick, new move in's (usually inactive), etc. We have no missionaries. We don't have pews and a "chapel". Just one room we set up chairs and if we have an activity after we clear them and set up for the next thing. You will also find we are a very close group. We are diverse in ethnicity. No one can visit without a proper welcome, you can't go unnoticed. We don't look like your typical ward members, for some their best isn't "typical" LDS expected. Is it the ideal situation? I guess not........ but.... I'd raise my kids in a branch over a ward if I'm ever given the choice. We have our challenges but I prefer it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzy16 Posted June 27, 2011 Report Share Posted June 27, 2011 My stake has several branches. I'm in upstate NY. Although, I attend a ward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Backroads Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I see branches all the time in my line of work, usually of Spanish or Tongan. The Liberty, Idaho ward could potentially double in size because of the local BSA camp's staff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 My dad lives in a branch about 90 minutes from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is in Arizona between Kingman, AZ and Las Vegas. They have a Class A building. This is the one room meeting area with folding chairs. There are also several classrooms in the building and an office. Primary is usually in the kitchen. Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahlia Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I don't know what I was thinking - we have branches around our ward. Sometimes couples are called to work in the branches. I'd consider that a hardship assignment. The branches are far out and we have some terrible winter weather. I wouldn't go on the highway in some of the weather we have. Shoot, I've almost gotten in accidents just going on our city streets in the snow. There were several Sundays when I wasn't sure I was going to get to Sacrament Meeting in one piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I don't know what I was thinking - we have branches around our ward. Sometimes couples are called to work in the branches. I'd consider that a hardship assignment. The branches are far out and we have some terrible winter weather. I wouldn't go on the highway in some of the weather we have. Shoot, I've almost gotten in accidents just going on our city streets in the snow. There were several Sundays when I wasn't sure I was going to get to Sacrament Meeting in one piece. Well even if you made it in 2 pieces..the Lord doesn't mind. As long as you are there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 My smallest branch was in Harlan, KY. On my mission, this little branch barely had 20 members show up every week. Back then, the church building (a triple wide trailer) was burned down. It has since been rebuilt, but that was one of the smallest, and most emotionally volatile congregation I was ever in. (But we did baptize there!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saldrin Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 A branch is were every one has 3 callings 2 grudges and a feud. jk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bytebear Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 When I was on my mission, I was in a branch where we met in a conference room in a business office. We had no music accompanying hymns, so we just sang acapella. Growing up, my Salt Lake stake had a branch that was basically the "old folks home." Because the members couldn't go to church, the church came to them. The sacrament was administered by a different ward's Aaronic priesthood each week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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