Administering the sacrament on vacation

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reckbrian
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Administering the sacrament on vacation

#1

Post by reckbrian »

I know the policy for administering the sacrament lies with the local authority of wherever you are at. We are going to be on a cruise for two full weeks and would like to offer a service to all LDS members including ourselves on the cruise. I want to know who can or is willing to authorize one to administer the sacrament while in the middle of the ocean. Our Bishop and stake president can't so who can and who will?
lajackson
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Re: Administering the sacrament on vacation

#2

Post by lajackson »

reckbrian wrote:I want to know who can or is willing to authorize one to administer the sacrament while in the middle of the ocean. Our Bishop and stake president can't so who can and who will?
The bishop who presides over the location where you will be is the only one who can authorize the administration of the sacrament. If authorized, you would report back to him after the service was held. And yes, even in the middle of the ocean you are within the jurisdiction of a bishop or other priesthood leader.

In addition to that instruction, the Handbook also says that sacrament services should not be held in conjunction with family reunions or other outings. While it is important to meet with the Saints and partake of the sacrament regularly, sometimes it is not possible. General authorities attend sacrament services only once a month (usually). All of us miss partaking of the sacrament during a stake conference or general conference weekend.

While you probably will not receive authorization to conduct a sacrament meeting, there is no reason you cannot have gospel discussions with your family and other members and friends on the Sabbath day. Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is possible under any circumstances, with or without the ordinance of the sacrament.
reckbrian
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Re: Administering the sacrament on vacation

#3

Post by reckbrian »

Thanks. I knew all of that, but I was hoping there was another solution. That was our backup plan anyway.
Carlaleee
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Re: Administering the sacrament on vacation

#4

Post by Carlaleee »

Lajackson:
I have the same question! I appreciate your referring to the Church Handbook--I learned something new from reading that!
I do think the last part of the sentence should have been included because it creates a context: the handbook says "Sacrament services should not be held in conjunction with family reunions, vacations, or other activities that are not sponsored by the Church." That last part, "sponsored by the church," lets us know that the reason the sacrament isn't supposed to be held AT family reunions of the like is because since it's not a church activity, it's not a sacred enough place to hold the Sacrament. HOWEVER, if I were going to a family reunion, I would go to a holy place to take the sacrament (presumably a ward building) FIRST, putting God before whatever man-made plans I have. Similarly, being on a cruise ship doesn't mean there is no place sacred enough accessible to take the sacrament, if you have a worthy Priesthood holder to do it. A bedroom on the ship can be holy if you are using it as a place to hold the sacrament (with Bishopric permission of course). Your intention is to put aside the festivities of the cruise and hold a holy meeting. That is not the same as choosing to make the sacrament more convenient for you by holding it AT a family reunion when you could just leave the reunion for an hour.
Also, there are many accounts of Saints who have made the extra effort to find a church member and hold some type of meeting with them on Sunday while travelling, and the results are absolutely wonderful. You can just tell the Lord loved their efforts and totally blessed them for it.
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