Visitors Are Always Welcome
It says “Visitors Welcome” on all our buildings—and we mean it! Whether you’re interested in becoming a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visiting with a friend, or just exercising a little curiosity, we’re happy to see you.
What to Expect from Sunday Services
Church is a place of community and learning, but most importantly it’s a place to worship God and Jesus Christ. All 30,000 of our congregations around the world follow a similar two-hour format for Sunday services:
Sacrament Meeting
During what we call “sacrament meeting,” all members of the congregation meet together. The meeting includes an opening and closing prayer, a few hymns, and sermons given by fellow Church members.
The most important part of sacrament meeting is taking the sacrament, which is similar to Communion in other Christian religions. During the sacrament, we remember Jesus Christ as we take a small piece of bread and cup of water that are symbolic of the body and blood He sacrificed for us. During this quieter time, we try to think about ways we can follow Him more faithfully during the coming week.
As a visitor, you won’t be expected to participate in anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. Feel free to simply sit in the congregation and take in the experience.
Classes
In addition to sacrament meeting, people are invited to stay for a second hour of learning in a smaller setting.
Children go to Primary, where they learn scripture stories, songs, and age-appropriate lessons about Jesus and His gospel. Teenagers attend similar classes for their own age-groups.
On alternating Sundays, adults attend Sunday School together, studying the books of scripture selected for Churchwide study that year. On the other weeks, they break up into separate classes for men (known as the elders quorum) and women (known as the Relief Society).
If you’re not sure where to go, just ask, and someone will help you find the right class.
Other Church Activities
If you attend a Sunday worship service with us or have a friend who is a member of our Church, you might get invited to one of the other activities going on in your local congregation. A few examples include:
- Social activities, such as a Christmas party.
- Weekly youth group activities.
- Institutes of religion for young adults to study the scriptures and socialize together.
- Community service projects.
- Self-reliance classes.
- Concerts or other artistic performances.