How to Attend a Mormon Service if You're Not Mormon

The Mormon Church, properly called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomes guests to its Sunday services all over the world. Here are a few hints that will make visitors more comfortable if they aren't members of the church.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Call ahead to be sure you know the time. Mormon buildings are usually shared by several "wards," with each holding its main Sunday service at a different time. Look in the yellow pages under "Churches - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Call one of the numbers listed and ask what time Sacrament Meeting is held.

2. Dress properly. Dresses or skirts are considered appropriate for women, while men generally wear dress slacks and dress shirts, usually with a tie.

3. Arrive on time. You will most likely be greeted by an usher at the door to the chapel. You can sit anywhere in the chapel.

4. Join in the singing. A hymnal will be in the pew in front of you.

5. When church members vote on business concerning the church, you do not need to raise your hand.

6. Do not take the sacramental bread and water when it is passed unless you are a baptized member of the church. Simply pass it on to the person next to you. If you are at the end of the row, a young man should be there to take the bread or water tray from you.

7. Keep in mind that after the service church members will proceed to subsequent meetings, including Sunday School and church auxiliary meetings. If you'd like to stay, ask one of the ushers or another member where classes will be held in the building. Children can be directed to classes with other children in their age group.

Tips & Warnings

• A Mormon chapel - where Sunday services take place - is different from a Mormon temple. Only members in good standing are admitted to temples.
• Sunday Mormon meetings last for a total of three hours, but you can feel free to leave any time after the first meeting if you wish.
• Small LDS Family History Centers, which are research centers for those tracing family roots, are located throughout the country and are open to non-members. If you're interested, ask about the nearest Family History Center when you call, or while you're at church.
• Mormons believe that families should be together for church, so small children are always present at Sacrament Meeting. Non-members sometimes find it a bit noisy when compared to the noise level in other churches.

[auntiemimi]

on 11/13/2009 A lot of churches ask you to dress modestly and respectfully. You wouldn't go to a fancy restaurant in shabby clothes, can you dress up to go to God's house? One thing I noticed about the LDS church is they do want you to dress decently, but they are also willing to make that possible for you.

I have a friend who's very poor. She's a housekeeper and supports her 4 children on just that job. She goes to an LDS church because it's the one in her neighborhood, even though she was raised Catholic. They have never hassled her about not becoming a member, and her kids know she believes differently from some of the teachings, but they are still welcome.

When she commented to another lady about the high cost of kids clothes, the woman offered her a ride to Deseret Industries thrift store. The clerk helped her find Sunday outfits for each of her kids, and they charged her a quarter ...

[bassettm]

on 7/3/2009 I just found a great link on the official website that gives you more information on what to expect when you attend church. http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/worship-with-us/what-to-expect
The official websites are www.lds.org or www.mormon.org.

[bassettm]

on 7/3/2009 I agree with some of the people who commented below. If one of my friends was coming to church with me and she asked me what to wear, I would sum it up with "no cleavage, no short skirts." You could add "no thong sticking out" "no belly shirts" and "no pink spiked hair" but honestly, I'm pretty sure she would know not to have her thong show and have a green mohawk. So if you're going to church with a mormon friend or if you just want to check it out, your normal clothes should be just about fine (think of what would be appropriate for a job-interview).

[airforce1engine]

on 6/15/2009 I agree with Kingsfold as well! Attending Church in your Sunday best is simply about showing respect for others and most importantly respect and reverence to the Lord! It's no different than attending church at Catholic Services or other Christian Services! The important thing to remember is that it's "your" Sunday Best! If your Sunday best is Dockers and a Polo Shirt, then so be it! I have never seen a member or Church official EVER say anything to a visitor or even a member for that matter about appearance. There are many who can't afford a Sunday Suit and I can remember as a child I didn't always have one either. I wore what was "MY" Sunday best and it was never an issue.
Most importantly, you'll find members will greet you with a warm heart and are gracious with visitors! You'll find you'll leave feeling you graciously worshipped the Lord and truly fed spiritually!

[kingsfold]

on 5/6/2009 The Church is a cult because we recommend that people wear their "Sunday best"? Come on, indeed. Emphasis *isn't* really placed on dress code (and, there *is* no dress code-- we simply suggest that people wear their best clothes). This was the crux of the first post. We wear "Sunday clothes" to Church, as another poster remarked, to show respect to ourselves, to others, and most importantly, to Heavenly Father. Yes, God loves us all the same, regardless of what clothes we wear, but wearing our best clothes is a sign of reverence. Finally, Jesus *did* wear a robe, because that's what people wore back then, but there is much biblical precedent regarding special dress in houses of worship (such as the temple in Jerusalem).