They're not potluck. There's a Break the Fast committee that handles all the food preparation, and a linger longer committee as well.

So what are your thoughts about single/student wards mingles? We have a mingles committee that alternates between the men and women taking charge. There is a big difference in quality and effort. Our last mingle with the men in charge had a "trail mix" theme. Big bags of trail mix poured in several bowls and we were expected to partake after the brethren had hand sifted out the M&M's. Contrast that with the last "women's" mingle. It was a luau complete with shredded pork, fruit, etc.

That is damn funny.

Uhhh...they have adult advisors that supervise everything and they NEVER leave the men in charge on their own. The couple plans the menu, and then the committee (men and women) just help with prep and clean up.

Interesting - the only "adults" in our ward are the bishopric. All other positions are held by the young people.

Is this true? That is very amusing if so.

And sadly, all too common.

This is how the singles wards I've been in were run, almost without exception.

I know. As unfortunate a scenario as that undoubtedly is, it kind of cracks me up. Sort of reminds me of the activity in my singles ward in Utah where the EQ president came into RS to give an announcement that the men were going to do a dinner for the RS, and sent around a sign-up sheet so they could get a head count. Then the next week came back to RS and announced that the men felt it would be better food if the RS made the dinner, and passed out food assignments to anyone who had the misfortune of putting their name on the list. For reasons that are still not clear to me the bishopric found the entire thing to be completely acceptable.

Only the tip of the iceberg. The men love to put on "breakfast" mingles. Involves a Costco run and slamming oversized cereal and milk on bare tables in the cultural hall. The women always use a real theme, decorate the tables and put out a little effort. Bishop reminds us it is good training for the rest of our church "careers".

One of my pet peeves about church culture (and not doctrine) is how men are expected and even enoucraged to be slack-jawed spiritual and cultural idiots and women are expected to take up the slack (I realize I'm mixing slacks here, but you get the point). In our ward whenever there is any social event the men always jokingly say how the women have to be in charrge for ti to be any good and the women in the RS actually ENOUCRAEG this thinking. It drives me wild. This goes beyond cereal and doughnuts, but that example is certainly symptomatic. One of the main reasons men are lazy and never do their share is becaseu no one expects them to. This is not ocnsistent, IMO, with the mantle of the priesthood and the expectations of God.