Every ward has one..........

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I'm glad I never visited a singles' ward. If ever single again, I'd go inactive, find a great nonmember gal and maybe we could activate her.

You're begging to be called into a singles ward bishopric with that comment. ;-) And given some of the things you've talked about on here I think you'd probably enjoy that ward more than a regular one.

[FMCoug]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Yes. The D11 ward (Richardson Stake) is great. The D12 in the Dallas East stake, not so great.

See Mike. Another reason our stake is better than yours!

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by BlueK

That silly rule about age.

You're too old to be in the singles ward now?

I was in a singles ward at BYU that had a lot of 40-something never marrieds. I thought it was kind of weird.

I was 21.

I think hormones would force me to get married. My engine runs too hot for the oil to never be changed.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by FMCoug

See Mike. Another reason our stake is better than yours!

Who knows, I may be moving into your stake.

[FMCoug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Who knows, I may be moving into your stake.

I will be very surprised if we don't see a Stake split soon. Our new building (supposed to be done by 11/1) is stake center sized and the stake boundaries out here are really weird. I could see them taking pieces of Richardson, McKinney, Dallas East, and Tyler stakes and creating one out here.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by FMCoug

I will be very surprised if we don't see a Stake split soon. Our new building (supposed to be done by 11/1) is stake center sized and the stake boundaries out here are really weird. I could see them taking pieces of Richardson, McKinney, Dallas East, and Tyler stakes and creating one out here.

your stake center seems to be awfully far from where you live. glad I don't have to drive that far. my stake center is about 6 miles from my house.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by BlueK

Apparently Venkman wouldn't know about that because he's clearly spent very little time in a singles ward or he never got his records transferred into one so as to avoid callings. Yes, there are some who attend singles wards who don't care about anything but the social, but they are the minority, in my experience. Unfortunately the bishop and the core members of the ward rarely find out who these people are anyway because they don't stay in one place for long or don't stay active. In a lot of ways the singles ward concept is probably bad for the types that Venkman describes because the home ward usually forgets about them as soon as they turn 18 and they don't get involved enough in the singles ward for the leadership there to ever find out who they are.

Interestingly enough, there are those in family stakes very opposed to singles wards, and this is one of the reasons. The family bishops and stake presidents feel like they can keep better tabs on their kids than the singles ward bishops. Sometimes this can cause unfortunate friction between the two "competing" organizations.

I have found that if the singles ward bishop is diligent and makes good use of his counselors and student assistants, he can do a pretty good job on staying on top of where the kids are and how they are doing. Not all bishops do that though. And it's true, if a kid wants to not be found, he can more easily do so because singles natures have a much higher degree of turnover.

That said, I think the opportunities singles get in a singles ward are invaluable, both socially and ecclesiastically.

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

You're too old to be in the singles ward now?

I was in a singles ward at BYU that had a lot of 40-something never marrieds. I thought it was kind of weird.

I was 21.

I think hormones would force me to get married. My engine runs too hot for the oil to never be changed.

the church in most areas is pretty strict at drawing the line at 30 (as if a 29 year old and a 31 year old would have nothing in common). The rule has been around a long time but has gone through periods of not being enforced. The 30 line might have worked great 20 years ago when people got married younger and singles wards mostly had 18-24 year olds in them. Today it's a little different and most large cities have singles wards where the average age is in the late 20s. But I think the church is slowly coming around to the changing demographics. Apparently they have wards for 18-24 and 25 to 40 in Boston. That would serve the needs of more members and draw the age line where there actually is a maturity difference (college crowd vs. young professionals)

[BlueK]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

your stake center seems to be awfully far from where you live. glad I don't have to drive that far. my stake center is about 6 miles from my house.

It will probably be split soon and FM and I will no longer be in the same stake.

[BYU71]

Originally Posted by Archaea

I'm glad I never visited a singles' ward. If ever single again, I'd go inactive, find a great nonmember gal and maybe we could activate her.

That is what my brother did. She was Catholic and Philipino. Not exactly what all of us thought would be a perfect match. She was an awesome gal though. Eventually she joined the church and I think he can thank his activity to her.

Of course if I taught a class at a singles ward, I would teach you shouldn't marry outside of the church.