The Prayer Thing

http://www.mormonmomma.com
posted by clbruno 445 days ago | status: published

Alison Moore Smith has the last word on whether women are allowed to open Sacrament Meeting with prayer.
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Well, I'm glad that, for the most part, this mistake is being corrected throughout the Church.
written by Hhhhh 444 days ago
Great blog entry! Several years ago, we lived in a ward where only men could offer the opening prayer in sacrament meeting. I recall asking our Bishop about it (I was in the bishopric at the time), and he said the policy came from the stake presidency. I didn't think it was founded on approved policy, but we moved not long after, so I didn't pursue the issue. I've been in several wards since then where men and women both offer the opening prayer.
written by gospelcougar 442 days ago
In recent history I have been in wards where the policy was that only priesthood holders could offer the closing prayer, and even more interesting, not more than a few years ago, I was in one ward where the bishop required a priesthood holder to both open and close sacrament meeting. He pointed to a Boyd K. Packer talk that he believed mandated this practice.
written by frozenchosenAK 440 days ago
When you make an argument it is always best to take on the strongest opposition to your position. Mike, if he really said what you claim, is the weakest example of why a bishopric might not ask women to open a sacrament meeting with a prayer. A stronger argument to take on is the fact that in many wards it has become the 'unwritten order of things'. There are many traditions that Mormons have that are not prescribed in the handbook. Bishoprics are regularly criticized for almost everything they do. Our's has been criticized for making too many announcements before the opening prayer in sacrament. Others later complained that they don't get enough information from the bishopric during the announcements and they miss ward events. In many wards, based on unwritten tradition, men give the opening prayer in sacrament meeting. Sacrament meeting is an Aaronic Priesthood meeting. A priesthood holder presides. If a bishop maintains this tradition it does not indicate a slight to women. Is there no room to have a special job for men? For a Priesthood holder? This is highly hypothetical, but what if young women could pass the sacrament. They would quickly take over this very special job for the young men. They would get there earlier, they would be better organized, they would dominate this special job for the boys. It is the nature of boys and men to let others do stuff for them. Boys would have nothing special left for them in sacrament meeting. If the church, and it's women, want to have strong men there needs to be a reverence for the special nature and uniqueness of men and a male priesthood. Religions who let women enter the priesthood have seen a steep decline in men enrolling in their seminaries. The once male dominated prieshood of other churches is dying. Women are taking over the clergy of these churches. There are a number of books written for evangelical leaders wbout how to get men involved again. This is a major problem in religions that don't reserve certain things for men. The very great majority of bishoprics do not plan to shun and insult the women. In fact we regularly acknowledge how we wish our men were as diligent as the women. If they felt like they were needed for who they are they might be more active. The tone of arguments like yours are discouraging to leaders and men. Most leaders give in to the grinding gripes of women. We are not all male chauvinists. We are trying to do our best. We are trying to make the men feel like they are wanted and needed. Men's attitude, right or wrong, is 'if a woman wants to do it let her.' I think of the women in the church who are married to inactive husbands. Men who don't feel needed at church ultimately sadden the women in their lives. It is a good thing for women to allow certain special things for men. Many men don't feel wanted or uniquely needed anymore. If a man in interchangable with a women he fades away and goes somewhere where he can be a man, like in front of the TV with the ball game on. Hopefully my case is a little stronger than Mike's. I'm sure though that complaints and criticisms like yours will ultimately change this unwritten policy throughout the church. Saying the opening prayer in sacrament will no longer be something special for men to do.
written by deeby 439 days ago
    You make a good point, deeby, about men needing to feel needed as priesthood holders. But I don't agree with those priesthood holders saying it's "policy" for men only to open Sacrament meeting. And, I think the main complaint was the chauvanistic(sp?) attitude some of the men she had talked to about it displayed. Women are worthy to open Sacrament Meeting. But maybe, if a ward wants to reserve it as something special for the men to do, there should be a talk/discussion given in a combined lesson about it, to get feedback, to clear up that it is not policy, and maybe even to offer the comprimise (sp? I'm terrible with big words) that men always offer the opening/closing and a woman always offers the other. In my ward, I think that's usually how it goes. Though I'm not one to pay attention to it, as it doesn't matter to me who prays, as long as they don't ask me. I'm terrified of standing in front of crowds, even if their eyes are closed! :)
    written by naomlette 439 days ago
    A special job for priesthood holders in sacrament meeting. Let's see:

    -- a priesthood holder presides

    -- priesthood holders prepare, bless, and pass the sacrament

    -- a priesthood holder takes records of the number of people in attendance

    -- priesthood holders bless babies, confirm new members

    I don't understand why it is that saying the opening prayer, tradition or not, has to come under the heading of a unique priesthood duty or privilege. We've been told in the scriptures that anyone can pray, everyone has the ability to invite the Spirit to a meeting.

    I'll have to pay better attention in my own ward now. I've never noticed one way or the other.

    I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have a tradition, but the attitude that can come with it...
    written by Redpen1966 423 days ago
naomlette, you make some great points.

deeby just reposted the comment he made on Mormon Momma. It was addressed in the forum there at length. I think the most important point is this, deeby asks, "Is there no room to have a special job for men?"

All I could do was wonder if her really hadn't noticed all the dozens of "special" jobs for defined only for men in the church. Why would men need to claim shared space as there own?
written by AMSmith 436 days ago
I've never seen or heard of this "policy" in any of the 6+ wards I've attended in Utah, Idaho, or Washington state. Weird! I HAVE heard of a unofficial policy of having a priesthood holder give the last talk, but I think that was in the context of debunking it.
written by TedB 419 days ago
My wife & I live in downtown SLC in one of the few original wards still functioning. I read this article right after we moved into the ward. The next Sunday I was surprised when a sister was announced to give the invocation. Every week since, a sister has given the invocation. Even a Sunday when we had a missionary speaking before entering the MTC, the Stake Patriarch's wife gave the invocation. And the Stake President was even there. About 10 years ago I lived in the Murray area, and the Stake President announced that women could only give the benediction. That went over like a lead balloon. I think some leaders need to read the handbook they have been provided. I remember about 18 years ago a member of the Seventy made a comment in our Stake conference that 'the church does not need new programs; we need to work the programs we have.'
written by musicman 346 days ago
I was glad to be informed!!
written by jadeshuhoi 59 days ago

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