#hearLDSwomen: My Bishop Shut Down My Book Club
Our ward’s Relief Society had a book club, and all book choices had to be approved by the bishop.
– Sherry Work
Our book group got shut down. The bishopric saw no way to control the content and who might or might not be offended by it, so they refused to let us figure it out like grownups. Cinema club (which was mostly period pieces and Masterpiece theater) got shut down, too.
– Sarah Jane Bates Gray
As Young Women’s president, I had to FIGHT for a key to the library. So unnecessary.
– Chrysteil Lynn Hunter
I was told we shouldn’t waste paper and copies on coloring pages for nursery. This from a man who had never served in nursery.
– Lacey Jones, Wyoming
My bishop refused to buy the new book At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women for our ward library because the last book I requested was The First Fifty Years of Relief Society. He told me I “had an agenda” and refused to support it.
– Lori LeVar Pierce
Pro Tip: Don’t micromanage women. Allow them to govern themselves, and give them the resources they need to fulfill their callings.
Click here to read all of the stories in our #hearLDSwomen series. Has anything like this happened to you? Please share in the comments or submit your experience(s) to participate in the series.
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:23)
A couple of us ladies started a book club and just never made it part of the Church. We let people know we were having it on our own (away from church). If it’s not through Relief Society then they cannot say anything!
Our Bishopric won’t hand over a library key for Primary or YW either.
It’s so frustrating that they trust us with their most precious people but not with the copy machine or materials. Was told that, “it is this way for a good reason.”
So, I started turning in receipts for all the toner I use at home printing off stuff for the Primary Program, Sharing Times, teacher information, etc.
Still SO insulting that we aren’t trusted with building room keys. Women use the church library ten times more than men do! So wrong that we are required to fork over our money/tithes and then they get to refuse to give access to church resources to those who use them most
Sounds pretty familiar…
In the UK the meeting house key opens all the doors in the meeting house, including the Library. So, since Auxilliary leaders have a key they have access to the Library. I think this is fine, so long as they treat it with respect, especially since many units do not have a Sunday School president, let alone an actual Librarian.