What is an lds church meeting like?

Question

I'd like to start going to lds church, but I'd be going alone and I have never been. I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to go or what to do or what's going on. Can anyone out there give me a detailed description of what goes on at church and what I should do? I'd like to know what to expect! Thanks!

Answer 1

To start, we generally dress up in Sunday clothes, white shirt and tie for guys, and dresses or blouse and skirt for girls.

There are three meetings. The first is sacrament meeting. Announcments are made, the congregation sings a few hymns (lyrics are provided) The sacrament/communion is passed by young men. You are not obligated or encouraged to partake. We believe it represents a renewal of our baptismal covenants and is only effective for those who have been baptized in our church, but you can take it if you want. Then there will be a few speakers chosen previously from the congregation. Unless it its the first Sunday of the month. On those days, anyone can go up and bear their testimony. It ends with a song and prayer.

The second meeting is Sunday School and is divided up by ages. People new to the church or "investigating" usually go to Gospel Essentials class. There the basic doctrines of our church are taught. Other adults go to Gospel Doctine, where things get a little deeper.

The third meeting is split up by gender. The women go to Relief Society and the men go to either High Priests Group or Elders Quorum.

For the last two meetings, children under 12 attend primary classes.

I would suggest finding a friendly face when you first get there, introduce yourself and explain your desires. They will either be able to guide you or find someone who can.

Enjoy

Answer 2

LDS Church meeting last 3 hours and are divided into 3 segments. You don't have to attend all 3, but you are welcome and encouraged to.

Sacrament meeting: An opening hymn sung by the congregation also known as a ward (you can participate but don't have to). Then an opening prayer. Their will be a few announcements of activities, service projects, etc. Then there will be another hymn sung by the congregation to set the tone for the sacrament. The bread and water are blessed and passed (you may partake, but don't have to). Members of the congregation who were asked in advance will speak. Then their will be a closing hymn by the congregation followed by a closing prayer. The meeting usually goes about an hour and 10 minutes.

Sunday School: The ward divides into classes based on age. Various primary classes for children. Young men and women together. There are usually 2 or 3 classes to choose from for adults, Gospel Doctrine, Gospel Principals, Marriage and Family Relations or Family History. This segment last about 50 minutes.

For the last segment the children go to sharing time where the sing and have lessons all together age 3-12. The young men and young women split off to separate classes and the men and women split off to separate classes. The lesson manual is the same for both men and women. This segment last about 50 minutes.

Some wards arrange these segments in different order, for example Sacrament Meeting last, but most do it in the order I listed. The meetings themselves are standard throughout the church. There's about a 5 minute break between segments where the hallways fill up with handshakes and smiles and chitchat.

Members are encouraged to dress nice for church. Women wear dresses or a skirt with a nice shirt and men wear slacks, a dress shirt and a tie. Sometimes visitors come in casual clothes and it's no big deal. No one says anything.

I love going to church. I feel good there. I love the people in my ward. I always come away feeling better, happier and more free.

I hope you feel the same way when you go.

Answer 3

Walk into any LDS church in the world around 9:00 AM on any given Sunday morning. There will be people who do not recognize you and will walk up to you and introduce themselves.

Our worship services (we call Sacrament Meeting), will start like almost any worship services with song and prayer. Then we have the Sacrament (some call it communion or the Lord's Supper). After that, people of the church who received previous speaking assignments (given a topic to research and speak about) will stand at the pulpit and give their "talks" on whatever subject they have been given. In the middle of that there will sometimes be a choir sing a song or even a "rest hymn" that the congregation sings. Then after all the talks, another hymn and another prayer. My ward has announcements of activities and special meetings after the benediction, other wards do them prior to Sacrament. Also, there will sometimes be newborn babies who are given their name and a blessing. Other times, people who were recently baptized will be conferred members of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. After this meeting will be a Sunday School class, you not being a member will be taken into a special class (Gospel Essentials) where you will hear about basic teachings of our faith. Then, men will go to Priesthood meetings and women go to Relief Society. Children under 12 are in Primary during the Sunday School and Priesthood/Relief Society portion of the day. All this occurs in 3 hours.

Not that different from other faiths really. And I have been to church services of almost every Christian faith on the face of the earth.

Answer 4

Most men dress with a shirt and tie. Women usually do not wear pants but it is not that unusual. You can even come in jeans if you want and no one will give you a bad time. Just walk in and sit down wherever you want. You do not have to do anything if you do not want to. Most likely someone will recognize that you are new to the congregation and they will make you feel welcome whether or not you are a member of the church. If they know you are not a member, they will go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and where to go.

Most of the comments above are good but not being a member, you probably do not have a clue what they are talking about (i.e. bishops, releases, ward business). Just go with the flow. Mormons are the most down to earth people you will meet and the meeting will probably feel like family.

Answer 5

Somewhere on the planet? Probably.... But I have never witnessed such an event and I don't think ANY LDS person would be happy or comfortable with such a thing happening in any LDS church meeting. We probably err on the side of EXTREME caution and avoid doing this more than any other religion in my opinion!

Answer 6

Before I say anything, please do not listen to any answers except for those of the Mormons and friends of Mormons.

A church meeting is pretty enticing, first you go into sacrement meeting, the bishopric/stake presidency/high counsil will call/release some people, then you take the sacrement (if you're just visiting, you don't have to.) Then some people either bear their testimonies or they give a talk, and then, after an hour or so, sacrement meeting ends. Then you go to Sunday School or something similar and get taught. Then you go to Priesthood/Relief Society/Young Womens and get taught some more. The whole meeting of those three main things last 3 hours. But the hours are not boring, because you get to move around and hear more than one person.

Answer 7

We take the sacrament. You don't have tp take it if you are not a member. People talk, etc. Until you go to Sunday school etc. Everyone everywhere is usually pretty nice. Even though it lasts 3 hours, I like going to church and I'm proud to be a Mormon!

Answer 8

Nijj and others got the main points. Sometimes the meetings are a little mixed up, like sacrament AFTER all the other classes, but not usually. I suggest that you call the Bishop of the building you plan to attend (you can find the number at http://www.lds.org/basicbeliefs/meetinghouse). You can let him no you are coming, and he will most likely let the missionaries know, and they can help you and show you around and make you feel welcome. Most of the wards will notice if someone new shows up, so you will not be ignored. Someone will come and talk to you.

wish you the best of luck, and if you have any questions, feel free to email me :)

Answer 9

I have been giving a ride to a neighbor girl, she was surprised by the number of times we pray, and the number of times we sing. all meetings, there are three per sunday in a regular meeting, begin and end with prayer. the sacrament meeting includes singing three to four songs, the relief society includes two to three songs, the mens meeting Priesthood includes an opening song. Primary the childrens meeting includes lots of songs. We don't clap or applaud in church even if someone performs a song or plays an instrument.

Answer 10

We don't have rock bands.

Our own members speak and do the sermons.

If you have not been baptised into the church please refrain from taking the sacrament.

We pray, sing hymns, and listen to the talks.

Afterward, you should go into a gospel essentials class, just ask someone which room to go to.

After that, is relief society for the women and priesthood for the men.

Just ask someone there where the classroom is.

It will be a full 3 hour day. So enjoy.