Announcing a return to our pre-Covid meeting schedule

19 January 2021

TO: Bishoprics, Branch Presidencies, Stake and Ward Councils

FROM: Mount Hood Stake Presidency

Dear Leaders,

The Area West Presidency has instructed wards and branches to return to the pre-Covid meeting schedule—while staying within local safety guidelines.

If possible, please implement this by Sunday, Feb. 7—the first Sunday in February.

As you’ll recall this means a return to second-hour gatherings as follows:

• Adult and youth Sunday School classes on the first and third Sundays of each month;

• Relief Society, Elders quorum, Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood quorum meetings and classes on the second and fourth Sundays of each month.

Also we have been instructed to continue holding:

• Weekly sacrament meetings, both in person and virtually (hybrid) with the sacrament administered in homes and in the chapel after the meeting;

• Weekly youth activity nights;

• Weekly missionary and temple and family history coordinating meetings;

• Regular stake and ward council meetings;

• Regular presidency meetings;

• Regular ministering interviews.

There is no guidance for conducting the Primary program for children. Ward and branch leaders are to decide how that is to happen in your unit, if at all.

Safety Still Comes First

For the Church to lift all meeting restrictions is exciting news. However, it’s also daunting when constrained by the safety precautions of a pandemic.

As a consequence, wards are to decide how—in person, virtually
or both (hybrid)—and when each class or meeting is to be held.

Please continue to follow all safety guidelines, including social distancing and wearing face coverings in all meetings and classes in our buildings. We also ask that you continue to read the statement on safety precautions at the beginning of each sacrament meeting.

Also please respect and accommodate the wishes of those who may not yet feel comfortable meeting in person.

Overarching all of this, the Area Presidency has asked that as we plan to return to our pre-Covid meeting schedule that we continue to protect the Sabbath Day for families. 

In other words, please do not schedule so many meetings on Sundays that families and individuals feel too burdened or “burned out” to find time for their Come, Follow Me family study.

Suggestions That May Help

The following suggestions and reminders may help:

• Any of the second-hour classes or meetings can be conducted on a different day other than Sunday;

• Start times may vary; for instance, you can hold second-hour classes earlier in the day for those with a later sacrament meeting start time;

• Because there may not be enough rooms in the church building large enough to socially distance attendees, classes and meetings may be conducted virtually from homes;

• Where possible, have the youth meet in person; the Area Presidency has asked us to give added focus to strengthening the rising generation and, as you have found, by Sunday youth are weary of virtual school classes;

• Avoid scheduling every member of the family at a different time on the same day so families have time to be together;

• Encourage parents with young children to conduct Primary at home and consider a weekday, online gathering of children under the direction of ward Primary leaders and teachers once or twice a month rather than weekly.

Possible Scheduling Options

The following are some scheduling options that may help ward leaders implement this new direction for second-hour classes and meetings:

VIRTUAL-ONLY / SIMULTANEOUS

• Hold all classes and meetings virtually from homes at the same time, just as when we met in person.

• Give priority to youth to use devices with video capability while adults, if needed, use a phone to call in for audio only, if there are not enough devices or wifi capacity at home.

• Find ways to keep young children occupied safely in the home.

HYBRID / SIMULTANEOUS

• Youth gather in person or hybrid at the church building for their classes during the second-hour period.

• Adults attend virtually at the same time.

• Accommodate the time it takes for parents to shuttle youth to and from the building.

HYBRID / STAGGERED SAME DAY

• Youth meet in person, virtually or hybrid on Sunday.

• Adults meet virtually from home at a different time on Sunday.

HYBRID / DIFFERENT DAY

• Youth meet in person, virtually or hybrid on Sunday.

• Adults meet on a weekday evening.

Feel free to discuss and implement additional approaches. Thank you for prayerfully counseling together and making preparations needed to return to a pre-Covid meeting schedule by Sunday, February 7. 

Finally, please know how much we appreciate the many adaptations you’ve been asked to make as we have navigated together the challenge of staying connected and meeting as a church during the past 10+ months. Because of your attention to safety, we have had no Covid outbreaks due to gatherings in our stake, for which we are most grateful.

Thank you for moving forward the work of the Lord during a most challenging time!

Mount Hood Stake Presidency