Gathering (LDS Church)
Encyclopedia
Gathering has been an important part of life in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), from gathering as missionaries
to gathering for worship services. In the early days of the LDS Church, members were asked to gather together many times in specific locations from all over the world, including traveling across the United States to the Utah Territory
. In the modern era, members are asked to gather in the stakes of Zion
located in their local areas.
, but they were scattered because of rebellion. God promised that the Children of Israel would be gathered. Missionaries are sent by the LDS Church out all over the world to gather the children of God. Peter and Paul prophesied that all things were to be restored during this last dispensation, which includes gathering the scattered.
Latter-day Saints are taught that one of the main purposes for gathering is to make all of the saving ordinances available, especially those that are limited to a temple
.
in their local areas.
The members of the LDS Church gather with their local ward or branch for weekly at worship services in LDS meetinghouses. Once a year there is a stake conference for each stake, where the members of the several wards that make up each stake meet as a group. These were previously held in stake tabernacles
, but now normally will occur in stake center. District
and area
conference also happen periodically. Latter-day Saints gather twice each year for General Conference
, currently held in the Conference Center
, but available by satellite broadcast to many LDS meetinghouses, via BYUtv
, and other broadcast outlets.
In many high schools throughout the United States, many LDS students gathers for release time Seminary to learn more about the teachings found in the Standard Works
. In many colleges throughout the world, students gather together to take institute
classes which teach these same topics.
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to gathering for worship services. In the early days of the LDS Church, members were asked to gather together many times in specific locations from all over the world, including traveling across the United States to the Utah Territory
Utah Territory
The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah....
. In the modern era, members are asked to gather in the stakes of Zion
Zion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
located in their local areas.
Doctrine
In order for gathering, a scattering has to take place. In the Old Testament, Israel had the blessings of being God's covenant peopleJews as a chosen people
In Judaism, "chosenness" is the belief that the Jews are the Chosen People, chosen to be in a covenant with God. This idea is first found in the Torah and is elaborated on in later books of the Hebrew Bible...
, but they were scattered because of rebellion. God promised that the Children of Israel would be gathered. Missionaries are sent by the LDS Church out all over the world to gather the children of God. Peter and Paul prophesied that all things were to be restored during this last dispensation, which includes gathering the scattered.
Latter-day Saints are taught that one of the main purposes for gathering is to make all of the saving ordinances available, especially those that are limited to a temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
.
Historic examples
Historically the Latter-day Saints have gathering in many locations, including:- Kirtland, OhioKirtland, OhioKirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. Kirtland is famous for being the early headquarters of the Latter Day Saint movement.-Origins of Kirtland:...
- Independence, MissouriIndependence, MissouriIndependence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area...
- Nauvoo, IllinoisNauvoo, IllinoisNauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
- Salt Lake City and the surrounding Salt Lake ValleySalt Lake ValleySalt Lake Valley is a valley in Salt Lake County in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Utah. It contains Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs, notably West Valley City, Murray, Sandy, and West Jordan; its total population is 1,029,655 as of 2010...
- Various site within the Mormon CorridorMormon CorridorThe Mormon Corridor is a term for the areas of Western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , who are commonly known as Mormons....
- Laie, Hawaii
Modern practices
In the modern era, members are asked to gather in the stakes of ZionZion (Latter Day Saints)
Within the Latter Day Saint movement, Zion is often used to connote a utopian association of the righteous. This association would practice a form of communitarian economics called the United Order meant to ensure that all members maintained an acceptable quality of life, class distinctions were...
in their local areas.
The members of the LDS Church gather with their local ward or branch for weekly at worship services in LDS meetinghouses. Once a year there is a stake conference for each stake, where the members of the several wards that make up each stake meet as a group. These were previously held in stake tabernacles
Tabernacle (LDS Church)
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a tabernacle is a multipurpose religious building, used for church services, conferences, and as community centers. They differ from meetinghouses and temples in design, scale, and purpose...
, but now normally will occur in stake center. District
District (LDS Church)
A district of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative unit composed of a number of congregations called branches. A district is a subdivision of a mission of the church and in many ways is analogous to a stake of the church. The leader of a district is the...
and area
Area (LDS Church)
An area is an administrative unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which typically is composed of multiple stakes and missions...
conference also happen periodically. Latter-day Saints gather twice each year for General Conference
General Conference (LDS Church)
General Conference is a semiannual world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held in April and October, where members gather in a series of two-hour sessions to listen to instruction from Church leaders...
, currently held in the Conference Center
LDS Conference Center
The Conference Center, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the premier meeting hall for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Completed in spring 2000 in time for the church's April 2000 general conference, the 21,000-seat Conference Center replaced the traditional use of the nearby Salt...
, but available by satellite broadcast to many LDS meetinghouses, via BYUtv
BYU Television
__NOEDITSECTION__Brigham Young University Television is a cable/satellite television channel operated by Brigham Young University...
, and other broadcast outlets.
In many high schools throughout the United States, many LDS students gathers for release time Seminary to learn more about the teachings found in the Standard Works
Standard Works
The Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the four books that currently constitute its open scriptural canon.* The Holy Bible * The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ...
. In many colleges throughout the world, students gather together to take institute
Institute of Religion
Institutes of Religion provide religious educational classes for young single adult and university students who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
classes which teach these same topics.
See also
- Articles of Faith (Latter Day Saints) (number 10)
- Gathering of IsraelGathering of IsraelThe Gathering of Israel is the promise given by Moses, in the Hebrew Bible, to the People of Israel before his death, prior to their entrance to Eretz Israel...
- House of Joseph (LDS Church)
- Mormon pioneers
- Mormon TrailMormon TrailThe Mormon Trail or Mormon Pioneer Trail is the 1,300 mile route that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traveled from 1846 to 1868...
- Mormonism and JudaismMormonism and JudaismThe doctrines of the Latter Day Saint movement, commonly referred to as Mormonism, teach that its adherents, Latter-day Saints, are either direct descendants of the House of Israel, or are adopted into it. As such, Judaism is foundational to the history of Mormonism; Jews are considered a covenant...
- State of DeseretState of DeseretThe State of Deseret was a proposed state of the United States, propositioned in 1849 by Latter-day Saint settlers in Salt Lake City. The provisional state existed for slightly over two years and was never recognized by the United States government...
- Ten Lost TribesTen Lost TribesThe Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria...