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A ward is a local congregation in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
(LDS Church)--with a smaller local congregation known as a branch. A ward is presided over by a
bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, the equivalent of a
pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
in many other
Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...
s. As with all local LDS Church leadership, the bishop is considered lay clergy and as such is not paid."Ward"
''
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
'', 2021. Retrieved on 3 April 2021.
Two counselors serve with the bishop to help with administrative and spiritual duties of the ward and to preside in the absence of the bishop. Together, these three men constitute the ''bishopric''. A branch is presided over by a ''
branch president A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, th ...
'' who may also have one or two counselors, depending on the size of the branch. Groups of wards are organized into stakes, while groups of branches are generally organized into districts.


Historical origin

The term ''
ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
'' originally referred to the political subdivision of some of the municipalities in the mid-western United States where members of the LDS Church resided, and in particular the political organization of
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its historic importance and its ...
, in the 1840s. Bishops were assigned duties and responsibility over specific ward boundaries in these cities, and over time individual congregations were defined by these boundaries. After the
Mormon Exodus The Mormon pioneers were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), also known as Latter Day Saints, who migrated beginning in the mid-1840s until the late-1860s across the United States from the Midwest to the S ...
to Utah, this same terminology was preserved in the establishment of communities throughout the western United States. Voting districts of several Utah communities still follow the historical boundaries of their original LDS Church congregations. Due to the religious connection of this term, traditional LDS pioneer communities generally do not use the term ''ward'' to define voting districts for political purposes.


Wards and branches


Wards

A ward typically consists of 150 to 500 church members in an area within a reasonable travel time of the meetinghouse ("reasonable" will vary between countries and regions). A stake, the next highest level of organization, may be created if there are at least five ward-sized branches in adjacent areas. Once the stake has been organized, the ward-sized branches are organized into wards. Within the United States and Canada, a minimum of 300 members is required to create a ward; elsewhere, a minimum of 150 members is required. If there are not sufficient congregations in an area to form a stake, a district (analogous to but smaller than a stake) is formed to oversee local congregations. There is no minimum or maximum geographical size for a ward: In areas where there are greater numbers of active church members (such as urban and suburban areas in
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
), several wards can exist in only . When the ward membership grows to a certain size, the ward will be divided. Generally, if both geographic divisions are in a reasonable distance of the meetinghouse, they will meet at the same building, but at different times. Most meetinghouses are designed to house multiple wards. Individuals can find out what ward they reside in by either talking to a local LDS leader or by using the meetinghouse locator tool on the church's webpage. Unlike most religions, members are expected to attend the specific ward they reside in and are discouraged from choosing a different congregation that meets in a different place or at a more convenient time. There are some exceptions to this rule (see below), but for the most part members are discouraged from "shopping" for a different ward that is more convenient for them, or that has one where they might attend with friends or relatives, or that has a more likeable leader.


Singles wards

Singles wards are set up in areas with high populations of single adults. Young single adult (YSA) wards are intended for single members ages 18 to 30, and single adult wards are generally for single members of ages 31 to 45. Older single adult members typically attend their family (standard) ward. These wards provide LDS singles the opportunity to serve in offices of the church. Members are taught the same principles of the gospel as a traditional ward, while receiving attention particular to their spiritual needs. Singles wards are different in that they overlap several other regular wards geographically, even crossing stake boundaries. Single adult members may choose to attend the singles ward or their regular "home" ward; otherwise, the church strongly discourages the regular attendance of, and disallows the transfer of membership records to, regular wards other than the one to which the member's residence is assigned. Since it is a doctrinal requirement that the bishop of a ward be married, this man will typically be called from another ward in the host stake of the singles ward. Men to fill the other positions, such as counselors in the bishopric, an executive secretary, and ward clerks, may also be called from other wards in the stake or from among the members of the singles ward. A primary goal of a singles ward is to provide its members the chance to meet other singles of the opposite sex and eventually to be married. Singles in a certain area can then more easily find other singles of similar interests and beliefs, and eventually find a spouse. Groups are often formed to allow both the young single adults and single adults to conduct activities similar to those practiced in
Family Home Evening Family Home Evening (FHE) or Family Night, in the context of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), refers to one evening per week, usually Monday, that families are encouraged to spend together in religious instruction, pr ...
. Although these groups may exist wherever there are LDS wards, they are more prominent in LDS singles wards. The groups are sometimes led by a young man and a young woman, often jokingly referred to as the group "mom" and "dad." LDS singles ward culture was portrayed and parodied in the 2002
movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
''
The Singles Ward The Singles Ward franchise includes the original film, ''The Singles Ward'' from 2002 and the 2007 sequel, ''The Singles 2nd Ward'', both directed and written by Kurt Hale and John Moyer. The Singles Ward ''The Singles Ward'' is a 2002 romantic ...
''.


