5 Responses to “Are mormon sacrament meetings open to the public and what ha…”
Felipe Santana
2008-12-30 09:17:45
Good to hear from you again, Jim. Thanks for your question; I think a lot of people wonder the same thing. In fact, sacrament meetings, the principle Mormon worship service, are open to the public, and Mormons love to have visitors. Many of our chapels even have a "visitors welcome" sign in the front.
A typical Sacrament Meeting Room, where Mormons hold their main worship services.
It's best to go with one of your Mormon friends so you can ask questions. If you don't know any Mormons, though, you're still welcome to visit. If you like, approach the leaders of the congregation sitting on the stand five minutes before the meeting starts. Explain to them that you're visiting a sacrament meeting for the first time and ask one of them to introduce you to the congregation's missionaries or, if none are present, to introduce you to a friendly member of the congregation who could accompany you and answer your questions. I know it seems a bit assertive, but Mormons really do love to receive visitors and would be more than happy to help you.
Here's an outline of the meeting:
The meeting starts with a brief welcome given by one of the leaders of the congregation (i.e. a member of the bishopric or the branch presidency).
Following the welcome, the congregation sings the opening hymn. Hymnals can generally be found on the back of the seat in front of you.
The opening prayer, or invocation, is next given by one of the members of the congregation. Though not set in stone, the opening prayer is usually said by one of the women.
After the opening prayer, one of the leaders of the congregation briefly mentions any community announcements or matters of congregation business. Topics include things like upcoming activities, youth accomplishments, new Sunday-school teachers, etc.
Next, the congregation prepares for the sacrament (similar to the Eucharist or Holy Communion in other Christian churches) by singing the sacramental hymn together.
Following the sacramental hymn, the sacrament is passed by selected members of the congregation, usually youths. The bread represents the body of Christ, and the water represents His blood. The sacrament is a symbol of promises Mormons make to God at baptism, but visitors can also partake if they so choose. While the sacrament is being passed, Mormons typically try to meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
Following the sacrament, a youth speaker often preaches a brief sermon to the congregation. These youth speakers are selected from the congregation and can be as young as ten, though they're usually teenagers. Preaching from the pulpit is a great opportunity for personal development; it helps give these teenagers confidence and boosts their self esteem. Preaching a sermon is called "giving a talk" in Mormon-speak.
There is sometimes a musical number following the youth speaker. This can either be another congregational hymn or a special musical number performed by selected members of the congregation.
Following the special musical number, there are two more short sermons, usually preached by adult members of the congregation. More often than not, a married couple is called upon. Usually the wife preaches first, followed by her husband.
Following these sermons, the congregation sings the closing hymn.
The meeting ends with the closing prayer, also called the benediction. Again, a member of the congregation offers the closing prayer, more often than not the husband of she who offered the opening prayer.
In the Mormon Church, there is no paid clergy, so everyone from the leaders of the congregation to the preachers to the musical performers is a volunteer. The sacrament meeting lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes.
Unlike some other Christian denominations, the Mormon Church encourages parents to bring even their young children to worship services. Depending on the demographics of the congregation, sacrament meetings can at times be interrupted with children's cries. We figure that the benefits of teaching children when they're young outweigh the detriments of occasional interruptions. Most Mormons are so used to the sounds of little children that they hardly notice most of these disruptions. :)
On the first Sunday of the month, the prepared sermons and the special musical number are substituted with spontaneous, brief statements of belief from members of the congregation. These statements are called "testimonies." Any member of the congregation that feels so inclined is free to ascend to the pulpit and address the congregation for a few minutes. The best testimonies are inevitably the ones that focus on some aspect of Christ's life or teachings.
A typical Mormon Sunday-school classroom.
Sacrament meeting is typically followed by two more hours of Sunday-school classroom instruction. Feel free to stay for these additional meetings if you like. They're a lot more one-on-one, and any good teacher would love to hear your comments or questions.
To learn the time and place of the sacrament meeting nearest you, visit maps.lds.org. Feel free to also view some photographs of the inside of an LDS chapel to see what it looks like.
Hope this helps!
Frank
2009-01-01 20:54:19
Yes. We encourage visitors. Meetings start with a prayer and hymn followed by announcements of events. After that the sacrement is distributed to the members. Following the sacrement 2 to 3 speakers address the congregation. They are usually members of the congregation who have be asked to prepare and have been assigned a topic. On the first Sunday the pulpit is open to members of the church who wish to share their testimony or stories of faith and conversion. During the course of the meeting the congregation will usually sing three songs and my have a special musical number as part of the meeting. Audience participation is limited to just the singing of hymns.
Men generally wear shirts and ties and the women wear skirts or dresses, though it is not require.
After the initial meeting the congregation breaks up for Sunday school with classes organized for youth children and adults. I attend a Sunday school class that is for recently married couples and we focus on apply the teachings of Christ to raising a family.
Anonymous
2009-01-01 20:58:30
The LDS faith ("mormons") invite everyone to attend sacrament meetings. Come and see what it is all about. It's hard to describe the spirit that is there in the meetings, but if you come to the meeting open to the things that are said you will feel the spirit.
A basic meeting starts with a song, then a prayer, then usually ward business, announcment of the program, special events happening that members can attend, ward news, sometimes they read special announcments given from the first presidency of the church, then they announce the sacrament song, we sing it then authorized men bless and pass the sacrament to all the congregation, this is followed by speakers selected from the congregation, closing hymn, prayer then we break to our seperate classes. Our ward has a Sunday school hour where the youth can go to different classes usually with friends their age, there are 1 or 2 or 3 adult classes, and the primary kids (ages 3-12) go to classes based on their level of understanding. Then we all break again and attend priesthood for the men and relief society for the ladies (12+) and the youth (primary) go to a combined group meeting. One hour there and you're free to head home from there.
