Should RS president sit on the stand in SM?

[zionminded]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

[mirkwood]

smh

[carbon dioxide]

I don't see a reason why she could not sit on the stand. My only question would be why would one want to? Would she not rather be with the family? I know I always have preferred to sit somewhere, anywhere other than on the stand.

[Stacy Oliver]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

Why should she? The Bishop is on the stand because he's presiding, and his counselors are there to assistant/counsel him. Why should someone from the RS be there?

[ilovetherain]

You think the men want to be sitting on the stand? No. They want to be sitting with their wives and children. They hate to see their wives struggling with the little kids and they can't help. Women love to sit with their families. Why would we want to sit on the stand? How ridiculous!

[Obrien]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

No. No one should sit on the stand. There shouldn't be a stand.

[Obrien]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

Why should she? The Bishop is on the stand because he's presiding, and his counselors are there to assistant/counsel him. Why should someone from the RS be there?

=)) I've never seen a bishop need assistance or counsel whilst in the act of presiding.
Come to think of it, I've never seen a councilor need the firm hand of the presidifier to keep the councilor on the straight and narrow either.
It's strictly an ego boost / vestige of corporate structure.
GOD is no respecter of persons, but MAN has a great need to be respected.

[David13]

I have to ask why she should sit on the stand. To look 'politically correct', or 'modern' or 'up to date' or 'hip' or what?
When they have announcements they do, to make their announcements.
Otherwise they can sit with the family, if they have one.
dc

I see the resident cynic has chimed in with some snide comments, as usual. Or are those merely snarky comments?

[Obrien]

I have to ask why she should sit on the stand. To look 'politically correct', or 'modern' or 'up to date' or 'hip' or what?
When they have announcements they do, to make their announcements.
Otherwise they can sit with the family, if they have one.
dc

I see the resident cynic has chimed in with some snide comments, as usual. Or are those merely snarky comments?

Neither snide nor snarky.

Why do you think we need a stand in the chapel?
Also, I've been to LOTS more sacrament meetings than you, and I have yet to see a councilor do any counseling during a sacrament meeting.

[Lizzy60]

I agree with Obrien.

The RS Presidencies in my wards in my stake used to sit at the front of the RS room through the entire meeting, and I am pleased that while I was in the Stake RS presidency we suggested it would be better for them to sit with the other ladies. I hope they are still doing so.

Also, I think Obrien's comments are entertaining, as we Mormons usually take ourselves waaaaay too seriously. You can always use the ignore feature.

[Zathura]

I also don't think anybody should be on the stand, I don't think the Bishop should be the first one to take the sacrament, I don't think we should stand when a General Authority enters the room. I don't think we should call our leaders "beloved" or by titles. There's a reason they called Joseph "Brother Joseph". He wouldn't tolerate some of these things.
Just my opinion, its not a big deal to me.

To answer the question, as long as there are leaders on the stand, I don't see why the RS President wouldn't be in the stand.

[davedan]

One of the lessons we need to learn in life is to "submit to God's priesthood authority".

God's kingdom is a kingdom of order. The universe is ordered in a hierarchy: planet, sun, solar system, galaxy, galaxy cluster, voids and filaments, galaxy supercluster = Laniakea.

The same God who designed and created the universe created the church to distribute the light of God throughout His creation.

[rewcox]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

You want equality? Ok, I'm tired of women always in charge of Relief Society and Primary.

I vote that Obrien be the first male called to be the Relief Society President in the church. From the great state of ????

[Onsdag]

I have to ask why she should sit on the stand. To look 'politically correct', or 'modern' or 'up to date' or 'hip' or what?
When they have announcements they do, to make their announcements.
Otherwise they can sit with the family, if they have one.
dc

I see the resident cynic has chimed in with some snide comments, as usual. Or are those merely snarky comments?

Neither snide nor snarky.

Why do you think we need a stand in the chapel?
Also, I've been to LOTS more sacrament meetings than you, and I have yet to see a councilor do any counseling during a sacrament meeting.

I have seen it regularly. Unless the whispers frequently exchanged are not "counseling" but instead gossip. I've also seen bishops send a counselor off to do some important errand for them while during sacrament meeting. Not to mention the times when a bishop is not present and a counselor must preside instead.

