Sacrament meeting first

[Backroads]

I'm trying to figure out just how widespread this instruction is: everyone I know of in my nearby area for several hours' travel will be (if not already at such a schedule) to a schedule of sacrament meeting first. Is this church-wide?

 

I've been in wards where sacrament is first and rather like the schedule. As a mom, I'm kind of excited about bringing my toddler to sacrament when she's still calm and likable and then just dumping her in nursery for the next two hours.

 

So, is this for everyone? And in what order does everyone like their meetings?

[David13]

I like that.  We have that here in the Lomita ward, and also 4th ward in St George and Torrey ward where I visited last month.

It works for me.

dc

[carlimac]

Every ward I've been in for the past 20 years has done Sacrament meeting first. Only the stake I grew up in still does it the other way round. they are "old guarde" and I have a hard time imagining them changing it. 

[pam]

My ward does Sacrament Meeting last.  Only ward I've ever been in that does this.  I much prefer having it first.

[mirkwood]

It has been a long time since I was in a ward that did Sacrament Meeting last.  Long enough I don't remember which ward it was.  I did not like that schedule.

[yoyoteacher]

All the wards and branches I have belonged to follow the sacrament first practice, with the exception of my second BYU student ward, though that was only during the summer; it switched when we switched meeting buildings after the summer term ended. I know that some of the YSA branches in the Kansas City area do sacrament last, but the family units in the buildings used do sacrament first.

 

I feel like sacrament last doesn't matter as much for the YSA set, as it does for a family unit. Not having tiny children to worry about makes a difference.

[The Folk Prophet]

We were told it is new instruction from the First Presidency. Sacrament First. So I expect you'll be seeing a change Pam. Unless we were told inaccurately or I misunderstood. Our ward building has many wards in it, so they were swapping Sacrament first/last between the wards to cram us in tighter (so we started on the half hour, etc). In Aug we'll be moving to a half hour later to accommodate the wards that had Sacrament last changing to Sacrament first. When the announcement was made, it was accompanied by "per the First Presidency" or something along those lines.

 

That's my understanding.

[pam]

That would sure be nice if true.

[AngelMarvel]

We have Sacrament first. Husband and I like it that way.

[Backroads]

I'm a tad north of Pam and haven't heard from any pals in her area. Even my in-laws in Middle of Nowhere with their own one-ward-in-building church say they've been instructed to switch (also northern Utah)

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

We have Sacrament meeting first.  I can't remember the last time I was in a ward that didn't do it this way.

[Average Joe]

my ward has always been Sacrament meeting first so no big deal here :)

[Guest]

Didn't even know that there are still wards that do anything different than Sacrament Meeting then Sunday School then Priesthood/Relief Society back-to-back on Sunday.

... and I've attended Church in 5 States and even halfway around the globe.

[Daybreak79]

Sacrament is to be first. This is part of a major effort the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have issued to the Church in returning the sacrament to the Savior.

 

This training was given to General Authorities as part of the April 2015 General Conference and is now beginning to filter down to the ward level. Another change is Ward Councils are now instructed to plan Sacrament meetings under the direction of the Bishop so sacrament talk topics are inline with what the auxiliaries believe the ward needs.

 

I found the ward training (video clips from the general training that was given) to be very spiritually uplifting and a call to action to remember the Savior more, especially on the sabbath.

[hagoth]

Our ward moved to this schedule this month, and we love it. Sacrament meetings are noticeably more reverent and quiet now.

[SpiritDragon]

I always grew up with and prefer Sacrament meeting last. I'm sad it is no longer going to happen anywhere. Especially from the perspective of Sacrament preparation it always made sense for Sacrament to be last to allow the Aaronic priesthood the opportunity to make assignments for Sacrament based on who is actually there and to have time to get Melchizidek priesthood back-up if needed without running around asking everyone right before Sacrament if they can fill in.

 

I also liked it better for family events when people are traveling to baby blessings, home comings and so on because it gives more time to travel to the main event and can save checking into hotels, cramming in someone's basement or waking up at four in the morning to be ready. That's not to say that the other meetings aren't important, but a lot of times after making it to the Sacrament meeting where the reason for the visit occurs after traveling people can tend to check out... they have hungry kids etc.

