Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which understands itself as the restored Church of Jesus Christ, led by a living prophet and apostles. Its scriptures are the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price; it teaches that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings, one in purpose, and it uses no cross, preferring to witness to the living Christ. Since 2019 Sunday is a two-hour block: an hour of sacrament meeting, where priests of the Aaronic Priesthood (young men from sixteen) bless the bread and water at the sacrament table and deacons (from twelve) pass it along the rows, and members of the ward give the talks; then, after a short break, fifty minutes of classes: Primary for the children every week, Sunday School on the first and third Sundays, and on the second and fourth the Relief Society, the elders quorum, the Young Women, and the Aaronic Priesthood quorums (some wards hold the classes first). The standard meetinghouse is built for this: a chapel with the stand and the sacrament table, a cultural hall behind a folding wall that opens for overflow, classrooms and a Relief Society room, the bishop's and clerks' offices, and in many buildings a font. There are no paid clergy: a bishop, called from the ward for about five years and serving unpaid, presides with two counselors, a ward clerk, and an executive secretary, and nearly every member holds a calling. Members are baptized by immersion from age eight and confirmed, pay a full tithe and a monthly fast offering on slips given privately to the bishopric, never in a plate, and keep the Word of Wisdom: no alcohol, tobacco, coffee, or tea (caffeine itself isn't forbidden). The tithe goes to Church headquarters, which builds, owns, and keeps the meetinghouse, often shared by several wards on staggered times and cleaned by their members, and gives each ward a budget; a ward may hold one fundraiser a year, for youth camp, and never a raffle. Members belong to the ward where they live; young people serve missions; the meetinghouse is open to anyone, but the temple, where families are sealed, is entered with a temple recommend. On the General Conference weekends of April and October, and the twice-yearly stake conference, there are no ward meetings.

All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.

At a glance

FaithChristianity
Its wordsward, meetinghouse, chapel; the bishop leads the sacrament meeting; the talk; Sunday; the scriptures
Worshipword focus, reserved, low formality (0.33 of 1); seated on pews
Musicorgan expected; gospel organ discouraged; band discouraged; brass discouraged; chant discouraged; song leader expected
The room's soundlikes a ringing room (organ and choir)
Its yearlatter day saint; minimal observance; fasts none
Leansconservative on moral questions, conservative on economic ones
Polityhierarchical; leaders come by lay; property denomination
Leadersone leader, unpaid, trained by none; marriage expected
Belonginghigh commitment, formal discipline, admitted by clergy; a parish of where one lives; exclusive
Givingtithing expected; collected by private, online; also fast offering
Way of lifealcohol abstinence, dress church clothes, sabbath observed

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The week's services

DayTimeServiceLed byPeople look for it
Sunday9:00 amSacrament meetingthe laityexpected

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Rites

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Baptism, confirmation, and joining

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Giving, and what goes up

How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.

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The bishop, the staff, and who decides

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Life together

What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.

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What the building needs

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What people here feel

How each talk lands

The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.

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Every item, for this tradition

Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.

ItemFitRule
Seating
Box pew-0.333
Choir stalls-0.167
Meeting benchno fit
Oak pewno fit
Row of chairs+0.333
Liturgical furniture
Altar-0.333
Baptismal font-0.333
Baptistryno fitrequired Believer's baptism by immersion needs a baptistry: a tank large enough for an adult, with plumbing to fill and drain it.
Bishop's chair-0.333
Brass eagle lectern-0.333
Columbarium niches-0.333
Communion rail-0.333
Communion stationno fit
Communion tableno fitrequired The Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
Communion traysno fitexpected The bread and cup are carried to the pews in trays and passed along the rows.
Confessional screenno fit
Coptic cross-1forbidden This tradition does not use the cross as a symbol.
Epitaphios-1
Flaming chalice-1discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
Foot-washing basinsno fit
Haikal screen-1
Iconostasis-1
Immersion font-0.333
Lecternno fit
Litany desk-0.333
Mercy seatno fit
Octagonal stone font-0.333
Paramentsno fit
Pulpitno fitrequired Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
Readers' desksno fit
Rood screen-1
Sanctuary lamp-0.333
Tabernacle-0.333
Three-bar cross-1forbidden This tradition does not use the cross as a symbol.
Thurible and standno fit
Music
Brass band stands-1discouraged Brass doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
Chanter's stand-0.667
Drum kit-0.333discouraged A band and drum kit do not belong in this tradition's worship.
Electronic organ+1
Grand piano0
Hammond organ-1discouraged A gospel organ doesn't suit this tradition's worship.
Handbell table0
Pipe organ+0.333expected The ward expects hymns led by an organ.
Sound system-0.333
Upright piano0
Decor
Advent wreathno fit
Banner-1discouraged Banners are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Christmas Eve candlesno fit
Cross-1forbidden This tradition does not use the cross as a symbol.
Crucifix-1forbidden This tradition does not use the cross as a symbol.
Easter liliesno fit
Eternal flameno fit
Flag of the church-1discouraged This tradition doesn't fly a flag in worship.
Great dome-0.333
Icon-1discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship.
Memorial plaqueno fit
National flag-1discouraged This tradition keeps the nation's symbols out of worship.
Painting of Christ0
Paschal candleno fit
Plain spireno fit
Small domeno fit
Stained glass window-0.333
Statue-1discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
Steeple and bells-0.333
Votive candle standno fit
Furnishings
Alms boxno fit
Coffee potno fit
Commercial coffee potno fit
Computerno fit
Cribno fit
Deskno fit
Desk chairno fit
Folding tableno fit
Full-length mirrorno fit
Pillar-0.333
Prie-dieu-0.333
Projection screen+0.333
Vestment cabinet-0.333
Wooden tableno fit
Utility
A/V rackno fit
Camerano fit
Cast-iron boilerno fit
Central air conditionerno fit
Commercial HVAC plantno fit
Commercial stoveno fit
Congregation vanno fit
Ductless heat pumpno fit
Electric wall heaterno fit
Gas furnaceno fit
Hearing loopno fit
Liftno fit
Packaged heat pumpno fit
Plumbing stackno fit
Rampno fit
Shuttle busno fit
Sinkno fit
Solar panelsno fit
Stairsno fit
Toiletno fit
Used school busno fit
Wall camerano fit
Window air conditionerno fit
Grounds
Evergreen treeno fit
Flower bedno fit
Fountainno fit
Garden benchno fit
Hedgeno fit
Lychgate-0.333
Playgroundno fit
Shade treeno fit
Standing crossno fit

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Sources

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