Having a bishop and his counselors on the stand lets everyone, including visitors, know who the proper and presiding authorities are. The first counselor sits to the right of the bishop, and the second counselor sits on the left. Unless a higher presiding authority is present of course...

As for a Relief Society president sitting on the stand? Yep, I've seen it... when they are giving a talk, testimony, or making an announcement at the request of the bishop. ;)

If a Relief Society presidency should sit on the stand then shouldn't an Elders Quorum presidency too? And why stop there? Young Men, Sunday School, Primary, etc., etc., should all be represented too...

[Onsdag]

https://www.lds.org/manual/principles-o ... s?lang=eng" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

President Boyd K. Packer
Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Unwritten Order of Things, Brigham Young University devotional, 15 Oct. 1996


So,... today I want to tell you something about the Church. The things that I shall tell you are not explained in the scriptures, although they conform to the principles taught in the scriptures.

A principle is an enduring truth, a law, a rule you can adopt to help you in making decisions. Generally principles are not spelled out in detail. That leaves you free to adapt and to find your way with an enduring truth, a principle, as an anchor.

The things I am going to tell you are not explained in our handbooks or manuals either. Even if they were, most of you don’t have handbooks—not the Melchizedek Priesthood or Relief Society handbooks and the others—because they are given only to the leaders.

I will be speaking about what I call the “unwritten order of things.” My lesson might be entitled “The Ordinary Things about the Church Which Every Member Should Know.” Although they are very ordinary things, they are, nevertheless, very important! We somehow assume that everybody knows all the ordinary things already. If you do know them, you must have learned them through observation and experience, for they are not written anywhere and they are not taught in classes. So, as we continue, if you are ones that know it all, be patient while I teach those who do not—and take a nap.

The basic foundation of knowledge and testimony never changes—the testimony that God the Father lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that the Holy Ghost inspires us, that there has been a restoration, that the fullness of the gospel and the same organization that existed in the primitive church have been revealed to us. Those things are taught everywhere and always—in our classes, the scriptures, the handbooks and the manuals—in everything we do.

The fundamental doctrine and instructions on the organization of the Church are likewise found in the scriptures. In addition, there is another source of knowledge relating to what makes the Church work: We learn from experience and observation. If you learn about these things that are not written down, the unwritten order of things, you will be better qualified to be a leader—and you are going to be a leader. The most important positions of leadership are in the home—the father, mother, wife, husband, older brother and sister.

Then, in the Church, positions of leadership and teaching opportunities are available as nowhere else on earth.

While the things I will talk about are not written, they are really quite easily learned. Just be alert to the unwritten order of things and take an interest in them, and you will find that you will increase your ability and your value to the Lord.

Before I give you a few samples of this unwritten order of things, let me remind you what the Lord said: “My house is a house of order, saith the Lord God” (D&C 132:18; emphasis added). And he told his prophet: “See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order” (Mosiah 4:27; emphasis added).

Paul told the Corinthians that “all things” were to “be done decently and in order” (see 1 Cor. 14:40; emphasis added). We’ll return to that in a moment or two.

The things I am going to tell you about are not so rigid that the Church will fall apart if they are not strictly observed all the time. But they do set a tone, a standard, of dignity and order and will improve our meetings and classwork; they will improve the activities. If you know them and understand them, they will greatly improve your life.

Our meetings should be conducted in such a way that members may be refreshed spiritually and remain attuned to the Spirit as they meet the challenges of life. We are to establish conditions under which members can, through inspiration, solve their own problems. There are simple things that help in that regard, and things that hinder. Alma taught “that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise” (Alma 37:6).

I give as my first illustration of this unwritten order of things so simple a thing as this: The one who presides in a meeting should sit on the stand and sit close to the one conducting. It is a bit difficult to preside over a meeting from the congregation. The one who presides is responsible for the conduct of the meeting and has the right and the responsibility to receive inspiration and may be prompted to adjust or correct something that goes on in the meeting. That is true whether it be an auxiliary meeting presided over by the sisters or any of our meetings.

A new stake president sometimes will ask, “Must I sit on the stand in every meeting in the stake? May I not sit with my family?” I tell him, “While you preside, you are to sit on the stand.” I am tempted to say, but I don’t, “I can’t have that privilege; why should you?”

