Sacrament Meeting First or Last in Block?

[simonawright]

We had our stake conference last week and the visiting authority didn't mention anything about Sacrament being first or not. He did mention the training about Sabbath day observance and we will hear more after our CCM in a weeks time.

We shall see if any formal announcement is made, until then it will be business as usual.

[gregwanderson]

There's nothing earth-shattering in the training, but it's a very clear focus and very interesting how it's being approached. Based on this focus, it seems clear that the Sabbath Day is something we haven't been taking full advantage of as a Church.

Very interesting, and something I have been pondering personally for a while already. I will avoid further discussion for now (because I don't want to derail the focus of this thread) but I'll just say that, after 35 years of doing the block schedule, I would welcome something earth-shattering. Oh, well.

[silus99]

There is a training emphasis on the Sabbath Day that was given to the area and general authorities at the General Conference Training the Thursday and Friday before General Conference. It's a two-part training: The first segment is "Sabbath Day Observance at Church" and the second is "Sabbath Day Observance in the Home."

The training will be given to each stake, and from the stake level, to each ward (I am pretty sure this is Church-wide, if not, at least within the United States). Our stake presidency received the training materials for the first segment a couple of weeks ago, and we're now in the process of getting the training and discussion down to the ward council level.

This is the first time that I know of that the Church has produced handouts, PowerPoint, and video recordings (© Intellectual Reserve) of the General Conference leadership training with the specific instruction to take the full set of materials to the stakes and wards for discussion in ward council.

Looking through the materials, I don't see anything that specifically states that Sacrament meeting needs to be held first. Perhaps your stake leaders have been reading the handbook more carefully recently about Sacrament meetings, and feel like having Sacrament meeting first will more closely align with the principles of Sacrament meeting and the Sabbath Day that are taught. Or perhaps the area authorities have received more specific instruction.

There's nothing earth-shattering in the training, but it's a very clear focus and very interesting how it's being approached. Based on this focus, it seems clear that the Sabbath Day is something we haven't been taking full advantage of as a Church.

I get that training tonight. I noticed the news about this training on ldsliving.com and in the article they state that the materials they had for the training specifically state that sacrament meeting should be first whenever possible. We only have one ward (YSA) that mixes up the schedule and that is due to having four units in one building.

[sbradshaw]

I reviewed the training again and you're right, it is specifically mentioned in the video.

[lajackson]

I reviewed the training again and you're right, it is specifically mentioned in the video.

Elder M. Russell Ballard says in the video, "It's a recommendation. It is not a directive. . . . If it's possible, . . . consider having sacrament meeting the first meeting of the block."

The videos were placed online in an article at the Newsroom this week for anyone who wishes to see them.

[sbradshaw]

The Q&A videos are recent, supplementary videos (not the actual training videos). Hopefully they'll post the training videos soon.

[andreweclark]

I have a few Questions:
Will the Sabbath Day training be posted online so that everyone who needs them may have access?

Thus far, our ward has resorted to handing out the 1.8GB of training materials on 2GB Flash (Thumb) drives. This is a costly way to disseminate information in 2015 with the availability of the internet. I have duplicated and distributed 35 thumb drives to all our ward leadership and instructors because that is the way our Bishop received it from the Stake and Area leadership.

One individual who is out-of-town for the week and preparing a lesson for Sunday could not access the training info on their thumb drive for whatever technical reason and I resorted to placing the training files on my Dropbox account and emailed them access. Hopefully they have internet.

If this were a talk or a lesson this would not be an issue, but as stated, this is almost 2 gigabytes of information.
What is the confidentiality regarding these training materials?

The Brethren have asked that every member be taught this information but have not provided suggested method for circulation, so we have devised the use use of flash drives and Dropbox.
Is placing them on Dropbox discouraged?

[sbradshaw]

We put the training videos in a Google Drive folder shared with stake leaders and bishoprics. I don't think the training materials are considered confidential, but they are copyrighted. I would stop short of distributing them outside of your stewardship area (ward or stake). I expect the Church to put them online eventually.

One reason they may not be publicly online yet is to make sure leaders who can receive inspiration for their wards are able to review it, consider it, and prayerfully make plans without being pressured to go various directions by anxious stake members who are not in the same position to receive revelation for the ward. It is wise for instruction to go to the leaders first, then to everyone else who would benefit.

[lajackson]

One reason they may not be publicly online yet is to make sure leaders who can receive inspiration for their wards are able to review it, consider it, and prayerfully make plans without being pressured to go various directions by anxious stake members who are not in the same position to receive revelation for the ward. It is wise for instruction to go to the leaders first, then to everyone else who would benefit.

Yes. I think some stakes are still in the process of getting it to their wards and branches.