Prayers in Sacrament Meeting

[Tex]

Originally Posted by RC Vikings

Our ex sec called last night and asked if my wife and I would say the prayers today. I told him the wife would say the opening prayer since I don't open for anybody. He was fine with that.

LOL. They can call you "The Closer."

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I have never read this talk, but I sure hear it quoted a lot. What other "rules" does it contain?

Most of it's pretty benign. Things like:

- Person presiding should sit next to person conducting
- Do not ask to be released
- For blessings, go to parents first, then home teacher. For counsel, go to bishop first, then to stake president. Do not go to GA's directly.
- Revelation is vertical
- Leaders should be good followers
- Mission farewells and funerals should be Christ- and gospel-centered

Stuff like that. Check it out.

http://www.lds-mormon.com/unwrittn.shtml

Originally Posted by jay santos

"worthy" sister. Tex, you never cease to crack me up with your focus on works.

I don't understand how that is a focus on works.

[ewth8tr]

Originally Posted by Tex

Had an interesting policy question come up last week. A friend of mine who is the Exec Sec in his ward set up prayers for Sacrament meeting and just by chance, asked a woman to say the invocation and a man to say the benediction. One of the counselors (the one conducting) approached him and asked him to switch the order, indicating the church custom that a Melchizedek priesthood holder should open Sacrament meeting.

It's been a long time since I'd heard this little nugget, so I cross-checked it in the Handbook. Not there. I asked our bishop about it, and he indicated we too follow that policy, and it's one of President Packer's "unwritten rules." I went and referenced Packer's "The Unwritten Order of Things" and it's not in there (though he could've said it in a local visit, I suppose).

I'm curious, how many of your wards follow that policy, and do you think it's one of those little (incorrect) traditions we've built our doctrine around? Personally, I see nothing wrong with a worthy sister opening Sacrament meeting, I don't like the implication that it should be otherwise.

Not my ward at all. Today was our ward conference and we didn't even have a Melchizedek priesthood holder say a prayer. a 17 year old YW said the opening prayer and a 17 year old YM said the closing prayer.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Tex

Had an interesting policy question come up last week. A friend of mine who is the Exec Sec in his ward set up prayers for Sacrament meeting and just by chance, asked a woman to say the invocation and a man to say the benediction. One of the counselors (the one conducting) approached him and asked him to switch the order, indicating the church custom that a Melchizedek priesthood holder should open Sacrament meeting.

It's been a long time since I'd heard this little nugget, so I cross-checked it in the Handbook. Not there. I asked our bishop about it, and he indicated we too follow that policy, and it's one of President Packer's "unwritten rules." I went and referenced Packer's "The Unwritten Order of Things" and it's not in there (though he could've said it in a local visit, I suppose).

I'm curious, how many of your wards follow that policy, and do you think it's one of those little (incorrect) traditions we've built our doctrine around? Personally, I see nothing wrong with a worthy sister opening Sacrament meeting, I don't like the implication that it should be otherwise.

"worthy" sister. Tex, you never cease to crack me up with your focus on works.

I never noticed it until about ten years ago in our ward, we were asked to say the prayers and they made a point to say I had to do the opening and wife had to do the closing, because it was church policy that priesthood holder had to open sacrament meeting. I've made a point to notice since then and I've never been in a sacrament meeting that hasn't followed that pattern, including when I've visited other wards.

[MikeWaters]

weird, I've never noted that pattern. If anything, the pattern is the other way in my experience. Just like it's never the husband that speaks first, always the wife.

Funny that some people would get worked up about it. I think it would be hilarious is someone from Utah moved into our ward and told us "to get it right." Although I doubt this would happen either. Only way it would happen is if the stake president made it a policy. Doubt that is going to happen.

Man, I wish I lived in a ward where such small matters were of such great importance. Because it must mean there are no fires to put out.

[minn_stat]

Originally Posted by jay santos

"worthy" sister. Tex, you never cease to crack me up with your focus on works.

I never noticed it until about ten years ago in our ward, we were asked to say the prayers and they made a point to say I had to do the opening and wife had to do the closing, because it was church policy that priesthood holder had to open sacrament meeting. I've made a point to notice since then and I've never been in a sacrament meeting that hasn't followed that pattern, including when I've visited other wards.

I'll try to make it to sacrament meeting on time so I can find out how my ward treats this eternal principle...

[K-dog]

Originally Posted by minn_stat

I'll try to make it to sacrament meeting on time so I can find out how my ward treats this eternal principle...

My mission president advocated opening all church meetings with a man praying instead of a woman, unless only women were present. Of course, he got in a lot of trouble for making up doctrine. Personally, I think the whole man first/last thing is a residue of not letting women pray in sacrament meeting until the late 70s.

[Snowcat]

Originally Posted by Tex

Had an interesting policy question come up last week. A friend of mine who is the Exec Sec in his ward set up prayers for Sacrament meeting and just by chance, asked a woman to say the invocation and a man to say the benediction. One of the counselors (the one conducting) approached him and asked him to switch the order, indicating the church custom that a Melchizedek priesthood holder should open Sacrament meeting.

It's been a long time since I'd heard this little nugget, so I cross-checked it in the Handbook. Not there. I asked our bishop about it, and he indicated we too follow that policy, and it's one of President Packer's "unwritten rules." I went and referenced Packer's "The Unwritten Order of Things" and it's not in there (though he could've said it in a local visit, I suppose).

I'm curious, how many of your wards follow that policy, and do you think it's one of those little (incorrect) traditions we've built our doctrine around? Personally, I see nothing wrong with a worthy sister opening Sacrament meeting, I don't like the implication that it should be otherwise.

We often have both prayers given by sisters. I have never heard of this tradition.

[SteelBlue]

Tex, I've heard this one both ways. The most common version is the one you described but I've also heard people say that a priesthood holder should close the meeting. I have never been able to find any evidence to support it and our ward does not follow any such policy. I would say that it probably comes from some outdated leadership training from decades ago and some folks have just passed it on.

[scottie]

Women should be lucky we even let them pray in sacrament meeting right? Anyone here know the background re: why the LDS Church hasn't always let women say prayers in sacrament meeting? When did that ban start and end? (I'm too lazy to use the CG search feature).

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by scottie

Women should be lucky we even let them pray in sacrament meeting right? Anyone here know the background re: why the LDS Church hasn't always let women say prayers in sacrament meeting? When did that ban start and end? (I'm too lazy to use the CG search feature).

Was this directed at Tex? He didn't give any indication that he believed this.

If it was for Adam, you missed the healthy dose of sarcasm.