YSA wards

In 2011, YSA wards and stakes were reorganized and realigned to remove the distinction of a student ward from a traditional YSA ward. Previously, YSA wards were organized as either college/university wards or traditional YSA wards. At colleges and universities with large LDS populations, student wards were organized to serve the needs of students in attending these schools. In areas where there are large concentrations of YSA wards, YSA stakes are formed. Previously, when one or more wards were formed for the students of a college or university, separate wards would be formed for single and married students. In such university wards and stakes, the bishops and members of the stake presidency are filled by men called from adjacent stakes. (In connection with the 2011 realignment of these units, married student wards were disbanded, with members asked to join their local geographic ward or branch, though married student stakes still exist at CES units of higher education, such as
Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...
.)


Language wards

Much like a singles ward, and with administrative approval, wards may be established in geographic areas which contain a high population of church members whose native language is different from the local language (such as adjacent to U.S. military bases in foreign countries, or in metropolitan areas which have larger numbers of immigrant/second-language users). Additionally, there are also wards for
deaf Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an Audiology, audiological condition. In this context it ...
members where the primary language used is the locally predominant sign language (such as
American Sign Language American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America and most of Anglophone Canadians, Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual lang ...
in the U.S. and anglophone Canada). Services in these wards are conducted entirely in the target language. Colloquialisms such as "a Spanish ward" or "a Chinese ward," for example, refer solely to the language spoken, and not the race or ethnicity of the members welcome (e.g., there are no "Mexican wards"). However, in practice, different wards are sometimes made for different ethnic backgrounds or national origins, even though there is no difference in the language used. There used to be wards or missions that were designated based on race, such as Indian wards or Indian missions for Native Americans.


Branch

A congregation that is in a district or that has too small a membership to be a ward may be organized as a ''branch'' of the church. Branches may be organized in stakes, but wards may not be organized in districts. Branches in a district, or those where no stake or district exist, fall under the jurisdiction of the
mission president Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A mission president presides over a geographic area known as a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission. Depending o ...
. Branches may also be formed for single adults, YSA, foreign-language, military personnel, retirees, or
jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
/
prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...
/
half-way house A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or substance use disorder problems to learn (or relearn) the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves. As well as serving as a ...
inmates where there is a need for special interests, but there are too few individuals to form a ward. As in the ward, the
branch president A branch president is a leader of a "branch" congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The calling of branch president is very similar to the calling of bishop, except that instead of presiding over a ward, th ...
in a single adult, YSA, or prison branch will typically be called from the stake or district in which the branch is organized, or those within close geographical proximity. Because of the nature of prison branches, all positions of authority will be called from outside of the branch. Some branches (called "care center" branches) are set up in nursing homes with meetings held on-site for people who cannot travel to a meetinghouse. In these branches, leaders are also called from the local stake.


Organization

The main
organizations An organization or organisation (Commonwealth English; see spelling differences), is an entity—such as a company, an institution, or an association—comprising one or more people and having a particular purpose. The word is derived from ...
of a ward that are overseen directly by the bishop are the
Relief Society The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, and has more than 7 million members in over 18 ...
(for women), the Young Men and Young Women, the Primary (for children), and the Sunday School. In branches, these organizations are filled when there are sufficient active members to fill these positions. Those men ordained to the priesthood are organized into quorums by priesthood office. The offices of the lesser, or Aaronic, priesthood (typically males 11 to 18 years of age) are organized and overseen by the bishop (or branch president). Usually, there are separate quorums for
deacons A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
(11 and 12 year olds),
teachers A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. wh ...
(13 and 14 year olds), and priests (15 years old and older). Offices of the higher, or Melchizedek, priesthood (including elders and high priests), within individual wards and branches are advised by, and counsel with, the bishop but are overseen by the
stake president A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine ha ...
. Within districts, offices of the Melchizedek Priesthood within individual branches are advised by the branch president but overseen by the district president, under the direction of the mission president. Within a branch, priesthood quorums may be formed or all priesthood holders may meet together, as numbers permit. The priesthood is central to, and directs the church and its organizations. Prior to adjustments made in April 2018, the
bishopric In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...
, ward clerk, executive secretary, elders quorum president, high priest group leader, ward Young Men president, and ward mission leader would meet regularly as the
Priesthood Executive Committee Stake and ward councils are meetings of local congregations within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A ward (LDS Church), ward is a standard local congregation unit, while a stake (Latter Day Saints), stake is made up of ...
.Bradford, David C., "Priesthood Executive Committee, Stake and Ward", in Ludlow, Daniel H., ed., ''Priesthood and Church Organization: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism'', p. 290.


Ward and branch conferences

Each ward and branch holds an annual ward or branch conference. In this meeting, ward organizational business is conducted,
general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
and local leaders are sustained by a vote, and sermons are delivered by stake and ward leaders.


See also

* Area (LDS Church) *
Latter Day Saint movement The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the LDS movement, LDS restorationist movement, or Smith–Rigdon movement) is the collection of independent church groups that trace their origins to a Christian Restorationist movement founded by Jo ...
*
Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...
*
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) releases membership, congregational, and related information on a regular basis. The latest membership information LDS Church releases includes a count of membership, stakes, wards, b ...


References


External links


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Meetinghouse Locator {{DEFAULTSORT:Ward (LDS Church) Organizational subdivisions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Types of Latter Day Saint organization