Do you attend a ward that isn't the ward you geographically belong to?

[Katy Lied]

Mom has been less active for a looong time. When she retired, she moved next to my brother, although she's in a different ward. Bro started taking her to his ward, picking her up every Sunday morning. The rest of the relatives are all in Bro's ward. When the bish asked about it, Mom told him she could attend his ward or no ward at all. He replied, "Welcome to the ward, Sis Lied."

[TripletDaddy]

Mom has been less active for a looong time. When she retired, she moved next to my brother, although she's in a different ward. Bro started taking her to his ward, picking her up every Sunday morning. The rest of the relatives are all in Bro's ward. When the bish asked about it, Mom told him she could attend his ward or no ward at all. He replied, "Welcome to the ward, Sis Lied."

This is the correct response, IMO. If a family or individual decides that for whatever reason, they would be happier in a different ward, then it shouldnt be a big deal.

I understand that the general rule asks for everyone to attend geographically. And that such a policy makes sense from an organizational standpoint...HT/VT, for example. But forum shoppers will be the exception, not the rule. If someone wants to be active in your ward, then welcome to the ward.

It seems bananas to say, "Hmmm...you want to go to the same building, but 3 hours earlier.....we're going to have to ask the Prophet for the ok on that."

[wuapinmon]

This was a problem in New Orleans, so much so that the Stake President had to be a total hardass about it, or few of the medical/law/dental school students' families would've attended the Uptown Branch. His policy:

If you don't attend your geographic ward, you may not:

1. Hold a calling.
2. Hold a temple recommend (not sustaining your local leader).
3. Receive Church assistance.
4. Have home teachers.

I think that was it. I saw some benefit to what he was trying to do, but in all honesty, I would've much rather had the white-flighters leave. Some of the locals felt odd living in New Orleans but having to drive to Metairie to go to Church. It drove one recently-converted family from the Church because they didn't like the "Utah Ward."

I think you should be allowed to attend wherever you want, but I understand why they want control. But, it sucks. If I could right now, I'd drive to Florence to go to church because we feel like outcasts in our present ward.

[SoCalCoug]

I have had it explained to me (it could have been by my super-mullah dad, but I don't recall who it was) that a Bishop's ecclesiastical authority exists geographically, and that without special authority from church headquarters, he does not have ecclesiastical authority over members who live outside his ward's boundary.

[UtahDan]

I have never been in a ward that has so many people within it's boundaries attending other wards. Many people live in the northern part of my county and a different ward is closer, but the real issue seems to be that there are a lot of personal issues amongst the ward members that have lead several families (for different reasons) to be offended and simply attend the other ward. And then they will come back for a while, then go again. It is interesting, but I'm not sure what anyone is supposed to do about it. You can't force anyone.

[Bastage]

We have a few people that attend our ward that are out of the ward boundaries. These are the same people who have the most needs and take about 90% of the attention from the ward leaders.

[Jeff Lebowski]

This was a problem in New Orleans, so much so that the Stake President had to be a total hardass about it, or few of the medical/law/dental school students' families would've attended the Uptown Branch. His policy:

If you don't attend your geographic ward, you may not:

1. Hold a calling.
2. Hold a temple recommend (not sustaining your local leader).
3. Receive Church assistance.
4. Have home teachers.

I think that was it. I saw some benefit to what he was trying to do, but in all honesty, I would've much rather had the white-flighters leave. Some of the locals felt odd living in New Orleans but having to drive to Metairie to go to Church. It drove one recently-converted family from the Church because they didn't like the "Utah Ward."

I think you should be allowed to attend wherever you want, but I understand why they want control. But, it sucks. If I could right now, I'd drive to Florence to go to church because we feel like outcasts in our present ward.

Yet another example of temple recommends being used as a bludgeon in order to force a certain behavior. Boo.

[UtahDan]

We have a few people that attend our ward that are out of the ward boundaries. These are the same people who have the most needs and take about 90% of the attention from the ward leaders.

You really have to wonder what some people are thinking when they come to church and expect their leaders to help them with their problems.

[wuapinmon]

You really have to wonder what some people are thinking when they come to church and expect their leaders to help them with their problems.

Hallelujah?

[UtahDan]

Yet another example of temple recommends being used as a bludgeon in order to force a certain behavior. Boo.

What you need to be asking yourself is "when is the next marriage I have to attend" and decide whether you can call that bluff for that period of time, minus three or so months if they really decide to keep it.

[Indy Coug]

Yet another example of temple recommends being used as a bludgeon in order to force a certain behavior. Boo.

Good point. You could just keep hopping wards until you find a bishop that doesn't know you as well and signs your temple recommend in a moment of weakness after crapping out on previous attempts with other bishops.

[Katy Lied]

In general, I dont like people threatening the Bishop with their non-attendance if they have to attend their "correct" ward. In mom's case, she had 10+ years of inactivity to back up her claim. She's not expressing dissatisfaction with her real ward leadership, she's not been offended by someone, She's not looking to duck difficult assignments. She just wont go.

[Portland Ute]

This was a problem in New Orleans, so much so that the Stake President had to be a total hardass about it, or few of the medical/law/dental school students' families would've attended the Uptown Branch. His policy:

If you don't attend your geographic ward, you may not:

1. Hold a calling.
2. Hold a temple recommend (not sustaining your local leader).
3. Receive Church assistance.
4. Have home teachers.
.

Reasons enough to stop attending your geographic ward.

[happyone]

When I met my wife she attended a ward that was not hers geographicly. The ward she attended was the ward she grew up in. In fact she didn't even live in the stake. The apt complex was just outside the stake boundry. The bishop of the ward she attended was the bishop when she was young lass. His second time around.

She had just been divorced and had a young daughter. She says that if she hadn't been allowed to attend that ward, she would have stopped going.

I don't know what permission were sought or given. He called to to be the YSA rep and I worked with her in that capicity. One thing led to another ...

[Jeff Lebowski]

Good point. You could just keep hopping wards until you find a bishop that doesn't know you as well and signs your temple recommend in a moment of weakness after crapping out on previous attempts with other bishops.

Nice spin.

Holding out a temple recommend as a threat in reaction to something as trivial as attending a different ward seems awfully pharisaical to me.