posted
I've been checking out different churches as of late just to expand my experiance and whatnot. This past month I went with some friends to a Unitarian Universalist church and before that I went to a Gnostic ceremony. I'm thinking of checking out a Mormon mass/service... is it ok for a non LDS to just show up and sit in?
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So the temple is off limits... what about these meeting houses? Are services held there and can I visit?
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posted
Telp, I'm sure someone will be along who can answer your question.
In the meantime, the Sunday services take three hours but I believe the first hour is the sort of service you would be welcome to visit. I'm not sure if you can just sneak in the back and watch or if you have to be social and talk to people and be polite.
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I'd like to go with someone if possible. Any LDS peeps in Detroit area?
Hmmm.. that reminds me that my friend Angela's mom was Mormon. I think she left the church or just doesn't go anymore. But she has that stereotypical Mormon "look", pale skin and red hair. Angie's mom married an Armenian... giving Angie this really cool look. Ok... I'm getting a little OT. *runs off to bed*
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You (or anyone, for that matter) can just show up, sit in the back, and leave without talking to anyone if you like. No biggie. But don't be surprised if people try to talk to you, anyway. It's been known to happen.
The meetings are a total of three hours. Generally, we first have sacrament meeting, where we partake of the sacrament (passing bread and water to remind us of the covenants we made when we were baptized), plus listen to 2 or 3 speakers (topics vary wildly), or, if it's a testimony Sunday (usually the first Sunday of the month), then people with bear their testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel.
Following that is Sunday school, and following that, you would go to priesthood. (Women would go to relief society, young women would go to young women's, and children would be in primary.)
Sometimes, the schedule is reversed.
But yeah, anyone can visit and attend anytime they want. It actually even says "Visitors Welcome" on the sign outside the church.
posted
Telpy, guys usually wear a white shirt and tie to church, (if you want to blend in and attempt to remain a lurker) and some sort of slacks that aren't jeans. Girls wear dresses or skirts.
Meetings usually begin at 9 AM but times can vary. Everyone is welcome! It's all about families so there will almost always be lots of kids making various amounts of noise in sacrament meeting, (which I think is wonderful). Their parents usually carry them outside if they start really wailing or something. <laughs> But it's a very kid friendly church, so don't let that throw you.
Good thing you don't mind talking to people! The first time I tried to sneak into my very large (at the time) ward, the relief society president sat in the row in front of me and turned around right after service and said "are you a visitor?". Everyone tends to know everyone else in their ward. Chances are, several people will come up and introduce themselves, before or after service.
There are no paid clergy. The people who give the talks are usually just ordinary members. I hope you enjoy the service. Posts: 6246 | Registered: Aug 2004
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Well, it depends on how small the ward is (the smallest branches of Mormons are called 'wards'), you may or may not be able to successfully blend in . Chances are quite good, however, that you'll be noticed as someone no one recognizes, and set upon by missionaries . Hey, it happened to me. Since you say you don't mind peeps talking to you, I expect you won't have a problem, hehe.
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Don't they ask who is a visitor in Mormon churches? I don't think I've ever been to a church where they didn't, in some way, acknowledge visitors.
The church we just joined asked visitors to raise their hands. The preacher then makes them stand up and tell everyone who they are and where they're from. I had seen that before at other churches, so I knew not to raise my hand.
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>>Don't they ask who is a visitor in Mormon churches?
Not during sacrament meeting. They'll offer a general welcome to any visitors, but they won't usually do introductions or things of that sort until the Priesthood/Relief Society hour.
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In Sacrament Meeting (the general worship service) they might give a generic welcome to visitors, but no one will be singled out.
In the other meetings, however, it's a different story. Mormons are interested in visitors and curious about them, and want them to feel welcome.
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We visited several churches before finally calling one home and I noticed there's a fine line between welcoming visitors and creeping them out. Maybe it was just me, but there were a few places where I was a little overwhelmed by greetings, handshakes and welcomes. Those places made me nervous.