Yes it's a 3 hour block of time, but it is well worth it if you attend in the correct spirit. I just watched this movie today from talk show host Glen Beck about his first encounter with the LDS faith.
When we meet on Sunday as latter day saints, we gather together to be able to renew our covenants that we made when we were baptism into his church. We always welcome anyone to visit with us. We first start off with a hymn then we have an opening prayer given by someone chosen by our bishopric prior to the meeting. Then we sing another song for preparation of passing the sacarment. Then it is passed. After we have completed the passing of the bread and water then we hear from various speakers that were asked weeks, and sometimes months in advance to give us a talk and also to bear there testimonty of the gosbel of Jesus Chirst. After we have heard from the speakers we then sing another song and then a closing prayer and we are then separated for various meetings, like Sunday school, gospel principals etc..
Jesus Christ teaching his disciples.
I want to at this time bear my testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and how much that I love him and thank him for all the many blessings and the guidance that he has given me throughout my life. Because of him I am truly blessed in many different ways. I am thankful to Him and what he had done for all of us to take away all of our sins and allow us this opportunity to work hard and be able to return to his present. I am so thankful for this church and it is the only true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the teaching of our departed Joseph Smith and want he did for all of us to bring forth this book called the Book of Mormon and I know for a fact that this book is real and what I have read is true. I would challenge you at this time to read the Book of Mormon and study the teachings and then get on your knees and ask our Father in Heaven weather or not it is a true book and I know if you do this with a sincere heart and an open mind that if you got on your knees and prayed about this book and the church of Jesus Christ that he will bear witness of the truth to you through the spirit of the Holy Ghost. I say these humbuling words in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen
Here's an outline of the meeting:
- The meeting starts with a brief welcome given by one of the leaders of the congregation (i.e. a member of the bishopric or the branch presidency).
- Following the welcome, the congregation sings the opening hymn. Hymnals can generally be found on the back of the seat in front of you.
- The opening prayer, or invocation, is next given by one of the members of the congregation. Though not set in stone, the opening prayer is usually said by one of the women.
- After the opening prayer, one of the leaders of the congregation briefly mentions any community announcements or matters of congregation business. Topics include things like upcoming activities, youth accomplishments, new Sunday-school teachers, etc.
- Next, the congregation prepares for the sacrament (similar to the Eucharist or Holy Communion in other Christian churches) by singing the sacramental hymn together.
- Following the sacramental hymn, the sacrament is passed by selected members of the congregation, usually youths. The bread represents the body of Christ, and the water represents His blood. The sacrament is a symbol of promises Mormons make to God at baptism, but visitors can also partake if they so choose. While the sacrament is being passed, Mormons typically try to meditate on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
- Following the sacrament, a youth speaker often preaches a brief sermon to the congregation. These youth speakers are selected from the congregation and can be as young as ten, though they're usually teenagers. Preaching from the pulpit is a great opportunity for personal development; it helps give these teenagers confidence and boosts their self esteem. Preaching a sermon is called "giving a talk" in Mormon-speak.
- There is sometimes a musical number following the youth speaker. This can either be another congregational hymn or a special musical number performed by selected members of the congregation.
- Following the special musical number, there are two more short sermons, usually preached by adult members of the congregation. More often than not, a married couple is called upon. Usually the wife preaches first, followed by her husband.
- Following these sermons, the congregation sings the closing hymn.
- The meeting ends with the closing prayer, also called the benediction. Again, a member of the congregation offers the closing prayer, more often than not the husband of she who offered the opening prayer.
In the Mormon Church, there is no paid clergy, so everyone from the leaders of the congregation to the preachers to the musical performers is a volunteer. The sacrament meeting lasts about one hour and fifteen minutes.Unlike some other Christian denominations, the Mormon Church encourages parents to bring even their young children to worship services. Depending on the demographics of the congregation, sacrament meetings can at times be interrupted with children's cries. We figure that the benefits of teaching children when they're young outweigh the detriments of occasional interruptions. Most Mormons are so used to the sounds of little children that they hardly notice most of these disruptions. :)
On the first Sunday of the month, the prepared sermons and the special musical number are substituted with spontaneous, brief statements of belief from members of the congregation. These statements are called "testimonies." Any member of the congregation that feels so inclined is free to ascend to the pulpit and address the congregation for a few minutes. The best testimonies are inevitably the ones that focus on some aspect of Christ's life or teachings.
To learn the time and place of the sacrament meeting nearest you, visit maps.lds.org. Feel free to also view some photographs of the inside of an LDS chapel to see what it looks like.
Hope this helps!
Men generally wear shirts and ties and the women wear skirts or dresses, though it is not require.
After the initial meeting the congregation breaks up for Sunday school with classes organized for youth children and adults. I attend a Sunday school class that is for recently married couples and we focus on apply the teachings of Christ to raising a family.
A basic meeting starts with a song, then a prayer, then usually ward business, announcment of the program, special events happening that members can attend, ward news, sometimes they read special announcments given from the first presidency of the church, then they announce the sacrament song, we sing it then authorized men bless and pass the sacrament to all the congregation, this is followed by speakers selected from the congregation, closing hymn, prayer then we break to our seperate classes. Our ward has a Sunday school hour where the youth can go to different classes usually with friends their age, there are 1 or 2 or 3 adult classes, and the primary kids (ages 3-12) go to classes based on their level of understanding. Then we all break again and attend priesthood for the men and relief society for the ladies (12+) and the youth (primary) go to a combined group meeting. One hour there and you're free to head home from there.
Yes it's a 3 hour block of time, but it is well worth it if you attend in the correct spirit. I just watched this movie today from talk show host Glen Beck about his first encounter with the LDS faith.
Come on out and check us out. Closest meeting house to you?