Stake and ward councils are meetings of local congregations within

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 Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church). A

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 ...

is a standard local congregation unit, while a

stake A stake is a large wooden or metal implement designed to be driven into the ground and may refer to: Tools * Archer's stake, a defensive stake carried by medieval longbowmen * Survey stakes, markers used by surveyors * Sudis (stake) (Latin for ...

is made up of several wards. This arrangement is roughly comparable to

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, 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 Roman province, prov ...

and

archdiocese 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 associated ...

in the

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faith. These LDS Church council meetings include:

Principal councils

*A high council meeting which typically consists of the fifteen men who form the leadership for a stake. The meeting is generally held semi-monthly to administer the business of the stake. Its participants include the three members of the

stake presidency 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 ...

and the twelve members of the

stake high council In Mormonism, a high council is one of several different governing bodies that have existed in the church hierarchy in many denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement. Most often, the term refers to a stake high council in a local stake, but ...

. The stake clerk and stake executive secretary also attend, while others may be invited to participate, depending on the needs of the discussion. (Note: Prior to March 2018, this meeting was termed "the stake priesthood executive committee" EC) *A stake council is an expanded group that meets regularly. Along with those noted above who attend the high council meeting, the stake council includes the presidents of the stake's

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 1 ...

, Young Men, Young Women,

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, and

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organization (LDS Church), organizations. Others, such as an employment or music specialist, may be invited as needed. *A bishopric meeting, is typically held weekly at the ward—level. It includes the three members of 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 ...

, the ward clerk, and the ward executive secretary. As needed, the meeting can be expanded and invite other appropriate individuals to address issues thought to be especially sensitive. *A ward council meets regularly and typically includes the bishopric, ward clerk, executive secretary, and presidents of the elders

quorum A quorum is the minimum number of members of a group necessary to constitute the group at a meeting. In a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature), a quorum is necessary to conduct the business of ...

, Relief Society, Young Women, Primary, and Sunday School organizations. Others may be invited, as needed. *A now-defunct committee was "the ward priesthood executive council". Before March 2018, it met weekly and was composed of the ward's priesthood leaders identified above as well as the leader of the then-existent high priests group, excluding the leaders of the various

organizations An organization or organisation ( Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is an entity—such as a company, or corporation or an institution (formal organization), or an association—comprising one or more people and having a par ...

. In student and singles wards where not all these offices exist, the counselors of the elders quorum president are often involved in the ward council as well.

Purpose-specific supplementary councils or meetings

Descriptions of some other regular meetings within the church follow. *The ward youth council (formerly bishopric youth committee) typically meets monthly and includes the bishopric, youth who serve as an assistant in the

priests A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, ...

quorum, the presidents of the

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. w ...

and

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 denominations, such as the Catholi ...

quorums, the Young Women class presidents (formerly

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, Mia Maid, or

Beehive A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...

), and the ward Young Women president. *The ward young single adult committee meet regularly and includes a counselor from the bishopric, the Relief Society presidency, and the elders quorum presidency, along with young single adult leaders, and the married couple serving as young single adult advisers. *The missionary coordination meeting includes the ward mission leader, ward missionaries, and local full-time missionaries, where available. In addition, a counselor from the Relief Society presidency, the elders quorum presidency, the oldest Young Women class presidency and an assistant from the priests quorum presidency are invited. *The bishops' welfare council typically meets quarterly and includes the bishops and branch presidents in the stake and welfare specialists, as needed.

References

Sources

* *The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, March 31, 2018, General Conference, Priesthood Session. *Bradford, David C., "Priesthood Executive Council, Ward and Stake" in Ludlow, Daniel H., ed., ''Priesthood and Church Organization: Selections from the Encyclopedia of Mormonism'' (Salt Lake City:

Deseret Book Deseret Book () is an American publishing company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that also operates a chain of bookstores throughout the western United States. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation (DMC), th ...

, 1995) p. 290

External links

Ward Council
General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints {{LDSpriesthood Organizational subdivisions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Meetings

Principal councils

Purpose-specific supplementary councils or meetings

See also

References

Sources

External links