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.
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Instructions
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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.
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Dress properly. Dresses or skirts are considered appropriate for women, while men generally wear dress slacks and dress shirts, usually with a tie.
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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.
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Join in the singing. A hymnal will be in the pew in front of you.
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When church members vote on business concerning the church, you do not need to raise your hand.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Comments
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Having attended a few Mormon services... I can honestly say that I thought the Catholic Church was boring... but the Mormon church takes the cake! Interesting how Google returns 3,8000,000 results for the phrase 'Mormon services boring'. mmm
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bgoddard
Jun 29, 2010
Concerning appropriate clothing at sacrament service..... I have every Handbook of Instructions from 1976 to the present. None of them specify a dress code for attending any meetings. The exception is; "those who bless and pass the sacrament should dess modestly... white shirts and ties are recommended but are not required to participate." Mormonism only specifies a dress code for those entering a temple.... in 2006 it says "members should wear clothing that is suitable for the House of the Lord" (in 1976 the dress code for temples did say; "Sisters should not wear miniskirts." If there was a dress code for sacrament meetings, it ended in the 1960s. That said... when their is a cultural norm.. many people like to claim it is a requirement. -
wyomingme
Jun 05, 2010
Yes, anyone can take the sacrament, as for clothes worn in the chapel, dresses/suits are something we try to wear there BUT if we do not have those, our BEST clothes are always welcome. God knows our intent for being there. We want the best for a God who gives us only the best for us, thus we do it out of respect for him.
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atari81
May 13, 2010
You can take the sacramental bread and water if you want. Just listen to the prayer on the bread and water before it is passed, and if you agree to take upon yourself the name of Christ to the best of your knowledge, then you can certainly eat and drink. For members, it also symbolizes a renewal of your baptismal covenant with God. Catholics also renew their baptism with the small water cups near the entrances, but I believe you have to be Catholic in order to use them (I am not Catholic so don't know for sure on this.)
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auntiemimi
Nov 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 ...