Another example: If you watch the First Presidency, you will see that the first counselor always sits on the right of the president; the second counselor on the left. That is a demonstration of doing things “decently and in order,” as Paul told us. Ordinarily, but not always, if the presiding officer speaks, it will be at the end of the meeting. Then clarification or correction can be given. I have had that experience many times at the close of meetings, “Well, brother or sister somebody said such and such, and I’m sure they meant such and such.”

[kgrigio]

I have yet to see a councilor do any counseling during a sacrament meeting.

Our bishop is always whispering to his councilors during sacrament meeting. What are they whispering about? Who is the person that is sitting in the back that may not be recognized. Who may not be in attendance that you were hoping was. Who would be good to ask for a testimony if time permits. I know my bishop greatly values his councilors input at all times, including sacrament meetings.

[zionminded]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

No. No one should sit on the stand. There shouldn't be a stand.

Obrien +1

[Onsdag]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

No. No one should sit on the stand. There shouldn't be a stand.

Obrien +1

So the Lord's Church shouldn't be a house of order? The presiding authority shouldn't be seen and known to the congregation? The sheep shouldn't know who their shepherd is? The bishop shouldn't be able to sit in a position where he can preside and conduct the meeting efficiently and decently? The bishop shouldn't be able to be in a position where he can look out over the congregation and see who is or isn't there? Or see if there is certain needs of the members? Or be in a position to look into the faces of the ward members and receive revelation and inspiration on who to call to fill positions in the Church, or who may be sinning and needing help?

[David13]

Neither snide nor snarky.
(I thought it was)

Why do you think we need a stand in the chapel?
(To conduct the meeting)

Also, I've been to LOTS more sacrament meetings than you, and I have yet to see a councilor do any counseling during a sacrament meeting.

I know you have, and I guess you say that as you have become jaded by it. You also haven't been paying attention. In the short time I've been at it, I have seen them counsel and manage a number of things.
But also, you didn't answer my question, did you?
dc

[brlenox]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

Why should she? The Bishop is on the stand because he's presiding, and his counselors are there to assistant/counsel him. Why should someone from the RS be there?

=)) I've never seen a bishop need assistance or counsel whilst in the act of presiding.
Come to think of it, I've never seen a councilor need the firm hand of the presidifier to keep the councilor on the straight and narrow either.
It's strictly an ego boost / vestige of corporate structure.
GOD is no respecter of persons, but MAN has a great need to be respected.

You've obviously never been a Bishop, but you hometeach a person who has been. I should hope he might be able to educate you on these kinds of matters.

[carbon dioxide]

The only reason why someone should be in the stand is the congregation to see if they fall asleep while up there.

[Robin Hood]

Should the Relief Society president sit on the stand during sacrament meeting? Could the Bishop in the ward ask her if she wanted too or would that be against some policy or standard?

I would personally like to see this more often.

Why should she? The Bishop is on the stand because he's presiding, and his counselors are there to assistant/counsel him. Why should someone from the RS be there?

=)) I've never seen a bishop need assistance or counsel whilst in the act of presiding.
Come to think of it, I've never seen a councilor need the firm hand of the presidifier to keep the councilor on the straight and narrow either.

You're obviously not very observant then!
Bishop's often need assistance and there are often things going on of which you are unaware.
It certainly have nothing to do with ego.

A very ill-inforned and ignorant comment.

[shadow]

You're obviously not very observant!


very ill-informed and ignorant.

Well that's Obrien for you, on all 3 counts. Thats apparently what happens after raising 3 girls plus being in the same (mental)Ward as boo, so I've learned to just ignore his feelings of being jaded all his life. Poor guy just needs a hug :ymhug:

[inho]

=)) I've never seen a bishop need assistance or counsel whilst in the act of presiding.

You're obviously not very observant then!
Bishop's often need assistance and there are often things going on of which you are unaware.

Yep, at least in my ward it happens often, that the one conducting gets the announcements or sustainings wrong and needs some counsel.

[Robin Hood]

As a serving bishop who has conducted and presided at sacrament meetings when no counsellors are present, I can tell you it is a very lonely experience. Those who have no experience of this don't know what they are talking about. I need my counsellors.

In fact, generally speaking, in my view bishop is the loneliest calling in the church by a country mile.