What's is a Mormon Church like?

Question

what's is a standard service like? I'm interested in what goes on. give me a play by play. thanks!

Answer 1

40 women 2 men 848 children and a lot of welfare checks

Answer 2

Anyone can attend Mormon church services and you'd be welcomed. Some congregations are large enough that they may not recognize you as a visitor. Just ask someone to help you get to the right place.

There are 3 separate meetings...not always in this order:

Sacrament meeting (usually 70 minutes or so). You might enjoy going on the first Sunday of the month where members stand up and share some thoughts and feelings about the Gospel and Jesus Christ. (aka testimony meeting). Other Sundays 2 or 3 people are asked to give talks. There might be musical or choral numbers. During sacrament meeting, they'll pass bread and water to members of the congregation. This symbolizes renewing the covenants that they made when they were baptized. No one is going to curse you either way, but it's appropriate for you to not take the sacrament, as you have not made those covenants. Just pass the tray along to the person next to you.

The next meeting is Sunday School. (about 45 minutes) There are various classes. This year we've been studying the old testament. A teacher will teach the class and questions and group participation is encourages. The youth and children have separate classes in a similar format. Many wards (aka congregations) will have a class specifically for new members, returning members, or people like you are new. You're welcome to attend any class you want, but you'd probably enjoy "Gospel Essentials" the most. You may mention to the teacher that this is your first time as well.

After that is "Relief Society" for the women and "priesthood" for men. The children are combined in "primary". In these classes, a lesson is taught that is targeted to help that specific group. You would go to "Elders Quorum" if you're over about 20 years old. Otherwise, you'd go with a group that's about your age. Ask and someone will help you find the right place. Again, discussion is encouraged in these classes.

if you're not sure where a Mormon church is, use this link below. The information is by and large accurate, but not always promptly updated fyi.

Go, check it out, and enjoy!

One more thing...you're welcome to wear whatever you want, but you'll probably be most comfortable if you wear nicer clothes (button down shirt, khaki's, and a tie would be fine, suit is fine as well).

Go and enjoy! you'll be welcomed.

Answer 3

From the services that i have entered into, I have felt a warmth that i never have felt like before. First they have an opening song followed by an opening prayer to allow the spirit to come, Then they will have a few church announcements, Then they will have another song to let them prepare for the sacrament. After the sacrament they will have a member come to the front and give a talk about a certain subject that week, like for instance, What we can do to help others in need, or what we should be looking for happiness. and many other things. On the first sunday of the month it is called fast and testimony sunday. This is when you will fast 2 meals and give that money to a fast offering fund which goes to those who do not have enough to live on. And in the service on that day, members are given the opportunity to stand on their will to bear their testimony of the church and god and Jesus.
There are so many things to tell about the church that i cannot tell in one night, But there are some men who can give you more answers about the church and to hep you understand what you want to know. If that is what you would like,, you can email me and let me know what area you live in so i can look up the missionaries in you area and give you their number. My email is [e-mail]
What i can tell you though is that you will find some of the most helpfull men and women and most respectfull there with these people than most of anywhere. Im not saying that they are all perfect because they are anything but. But the point is that they try.
I hope that i have helped you in anyway and hope to hear back from you soon.
Mike

Answer 4

If you are new everyone will come up to you and introduce themselves and possible ask questions about you, they will try to be your friend. If you start to investigate multiple families will invite you over for dinner and try to be your "friend". The missionaries will probably sit beside you during sacrament meeting (1st hour) your not really supposed to partake of the bread and water (it is a reminder of the convenants you have made but you have not been baptized, therefore not made any covenants) but the missionaries might tell you to, so you can get the feel/hang of it. You sing songs, partkae of the sacrament, ward (church) business it talked about, opening and closing prayers, memebers give talks on the subject for the day, if it is fast and testimony Sunday, then people will come up and give their testimony if the spirit urges them to do so. Then the second hour the missionaries will probably take you to gospel principles, a class for investigators or new members, goes over basic beliefs. They might give you the book gospel principles to keep or just to borrow for the class. Then the third hour if you are a woman over 18 you will go to relief society, either the sister missionaries will take you or the missionaries will arrange for someone to guide you there and sit beside you. The men go to priesthood meeting, children to primary, young men to priesthood meetings and young women to young women. Then church is over, if your lucky you will go to a ward (church) that has linger longer or some sort of pot luck after once a month where everyone gathers in the gym and eats food. The missionaries will say farwell and set up a time to meet with you during the week where they will give you lessons and then you will get baptized, this if you start to investigate. You will also receive a free book of mormon.

Answer 5

There are three meetings. The bishop can decide what order they come in.

Sacrament - The bishop welcomes people, makes announcements, and the congregation sings a hymn. A member of the congregation gives an opening prayer. The bishop makes other announcements. The congregation sings a hymn, while members of the priesthood prepare the sacrament (breaking bread into pieces); the members of the priesthood bless the bread and it is passed in silence. Then they bless the water, and it is passed in silence. Next there are typically 3 talks on Gospel topics. The meeting ends with a hymn and another prayer.

Sunday School - (divided by age) - There is an opening prayer and hymn. A teacher gives a lesson with lots of discussion. There is a closing prayer.

Sunday School - (divided by age and sex) - There is an opening prayer and hymn. A teacher gives a lesson with lots of discussion. There is a closing hymn, then prayer.

Answer 6

Arrive early to find a parking space. Drive a Hummer to appear immodest and inconspicuous.

Walk into the Foyer and be prepared to shake hands with 12-year old deacons, 90-year old High Priests and mothers with sick children who haven’t washed their hands. You’ll be identified ID’s as ‘foreign’, and must answer that you’re from another ward, or just visiting.

Shake more hands as you walk towards the chapel area.

Don’t sit in the very front as that’s where the deacons sit and fool around. Don’t sit in back because that’s where all the mothers and babies are, plus the latecomers who couldn’t find their regular parking space you’ve recently occupied.

Try to sit in the middle where someone did not place their bible, book of mormon or lesson plan folder to ‘Save their place” while they’re out in the foyer talking about the Cougars.

Prelude music is playing.

Sooner or later it’s time to begin, usually 5 to 10 minutes after it’s time to begin. The Bishop usually addresses the congregation and tells them the events as printed on the program sheet someone forgot to give you as you entered the Chapel.

Opening Song. You’ve heard the melody, but the words are way different. They never sing “When the Saints come Marching In”.

Opening prayer by someone from the congregation Intheneameofjesuschristamen.

Bishop Makes some more announcements.

Sacrament hymn or Adult Lullaby.

The teenage priests bless the bread, give it to the 12-year old deacons who were formerly fooling around, and pass it to the members of the church. You don’t have to accept it, but pass the tray to the next person to you. When everyone’s had the bread, the deacons queue up and return to the teenage priests. Then the bless the water, and the process repeats. Try not to spill the tray when passing it.

So far 15 minutes have passed, and there’s two hours and 45 minutes left to describe. It sometimes gets a little more monotonous from this point because all the actions pretty much finished when the deacons sit back down.

Answer 7

wow- people sure express their opinions freely about something they obviously know nothing about. all of those answers are bogus except the one above me. First everyone goes into the chapel, there is an opening prayer and song, announcements (events, etc) then there is another song (the sacrament hymn) and then the passing of the sacrament in symbolism of the atoning sacrafice made for us. we take this every week to remind us of the atonement. then there are speakers. usually someone assigned from the congregation the previous week. they are not instructed on what to say, only the topic on which they would like them to speak on. it is entirely up to that person what they say in their talk. then there is a rest hymn or sometimes a musical number performed, then the last speaker. then a closing prayer then everyone goes to different classes. children to primary, teengers go to classes determined by age, and the adults go to a doctrine class or to their calling if they have one. (teachers, song leaders, pianist etc.) then everyone goes to another class excpet the children. this time divided by gender. teenagers divide by young men and young women, and adults do this as well. the sacrament is 1 hour long, and the classes are 45 minutes each. so you are at church for about 3 hours if you stay for the whole thing. it's very traditional and very organized. everyone in the congregation contributes to soemthing somehow. check one out and see for yourself. i think you can go to lds.org for a chapel near you and service times. no better judge than yourself!:) oh and you don't have to stay for the whole thing, but i would just so you can see what everything is about.

Answer 8

ignore the above idiots they don't know what they are talking about. Ok. first you go to what is called sacrament meeting. The bishop says a few words, and you listen to some talks from members of the congregation who were assigned to speak in the meeting. In between there are some hymns. Everyone takes the sacrament, which is bread and water which is passed around in trays. Then you go to second hour, where the adults go to one meeting and the younger people split into classes by age and have seperate meetings. They have speakers and religious discussions. Then the third hour men and women split up and go to seperate meetings. More speakers/religious discussions

Answer 9

Standard service.
announcements
Opening hymn
Opening prayer, given by member of ward
ward business (callings and releases, babies blessed, etc.)
Sacrament hymn
blessing and passing of Sacrament (usually done by Aaronic priesthood [boys between 12 and 19]) bread and water
speaker(s)
special music or hymn
speaker
closing hymn
closing prayer

On Fast and Testimony sunday, substitute speakers for bearing testimonies.

Answer 10

I suggest going to www.mormon.org, and I think it includes pictures, videos, and answers to all sorts of questions. And actually, I think there's a new feature there that allows you to chat online with a member of the church and ask them questions.

Answer 11

I'm wondering if you are really looking for an answer here, or if you think you'll just hear something "juicy".