Comments on: How About An “Old Folks” Ward?

By: Bryce I

Bryce I — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 21:38:40 +0000

My grandparents were in an old folks ward in SLC. They were reintegrated back into the regular stake a few years back.

Some of the issues that were unique to that ward that I recall:

There wasn’t much need for an activities committee. The ward got together almost weekly for weddings and funerals.

Visiting and hometeaching in the winter was often difficult with all of the snowbirds leaving town, so there was someone called to send postcards every month to members of the ward who were wintering in Arizona.

Obviously, there was no Primary and no YM/YW program.

Sunday classes were pretty cool when I went to visit. The ward had tons of experienced Church members — for example, I think there were at least 10 returned mission presidents.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 20:47:22 +0000

Ha! We just created (much needed and long overdue) the same calling in our ward and called a couple to be over the single adults. We have over 60 single sisters and a handful of single men. Those numbers alone tell you why an older single adult ward wouldn’t work in our stake. Virtually all of the Priesthood leadership would have to come from outside the singles ward. I imagine this to be the problem in other areas. Not enough single worthy and/or stable males to go along with the 8:1 girl to guy ratio. The selfish side of me (less hometeaching and little or no problems) would looooooooooove to see the ward formed.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 14:26:11 +0000

There is, or at least used to be, a ward in Chevy Chase, MD, that was for anyone over the age 18 who didnt have kids. It was a ward with no Primary program or YM/YW. There were singles of all ages, a lot of older couples who were empty nesters and married couples were allowed to stay until they had a kid.

By: a random John

a random John — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 08:53:46 +0000

There is a German branch in SLC that is all over 80. They meet in the Douglas Ward building. Of course, the Douglas Ward itself was pretty geriatric….

By: Bret

Bret — Tue, 12 Jul 2005 01:19:52 +0000

Hey, who said YOUNG sinble adult wards are the wonderful rosy places that do so much good for their members?
(my tongue is firmly in my cheek on this one)

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 23:59:31 +0000

We had a mature single adult ward in our Stake up until last years when it got destroyed. I heard it came from above, but I wasn’t in the councils where it was discoused.

Maybe the whole Singles ward cut off at 30 is for more than statutory reasons?

By: Geoff J

Geoff J — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 21:44:21 +0000

So you are talking about an “mature single adult ward”? I suspect the problem is the one you already mentioned — it is hard to make a ward if 80-90% of the prospective ward members are women.