When you are in the "dying" ward - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 10-07-2013, 10:49 PM

I have been in a ward for almost 4 years now.

It has considerably shrunk during that time. While it is in the burbs, it is not a part of the burbs that is attractive to LDS families buying homes.

It's probably been about 3 years since a family has bought a house in our ward boundaries and moved in. In fact, we may actually be the last family to have done so.

Lots of families who owned houses have moved out.

The people that have moved in are renting (mostly apartments, but a couple have rented houses). They turn over pretty quickly. When the renters are ready to buy a home, they have almost all bought outside the ward.

So that creates a ward where the entire primary on some Sundays might be 12 kids. A YW program with only 5 girls. A Boy Scout troop with only 2 boys.

It's a very strange dynamic. The ward just north of us who shares out building is bursting at the seams, in comparison.

Our ward is too small to run a Cub Scouts and Seminary program on its own and thus combines with that larger ward.

So the demographics of our ward is largely two groups: old empty-nester homeowners and young renters. And never did the twain meet. There are a few young families, but that's a small minority. This contributes to the lack of cohesion in the ward. Frankly the old-timers want nothing to do with the revolving door apartment renters.

Well, Mike, why don't you just turn it around yourself? I've tried in some small ways. More than most. I've arguably been the most ambitious activity planner in our ward.

We need a shot in the arm.

MikeWaters · 10-17-2013, 03:16 AM

Temple youth baptisms. One YW, 3 YM.

MikeWaters · 02-10-2014, 08:37 PM

We had about 130 people at Church yesterday. By way of comparison, one of our contiguous wards has 100 active YM and YW.

I'm thinking that one of the problems with a smaller ward is burn out. Your calling pool is shallow and you just burn through the same people over and over with no break. The only way to not get a calling that takes a lot of time is to be completely incompetent. And even that is not a guarantee. And when I say incompetent, I mean do nothing and let the program completely flounder.

As in, why don't we have a cub scout program? Things like that.

Whereas in a big ward the thing is you can get completely lost.

MikeWaters · 02-10-2014, 08:58 PM

also an older couple just moved into our ward by buying a house. They are the first to move in by buying a home in four years.

Everyone who had moved in during those four years was renting. Easy come, easy go. See the "moving hell" thread.

Snowcat · 02-12-2014, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

We had about 130 people at Church yesterday. By way of comparison, one of our contiguous wards has 100 active YM and YW.

I'm thinking that one of the problems with a smaller ward is burn out. Your calling pool is shallow and you just burn through the same people over and over with no break. The only way to not get a calling that takes a lot of time is to be completely incompetent. And even that is not a guarantee. And when I say incompetent, I mean do nothing and let the program completely flounder.

As in, why don't we have a cub scout program? Things like that.

Whereas in a big ward the thing is you can get completely lost.

I am surprised the Stake doesn't work the boundaries a bit to help alleviate this.

MikeWaters · 02-12-2014, 09:25 PM

I know the Stake is thinking about it. But until they actually do something the situation obviously will not change.

The disparities have to do with the housing stock in different sectors. The ward that has the new cheap houses is thriving. Our ward that has older more expensive houses (including run-down neighborhoods that are relatively overpriced) just doesn't attract families.

MikeWaters · 02-12-2014, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I know the Stake is thinking about it. But until they actually do something the situation obviously will not change.

The disparities have to do with the housing stock in different sectors. The ward that has the new cheap houses is thriving. Our ward that has older more expensive houses (including run-down neighborhoods that are relatively overpriced) just doesn't attract families.

They have not publicly stated that they are thinking about this. I have been told privately.

Snowcat · 02-12-2014, 11:09 PM

I know it can cause quite the trauma when they reorganize boundaries (I occasionally hear about some reorganization that happened many years prior that someone still resents), but your experience shows why it needs to be done. Burned out leaders and marginally functioning auxiliaries do not sound like a good future.

MikeWaters · 02-02-2015, 09:50 PM

The ward that we would be combined with, if combination were to take place....that ward is in the boundaries of 3 different high schools. Meaning kids in that ward attend 3 different high schools.

There is no rhyme or reason to this.

Our budget is so small that we can't even realistically run our scouting program if we follow the church's guidelines (a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much).

Yesterday in F&T meeting, one of the themes was how small and great our ward is. It felt like over-compensation.

10-07-2013, 10:49 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	When you are in the "dying" ward I have been in a ward for almost 4 years now. It has considerably shrunk during that time. While it is in the burbs, it is not a part of the burbs that is attractive to LDS families buying homes. It's probably been about 3 years since a family has bought a house in our ward boundaries and moved in. In fact, we may actually be the last family to have done so. Lots of families who owned houses have moved out. The people that have moved in are renting (mostly apartments, but a couple have rented houses). They turn over pretty quickly. When the renters are ready to buy a home, they have almost all bought outside the ward. So that creates a ward where the entire primary on some Sundays might be 12 kids. A YW program with only 5 girls. A Boy Scout troop with only 2 boys. It's a very strange dynamic. The ward just north of us who shares out building is bursting at the seams, in comparison. Our ward is too small to run a Cub Scouts and Seminary program on its own and thus combines with that larger ward. So the demographics of our ward is largely two groups: old empty-nester homeowners and young renters. And never did the twain meet. There are a few young families, but that's a small minority. This contributes to the lack of cohesion in the ward. Frankly the old-timers want nothing to do with the revolving door apartment renters. Well, Mike, why don't you just turn it around yourself? I've tried in some small ways. More than most. I've arguably been the most ambitious activity planner in our ward. We need a shot in the arm.

10-17-2013, 03:16 AM	#2
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	Temple youth baptisms. One YW, 3 YM.

02-10-2014, 08:37 PM	#3
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	We had about 130 people at Church yesterday. By way of comparison, one of our contiguous wards has 100 active YM and YW. I'm thinking that one of the problems with a smaller ward is burn out. Your calling pool is shallow and you just burn through the same people over and over with no break. The only way to not get a calling that takes a lot of time is to be completely incompetent. And even that is not a guarantee. And when I say incompetent, I mean do nothing and let the program completely flounder. As in, why don't we have a cub scout program? Things like that. Whereas in a big ward the thing is you can get completely lost.

02-10-2014, 08:58 PM	#4
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	also an older couple just moved into our ward by buying a house. They are the first to move in by buying a home in four years. Everyone who had moved in during those four years was renting. Easy come, easy go. See the "moving hell" thread.

02-12-2014, 09:25 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I know the Stake is thinking about it. But until they actually do something the situation obviously will not change. The disparities have to do with the housing stock in different sectors. The ward that has the new cheap houses is thriving. Our ward that has older more expensive houses (including run-down neighborhoods that are relatively overpriced) just doesn't attract families.

02-12-2014, 11:09 PM	#8
Snowcat Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 103	I know it can cause quite the trauma when they reorganize boundaries (I occasionally hear about some reorganization that happened many years prior that someone still resents), but your experience shows why it needs to be done. Burned out leaders and marginally functioning auxiliaries do not sound like a good future.

02-02-2015, 09:50 PM	#9
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	The ward that we would be combined with, if combination were to take place....that ward is in the boundaries of 3 different high schools. Meaning kids in that ward attend 3 different high schools. There is no rhyme or reason to this. Our budget is so small that we can't even realistically run our scouting program if we follow the church's guidelines (a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much). Yesterday in F&T meeting, one of the themes was how small and great our ward is. It felt like over-compensation.