Minimizing Church Activities During the Holidays

                                                                           12 November 2014

TO: Stake and Ward Council members

RE: Stake and ward holiday parties

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we approach the holiday season, it is natural for every organization to want a holiday party or get-together as a way of unifying members and expressing thanks for everyone’s service during the past year.

While these are wonderful and worthy motives, we request that wards consider holding only one holiday activity or party for all ward members (or adults) in 2014 and into the future. Some wards are already doing this and we thank you.

In place of the other traditional Church-sponsored holiday activities or parties, we urge stake and ward leaders to encourage members to consider holding neighborhood holiday gatherings in their home as a follow-up to our neighbor-to-neighbor efforts during the stake food drive in October.

           

Please know this is not a mandate or policy from the stake presidency, but a recommendation. Our hope is that this letter will resonate with leaders as a way of:

·   Reducing the time demand holiday parties place on leaders and families; and

·   Encouraging members to use the holidays to invite non-member friends into our homes and help them to know of our personal devotion to Jesus Christ.

Thank you for giving this your consideration as we remind everyone that the holidays are ideal for spending time with family, building friendships with neighbors and serving the less-fortunate. Let’s give families the time to do so.