Question about Financial Status of High Priests in my ward

[bds4206]

I was looking for some opinions on High Priests. I made the observation to my fiance last week that I found it funny that it seemed that almost all of the High Priests in our ward are pretty financially well off. Bank Chairman, Defense Engineers, etc. My question to her was if she thought that they were High Priests in part due to their wealth and social stature, or if they were blessed for their righteousness. She got a little defensive, as she knows that I am natually suspicious of the role money plays in most things...I don't and didn't mean anything offensive by it. I don't believe that High Priest positions and callings are bought in my ward...or anything of the sort. However does seem to be a direct correlation between wealth / social stature outside of the church and callings / positions inside the church. At least in my ward. Now to be fair my ward is in a pretty affluent area and there is a major engineer employer in the area that alot of our members work at as Engineers and all make very very very good money there. So as a whole the amount of wealthy high priests is probably somewhat in line with our population as a whole..but I can't help but to wonder why there are no deli clerks, or brokers, or insurance salesmen in the bishop bric or High Priest group. Surely there are righteous men in our ward that are not wealthy.... Also to be fair, most of the engineers that I've met in our ward went to BYU, and grew up in the church and had strong up bringings. Something that obviously makes it much more likely that they'd grow to be successful, blessed, and righteous.

I'd love to know from people in other affluent area's if their leadership is similar. I'd especially love to hear from some members in poorer, inner city area's. What does your leadership look like? I have only asked a few people I know in my area this question, as I'm sure that there would be plenty offended. I'm not sure why they would be, but money seems to be a touchy subject around my ward....go figure lol.

Edited June 29, 2012 by bds4206

[Wingnut]

Most high priests tend to be over 40 years old, and are generally more advanced in their careers than younger men tend to be. It naturally follows that they're more likely to be richer, or at least more well off, than younger men.

[estradling75]

In my ward most of the High Priest are retired and their kids are all grown up...

Most of the elders are starting their careers, and starting their family. And while families are called our greatest treasure, from a strictly financial view point they are a great financial black hole that sucks all you can give and demands more.

But money isn't the treasures we should be looking to store up.

[Windseeker]

When I lived in the NW I used to know the founder of Hollywood Video and he was an Elder and also a multi-millionaire. There is an Elder in my current ward who is also a mulit-millionaire. In my same ward we have a counselor in the Bishopbric, also a High Priest who lost his job and is struggling.

I understand where you are coming from though. I've come to accept that many called to high positions within the church are financially stable and even independent (work by choice).

My own father was an exception, when I returned home from my mission he was called to be a Bishop just after he claimed bankruptcy and while he was living in a two bedroom apartment with 4 children. The ward where he served had some very wealthy people including a VP of Boeing who everyone assumed would be called as my father had only been in the ward less than a month.

[Vort]

I was looking for some opinions on High Priests. I made the observation to my fiance last week that I found it funny that it seemed that almost all of the High Priests in our ward are pretty financially well off. Bank Chairman, Defense Engineers, etc. My question to her was if she thought that they were High Priests in part due to their wealth and social stature, or if they were blessed for their righteousness.

It is indeed a blessing to be a high priest, but no moreso than to be an elder. Holding the Melchizedek Priesthood is a blessing. Office is irrelevant, except insofar as your calling and responsibilities might require.

However does seem to be a direct correlation between wealth / social stature outside of the church and callings / positions inside the church. At least in my ward.

Might there be other reasons for that than a wealth bias? If your observation is correct, a more likely reason would be that a common factor is behind both wealth and Church "status".

What do high priests do? They lead. That is the purpose of the office of high priest -- to preside. Excepting only quorum presidents, only high priests (including apostles, seventies, and patriarchs) hold keys of Priesthood leadership. Is it not likely that the same leadership qualities that tend to lead to a man being called to leadership positions in the Church also might provide business success?

..but I can't help but to wonder why there are no deli clerks, or brokers, or insurance salesmen in the bishop bric or High Priest group.

How sure are you that there are not? My high priest group includes a bus driver, a grocer, a carpenter, and several low-level professionals in addition to the business owner and the lawyer. Our elders quorum has at least as many professionals along with a dentist and other independent businessmen.

If you really want to follow through on this conspiracy theory investigation (and I think it would be better not to), a better system would be to look at the oldest elders and the youngest high priests and see if they break out along monetary lines. Or perhaps better, do a cross-section of all active men between the ages of 40 and 50 (or 35 and 55, or whatever gives you a good sample group) and see if the 45-year-old elders are poor and the 45-year-old high priests wealthy. My guess is that you will find far less separation than you imagine. Your admitted sensitivity biases you to see things a certain way, and I'm guessing that's the case here.

[NeuroTypical]

First of all, I share your healthy understanding of the role money plays in most things. "Follow the money" is a good rule of thumb that helps a lot of the things I see in life make sense to me.

But secondly, I haven't noticed what you describe in any of the half dozen wards I've lived in. When we moved into a place in Denver, a guy wearing a gas utility uniform knocked on our door and introduced himself as our bishop. I personally know plenty of poor HP's. I also know a few young HP's, one became HP while deployed in the military, one is a working guy like me with a young family. In one affluent ward I was in, the most astoundingly rich guy was not a HP.

[Palerider]

I have been a High Priest since I was 28 yrs old....called as a Bishop while in my early 30's....I can assure you well off I am not and never have been. When I was serving as the Bishop my first time while in my 30's I made Surgical Instruments for a living and clocked in and out and was paid by the hour.

