Poll: Surviving the Block
Last week, we asked you, dear readers, for some polling ideas. One of the first was about the order of the Sunday block program. I thought everyone did Sunday the same way I have for most of my life: Sacrament meeting, Sunday School, Auxiliary meeting.
But, it seems like some wards don’t do it that way. So, we’ve got a twofer this week. In both polls, I haven’t listed every possibility because the polls got really long, so if you see that your schedule isn’t listed, click “Other” and let us know your schedule or your ideal schedule. And, feel free to define what you think the ideal Condensed Schedule would look like.
I’m sure I’ll be fantasizing about my ideal come Sunday afternoon, sitting in the pews, handing out fruit snacks.
I look forward to the day when we have a 2 hour block. I don’t know if any one else out there feels the same way that I do, but as I get older I’m getting less tolerant of being in SS and RS – more so with RS. There are times I leave after SM. When I see who’s teaching, determines if I go or stay. There are some teachers who either read the lesson or put very little effort in preparing – can’t stand that. I come to learn, not to be read to.
Someone who served a mission in Chile reported that in her mission boundaries, church consisted of Sacrament plus one other meeting. The meeting after Sacrament alternated, some weeks were for auxilliary meetings and some weeks were for Sunday School, but never both of these meetings on the same Sunday. I wonder if the church has investigated how well this kind of a schedule works.
When I lived in Jordan, the branch in Amman had all three meetings condensed into 2 hours. It was heavenly.
We flip between the first two options of the first poll every January. We combine youth and primary programs with another ward, so we have primary at the same time, but sometimes we have sacrament first and sometimes the other ward does. It’s hard on me as nursery leader because the ward who has Sunday School first often trickles in late and the kids don’t get good routine. I do understand parents have a hard time getting kids to church though. It’s just hard.
I’d love it if it were only 90 minutes. Cut down to 1 speaker in sacrament. Only do one bock of class instead of two.
I love the idea of trading off between Sunday School one week, RS and Priesthood meetings the next and only having a two hour block each week. Maybe once a month it would be nice to have an optional 3rd hour linger-longer that gave people more of a chance to socialize. My family and I haven’t attended a linger longer in over 5 years–at the end of 3 hours of church the last thing I’m capable of doing is wrangling my kids for another hour.
I personally don’t like RS, so would be happy to see that disappear or become option. But if that is optional, PH should be as well. I like the idea of a 2 hour block, with every other week being SS or PH/RS, then maybe a 3 hour block can come on 5th Sundays?
I haven’t been in a choir in years, although I used to love singing because choir is after the 3 hour block, and by that time, I just need to eat and get out of church and run like child because I am fussy having been forced to sit quietly and still for so long!
My vote is to add in an option for 2/3 hour block with Sac Mtg, then Auxiliary, then optional SS/choir/linger longer.
I was in a singles branch in Oregon for 5 years, and our schedule was always Sunday School, Sacrament, then Auxiliary. We started at 1:30 pm, and attendance peaked for Sacrament, but was often sparse before and after unless there was Break the Fast or Linger Longer.
Growing up, we always had Sacrament meeting last, which as a child, made church seem so long and boring.
My current ward is the only ward that I’ve been to that had Sacrament meeting first. And I like it that way. It’s hard to corral kids for a reverent meeting after they’ve played for 2 hours in Primary/nursery. My ward is a little different because we have Sacrament mtg first, then Relief Society, then SS. I think this is probably Stake wide.
Huh, if I were to cancel any meeting, it would be Sunday School, easy. They hold it in the chapel and you often can’t hear the speaker or any of the comments. It seems like discussion is less of a focus than in relief society and the lessons aren’t as well prepared because there aren’t rotating teachers.
We do the typical, SM, SS, RS/PH. I think it works best. I am hesitant about shortening the block because one the things that sets us apart is how much more time we spend with our ward members. If it were cut to 90 minutes, I don’t think I would know as many people or feel as compelled to get to know others who attend church with me. Likely I’ll change my mind when I have kids, but I don’t have a lot of complaints about length these days.