Maybe I’m connecting dots that shouldn’t be connected, but it seems to me that there may be connection between TSCC’s new sensitivity in reporting church units that are dissolved or combined with the new combination of the EQ and HP group.

It seems (at least anecdotally) that many LDS wards and branches are suffering because they don’t have enough active members to staff all of the positions. In order to fully staff the Melchizedek priesthood in a given ward (before the recent changes) required a HP Group Leader, an EQ President, two councilors for each group/quorum, two secretaries, and two instructors. By combining the two, they free up five active Melchizedek holders to fill other positions in the ward.

With five new active men to fill callings in each ward, they can avoid, or at least forestall, having to discontinue or combine wards.

Yes, I think that is the major reason that they are doing it. I also think they want the High Priests to help keep the Elders in the fold.

its getting harder and harder to fill the holes in a sinking (or stinking) shop

CrispingPin Wrote:
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Maybe I’m connecting dots that shouldn’t be connected, but it seems to me that there may be connection between TSCC’s new sensitivity in reporting church units that are dissolved or combined with the new combination of the EQ and HP group.
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Dots to connect must delightful be! (Yoda voice)

Perfectly logical.

Data blackout, priesthood consolidation, home teaching retreat considered together - and over a compressed time interval - suggest a desperate untenable situation.

"PP" (priesthood paucity) logically argues available sisters be ordained. (Remember: the Mormon male - selected for submission not strength - in a male-centric system equals built-in power vacuum. Is great sucking sound.)

Ascendant sisters - relative, or merely even perceived (don't actually need ordaination) will please/displease more than a few and wedge-issue what remains of the chosen duped. More newly disaffected men depart the field.

And it becomes a cycle of ever-decreasing radius.

Wonder how long it will take the corporation to bleed out. All physical holdings require at minimum maintenance cash support. Data had suggested assets being sold (pre-blackout)

See those dark specks circling thermals high overhead?

They're called "vultures."

There’s definitely a smell of desperation in the air. It seems every PR move is more divorced from reality than the last.

Well here in the UK Mormonism seems to have turned a corner. As someone else pointed out in this forum, by law out it has to produce public yearly accounts.

http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/FinancialHistory.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=242451&SubsidiaryNumber=0

Ignoring money transfered in from SLC it's started making losses. But things are only going to get worse, the age profile for the few units I know mean that there's going to be a significant shrinkage coming which will bite hard in 15+ years. Yes buildings will close to keep the financial losses under control but critical mass and coherence has already began to weaken and things will only get worse. It looks like a slow cascade failure has started. Yes, in these isles the scc is losing its war against information and rational thinking.

"Alas, they who dwell on the British Isles have chosen their path; they wish to sin rather than follow the promptings of the most high ghawd. What shall be their reward? I tell you that it shall go hard on them, and they shall never again contend for the FIFA World Cup."
-- Judic West, mocking, just cuz he could

Remember when there was massive job proliferation so that everyone could have a calling?