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From there, you can find the closest building to you and their worship times, and there is also a page on what to expect. You'll be very welcome.
quote:Any LDS peeps in Detroit area?
*bounce* TONS! There are many little branches downtown, but if you want to see a fully-functioning ward with all the callings and auxiliaries filled, Dearborn is your best bet.
If you want to see the outside of the temple, there's a temple up Woodward Avenue, at about 16th mile, I think.
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There is seriously a "Mormon Goth" ward in Eagle Mountain?
Little Goth kids running around in Primary? The Relief Society making capes for needy people in Armenia?
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Telp, if you do attend, please email me with your impression of the visit. (Or email me to tell me you posted it on HR so I don't miss it.) Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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quote:There is seriously a "Mormon Goth" ward in Eagle Mountain?
Little Goth kids running around in Primary? The Relief Society making capes for needy people in Armenia?
This image is priceless...
They do say there's a Goth service organization. They knit scarves for the needy, and have an "Adopt a Bat" program, and also participate in the "Adopt a Highway" program and go out and pick up trash and stuff.
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quote:There is seriously a "Mormon Goth" ward in Eagle Mountain?
Little Goth kids running around in Primary? The Relief Society making capes for needy people in Armenia?
This image is priceless...
They do say there's a Goth service organization. They knit scarves for the needy, and have an "Adopt a Bat" program, and also participate in the "Adopt a Highway" program and go out and pick up trash and stuff.
I hope they don't do the adopt a highway stuff at night.
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The Mormon Goth piece that aired on KSL radio in conjunction with that newspaper article suggested that there are quite a few Mormon Goths in the Eagle Mountain ward. They didn't say whether the bishop was Gothic or whether the Goths don their garb for church.
I would think that church isn't the most appropriate place for practicing one's hobbies. We've had recent conference talks about leaving the body piercings, tatoos, and skanky porn clothes at home. I wonder what my ward will do when they put the kibosh on Palm Pilots.
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I suppose you could just wear a shirt that covers it, but the skin removal and reattachment process is much more fun.
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I've worn a wool cape as a winter coat for the last five years. Including to church, of course.
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quote: >>Don't they ask who is a visitor in Mormon churches?
Not during sacrament meeting. They'll offer a general welcome to any visitors, but they won't usually do introductions or things of that sort until the Priesthood/Relief Society hour.
Sri Lanka seems to be the consistent exception. You'll be asked to introduce yourself in Relief Society/Priesthood, and then again in Sunday School, and most certainly yes, again, in Sacrament Meeting. And then you'll be swarmed after the meetings are all over, too.
Our branch in Colombo is about 50-60 active members, so you can bet yer sweet bippy that we all know each other, and anyone who visits sticks out like a sore thumb!
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We were introduced as visitors in Sac. meeting both in Lompoc and Amarillo. Of course, it might help that we were very-newlyweds, married the day before we went to church in Lompoc in the L.A. Temple, and the bishops in said wards knew that. And announced it. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I have visited wards all over the country and have only had to introduce myself in Priesthood meeting and Sunday School.
Try to look like a Mormon, even if you need to swap your tattoo skin for pasty white. Otherwise, the missionaries sitting in the back will get too excited.
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My tattoo shows almost every week at church. You're not going to get funny looks. And, if you do, they're the people with the problem, not you.
I doesn't sound like you're too timid. Ask as many questions as you have and I am sure the good people there will do all they can to find that answers for you according to LDS doctrine.
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quote: Telpy, guys usually wear a white shirt and tie to church, (if you want to blend in and attempt to remain a lurker) and some sort of slacks that aren't jeans.
Crap...the only good clothes I have are all black... mmm.. I guess I'll just have to stick out. Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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Angie's mom married an Armenian... giving Angie this really cool look. Ok... I'm getting a little OT. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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I had seen that before at other churches, so I knew not to raise my hand.
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