Mormons, are you expected to go to church every Sunday?

Question

What happens to you if you are inactive for long periods of time, are fairly inconsistent with attending church, and don't pay the tithes very often.

Answer 1

Yes, you are expected to attend your church meetings, this includes worship services on Sunday, as well as any other meetings that may take place throughout the week. However, if you miss one now and again, it's no big deal. You are considered an active member if you make one meeting per month. This can include (for adults) any one of the the three meetings on Sunday's, if there is a Relief Society - Home, Family, & Personal Enrichment meeting (for women) or if there is a Priesthood Meeting (for men) other than the normal Priesthood meetings on Sunday. If you are inactive (the church uses "less active" in an effort to spare feelings, but most members still use the "inactive" term), or come inconsistently then that's ok too although everyone wants everyone else to be active and come to at least all the Sunday meetings. We're told to simplify our lives and to spend more time with our family, so some people use that to not come to any activities or meetings other than church on Sunday. That's fine. The most important meeting, the one a person should try to make if they can't make any others is the Sacrament meeting, because it is in that meeting that we partake of the Sacrament and renew our baptismal covenants with God. I know of several people who for one reason or another attend Sacrament meeting only, and some who only attend the sacrament portion of Sacrament meeting. While they are incouraged to attend more regularly, nothing really happens to them if they don't.
Concerning tithes, generally nothing happens to your standing in the church if you do or don't pay tithing. It's a voluntary thing, although it is taken seriously. Towards the end of the year each Bishop holds Tithing Settlement. This is an opportunity for everyone in the ward to meet with the Bishop (as a family) and he asks the following question, "Are you a full tithe payer?" If you are, then he may ask how your family is or if you have any concerns about something, but the tithing portion of tithing settlement is over. If you are not a full tithe payer then you have an opportunity to correct any defiency and become a full tithe payer. This correction must happen before Tithing Settlement is over, which normally lasts a couple of weeks. If you can not become a full tithe payer, then the Bishop may visit with you on ways you can work toward becoming one for next year. Sometimes people use this time to confess any sins that need confessing before the Bishop, although it's best not to wait until the end of the year to do something like that. I've heard of people waiting all year and writing one check at Tithing Settlement for the whole year, which can be done, but usually this only happens once, as 10% of your increase for the whole year that comes right around Christmas time is quite a chunk of change at a time of year when most people are overspending anyway. Most people pay tithing whenever they get paid, whether that's weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

It's just like a normal church service. Nothing really special about it. At my grandparents' church, this is how the schedual works. 1- Young Women. This is a class where all of the teenage girls (ages 12 to 18) meet. You'll recite the Young Women motto and creed, and then go on with the lesson for the day. 2- Sunday School. This is similar to Young Women except the classes are broken down by age. For this, the Young Women and Young Men come together, and you'll be with kids closer to your own age. 3- Sacrament. This is when all of the church members meet in the chapel. The bishop (or president depending on the size of the church) will give a small sermon, followed by a few guest speakers and hymns. Typically, the Aaronic Preisthood (usually the Young Men of the church) will pass around bread and water (the sacrament). However, if you happen to attend church with her on Fast Sunday, the bread and water will be left out. Note: Most churches do this in the reverse order. I'm simply stating how my grandparents' church runs things. The people are generally very friendly and polite, although they do sometimes have a tendency to push their religion on you just a bit too much. No scary rituals, and they aren't a cult like some people insist. Just a normal church really.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Mormons, are you expected to go to church every Sunday?
What happens to you if you are inactive for long periods of time, are fairly inconsistent with attending church, and don't pay the tithes very often.

Answer 4

We are expected to attend every meeting so far as possible. When inactivity occurs, the member may lose all or part of his testimony, even to the point of digging up negativity about the Church and its leaders.

I had been inactive for many years, but never denied the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, the authenticity of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the authority of the holy priesthood that I held. In truth, I held too many excuses and could never forgive myself for past sins.

One day, after answering several questions on an Internet religion board about Mormonism, I decided to get my act cleaned up and return to church. I've been to every meeting since that time.

Answer 5

You would still be considered a member of the Church if these things were going on. You would be loved, and you would be visited, and you would be considered as valued as anyone else. You would also be welcomed at any Sunday meeting.

You would not, however, be considered a "member in good standing" and therefore would not be able to attend the temple and perform temple work.

Answer 6

A member counts as active (as opposed to less active) if they come to church once each quarter - only four times a year.

We are expected to go to church each Sunday. We want to - at least, I do. If you don't go then your calling won't get taken care of and someone else will have to do your work.

Tithing is between you and the Lord. At tithing settlement (usually around the end of the year) the Bishop will ask you whether you pay a full tithe, but won't ask to see your payslips, or make you settle up if you haven't. As to how often you pay tithes, as often as suits you. I pay monthly, my husband is self employed so he tends to pay yearly at the same time as he does his tax.

As to what happens to you - nothing. You will probably get the usual monthly visits from your home teachers, and visiting teachers if you are a woman, and they will ask how you are and what you need. They will encourage you to come to church again, and probably invite you to social events. They might try to identify a reason why you don't come to church - for example, lack of transport, or someone has offended you - and resolve it.

Of course, one of the questions for a Temple recommend is whether you attend all your meetings, so if you don't then you won't be able to go to the Temple. But if you don't even want to go to Church, chances are that doesn't bother you too much.

Answer 7

Yes, but we have our free agency to go one Sunday or not.

But we are better of if we go and take the Lords' Sacrament.

Beside we have some great new testament lessons this year.

Come and find out all about the Living Jesus Christ, any time!

Answer 8

It depends on why you can't go. My dad tends to have to travel for work on sundays but he is still considered active because he still attends the temple, pays his tithing, is a home teacher, etc.

If you don't pay tithing however, you cannot hold a temple recommend.

Answer 9

Yes, if you are not at church you will be missed. Since every one has a calling, if you are inactive, then some else is carrying your load. If you don't tithe only you and the Bishop know.

Answer 10

A jackmormon can always come back into the fold, if they took out their endowments in the temple they can't go back into the temple until they repent and have a chat witht the bishop, but they can always go back to church. A jackmormon who never went to the temple , as I said, is always welcomed back into the fold.
I am ex-mormon by the way.