[john doe]

My last bishop installs flooring for a living. One of his counselors was unemployed for the final year of their administration. My current bishop does something with computers in sewage system design. One of his counselors manages an auto body shop. The other is a mid-level manager/engineer. My last Stake President is a plumber. One of his counselors is a welder, the other one is a teacher. None of them are what I would call wealthy.

Financial status has no bearing on whether you are an elder or a high priest in my area. People are usually only ordained to be high priests if their calling dictates that they need to be a high priest.

[beefche]

Since wards are divided by area, if you live in a more affluent ward, it's likely you are going to see more high priests that are "wealthy". I have no idea how much money the high priests in my ward make as honestly, no one talks about our salaries or money. Just because someone has a job as attorney or banker doesn't mean they are "wealthy." Our stake president is a lawyer, but he also has 6 kids. I imagine as a single woman without kids, I was able to save more money than he.

[applepansy]

hmmmmm..... My husband is a High Priest. He was made a High Priest when he became a member of the Bishopric. We are not wealthy or well-to-do. Hubby took a $20,000 cut in pay two years ago and it hasn't gone back up and isn't likely too in the near future. We're in our early to mid-fifties.

The office of High Priest has nothing to do with finances or age for that matter.

Our last bishop in Bountiful was 35 or 36 when he was made bishop and therefore was given the office of High Priest. It sticks out in my mind because our ward was transitioning from all older couples to younger families buying the homes of the elderly who didn't want to or couldn't maintain a house/yard anymore. I remember in a temple recommend interview the Stake Pres asking me what I thought of this younger man before they called him to Bishop. Surprised the heck out of me. My opinion means nothing! I had not idea that less than a month later they would call him to be the Bishop. He was great though!

[Vort]

Since high priests are usually older than elders, and elders include the nineteen-year-old just out of high school, the struggling college student, and the young newly married trying to start a career, it is obvious that the high priests would tend to be more established in their careers and earning more money than elders.

[EarlJibbs]

I am the youngest HP in my ward at the age of 32. Do you know for a fact that they are wealthy or does it simply seem that way? Or are they wealthy only in your standards?

I recently purchased a used 2007 suburban (M.A.V. - Mormon Asault Vehicle) with plenty of miles on it. It is in superb condition. I noticed that I received some looks driving it around. I try to keep my yard in good condition. Some assume that because of only those two items that I am somehow well off. This is not the case. We make enough to live modestly. Now some of the people in the ward might call me poor. I know for a fact that some make 3X as much as myself. I also know for a fact that there are some that make much less. I see absolutely no correlation with wealth and HP. It is probably your area.

[Guest]

Here's an experiment for you. Look around in EQ and see if you can find somebody that you are sure should be in HP instead of EQ. Then check if he is poor. Find all of them. Now, if you can find that all of the people you picked out that should have been in HP instead of EQ are all poor, then you might have a point there.

The area I live in is made of "old money". That is, it used to be the affluent side of town 40 years ago. So, we have a mix of generations of affluent people, new not-so-affluent families, and Navy families. Our HP group follows this same mix. A lot of the older HPs - past retirement age - are affluent. But the younger set is a mix.

Edited July 1, 2012 by anatess

[Misshalfway]

What are you saying? That the church like picks it's HP's according to their bank accounts? Or are you suggesting that the church slips the HP's a little stipend?

Well, if they are I'm gonna start attending HP group!! Maybe while they are all sleeping, I can pinch me some pesos!

[bds4206]

What are you saying? That the church like picks it's HP's according to their bank accounts? Or are you suggesting that the church slips the HP's a little stipend?

Well, if they are I'm gonna start attending HP group!! Maybe while they are all sleeping, I can pinch me some pesos!

I'm not saying anything of the sort. This also isn't a "conspiracy" theory as mentioned earlier in the thread. Just a simple observation about my ward. I get the feeling that the High Priest group in my ward is what it is due to the area we are in. It just so happens that I am in a ward with many engineers that all make 6 figures ish. And if I asked about "wealthy" people I apologize. $100k doesn't constitue wealthy to me, but does constitute well off. Also I understand and am well aware that someone making $100k that makes bad decisions or has lots of liabilities may or may not be better off than someone making half that with half the liability and twice the decision making ability when it comes to money. Of course I am not their accountant, therefore I have no clue what they make, but I know many engineers that work at this one place and they all make something in the 100k neighborhoood. I'm not running any experiements or asking any questions inside my ward. I'm not nearly that dumb. I was more curious if what seems to be the case in my ward is the case in other wards. What I see from these responses is that there is a healthy variety of people and occupations in bishopbrics and HP Groups in other wards, which answers my question perfectly. thank you to everyone that responded. I appreciate the feedback.

[Over43]

I'm in the HPG. And no, no one asked me to be there because of my unlimited funds. I don't have unlimited funds, I am on a fixed income.

[skippy740]

I remember being with my HPGL talking about something along these lines. He said that sometimes he'll ask new members to the ward (moved in) if they're renting or owning. Rent = EQ; Owning = HP. Thought it was humorous. :)

[ClickyClack]

In my ward, the High Priests are a mix from the richest to the poorest of the ward.

The sooner you learn to stop worrying about other people and their money, the sooner you will be a happier person.

[Echo2002]

Our last Bishop was a drama teacher and the one before that worked at a bank (local branch). We did have a doctor serving as one of the counselors. The Bishop that is serving in the ward now is a salesman. Maybe it depends on your geographical location. The ward I was in was not in a particularly nice part of town. I'm sure if I were to visit one of the more wealthy wards the High Priests may be more well off.

[Sicily510]

Curiousity is what lead Hagoth away from "Bountiful", but no matter how curious you may be don't let it take you astray from The Church Of Jesus Christ Of These Latter-day Saints".