 

The only plus I see to having Sacrament first is that it starts on the hour, and visitors (especially non-lds) know to be in the chapel at that time and then they can be directed to other classes from there, whereas if you start with other meetings first it is hard to know where to go for the first to meetings of the block.

[Guest]

I always grew up with and prefer Sacrament meeting last. I'm sad it is no longer going to happen anywhere. Especially from the perspective of Sacrament preparation it always made sense for Sacrament to be last to allow the Aaronic priesthood the opportunity to make assignments for Sacrament based on who is actually there and to have time to get Melchizidek priesthood back-up if needed without running around asking everyone right before Sacrament if they can fill in.

My son is the Deacon President. The Aaronic Priests are in Church by 8:15 for a 9AM Sacrament Meeting to prepare for sacrament. Priests prepare the sacrament bread/water things, Teachers set up wall dividers, set up chairs, organize hymnbooks, etc. Deacons organize who is passing sacrament and make phone calls and such if there's not enough aaronic priesthood holders present by 8:30 to pass sacrament. I don't know how they prepare for Sacrament if they're in Priesthood meetings. How does this work in that scenario?

[NightSG]

I always grew up with and prefer Sacrament meeting last. I'm sad it is no longer going to happen anywhere. Especially from the perspective of Sacrament preparation it always made sense for Sacrament to be last to allow the Aaronic priesthood the opportunity to make assignments for Sacrament based on who is actually there and to have time to get Melchizidek priesthood back-up if needed without running around asking everyone right before Sacrament if they can fill in.

 

You mean so there's time to send somebody home to get a white shirt, right?  

 

I think I've worn a white shirt to Sacrament meeting three times, and all by special request of certain people.  Other than that, I wore one for the funeral of a woman who put a lot of effort into getting me ready for my baptism, and the rest of the time they stay safely in my closet staying white instead of graying like they do if I wear them very often.

[NightSG]

I don't know how they prepare for Sacrament if they're in Priesthood meetings. How does this work in that scenario?

 

They postpone the sports discussions and talk about Sacrament meeting instead.

[EarlJibbs]

I grew up sacrament last. My current ward changed to sacrament last a few months ago so that the Spanish branch could attend the other meetings (except sacrament) together. Our youth program is rather large and they wanted their youth to be able to attend with other kids instead of being virtually alone. 

 

Since our meeting house is rather small, we basically use every room. This includes the chapel. The EQ meets in the chapel right before sacrament. The RS meets in the first overflow directly behind the chapel. That means that they get first dibs on the chapel seating. We have 4 overflows that almost all fill up (again, the chapel is small). Those that are not in EQ or RS get the hard seats at the back (me), every week. That is really my only complaint. But hey, someone has to sit in the back. 

 

Oh, and Anatess, the priesthood sets the sacrament up at the first of priesthood meeting while we are in opening exercises.

[Leah]

Sacrament meeting first is the only experience I've had in the two stakes I have lived in.

 

I like having it first.  It's the most important meeting of the day and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the day.

 

It just seems to me a natural order of things, but I don't know how to really define/explain that.

[tubaloth]

Sacrament is to be first. This is part of a major effort the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have issued to the Church in returning the sacrament to the Savior.

 

This training was given to General Authorities as part of the April 2015 General Conference and is now beginning to filter down to the ward level. Another change is Ward Councils are now instructed to plan Sacrament meetings under the direction of the Bishop so sacrament talk topics are inline with what the auxiliaries believe the ward needs.

 

I found the ward training (video clips from the general training that was given) to be very spiritually uplifting and a call to action to remember the Savior more, especially on the sabbath.

 

This was the instructions with "if allowed to do so" something like that.   Our Stake just changed in June.  It was different. 

[Palerider]

Our Stake Presidency is stil very new .....like 8 months ago they were called. They just recently had training with the Area Authorities and were instructed to have Sacrament Meeting first in all units. That's not an issue for our Stake. All units have it first

[carlimac]

Twill be interesting if the "old guarde" can be budged out of their tradition.

[pam]

There is an article in the Salt Lake Tribulation about all of this today.