“We should bear in mind that the success of a given activity cannot always be judged by its size. Rather, it must be judged by its effect on wardpthe lives of those participating.”

President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, “Strengthening the Inner Self,” Ensign, Feb. 2003, 4.

Activities at the ward, stake, and multistake levels bring Church members together as “fellowcitizens with the saints” (Ephesians 2:19). In addition to providing fun and entertainment, activities should build testimonies, strengthen families, and foster unity and personal growth.

Activities strengthen members by giving them a sense of belonging and mutual support. Activities should help members feel connected to others their age, to their leaders, and to their families. Activities should also help members see how living the gospel brings “the joy of the saints” (Enos 1:3).

Church activities should be planned to fulfill gospel-centered purposes. In addition to the general purposes mentioned above, these include:

  1. Participating in service projects that bless others and build community relationships.
  2. Developing talents and appreciation for cultural arts.
  3. Improving fitness and learning sportsmanship.
  4. Gaining education and vocational training.
  5. Celebrating special occasions and commemorating Church or local historical events.
  6. Developing leadership skills.
  7. Developing self-reliance.
  8. Participating in missionary work, retention, activation, temple work, and family history work.

Responsibility for Planning Activities

Before planning an activity, leaders consider the spiritual and temporal needs of members. Leaders seek the guidance of the Spirit to determine what kind of activity would help meet those needs. Careful planning is necessary to ensure that activities accomplish gospel-centered purposes and meet the needs of those who participate.

Under the direction of the bishopric, the ward council oversees the planning of ward activities. When an activity is for a specific organization or group in the ward, it is planned under the direction of the priesthood or auxiliary leaders who are responsible for the organization. When an activity is for the entire ward, the bishop may assign responsibility for it to one or more organizations represented on the ward council. He may also assign responsibility for an activity to other individuals or to a committee, working under the direction of the ward council. Normally these assignments are temporary for a specific activity.

In my humble opinion:

So what does this mean for Activities Chairman and committee, well everyone is released, how will this work now? Well here is my take on what I think may happen, now remember this is just my opinion.  It is very simple, just as it has ALWAYS been, the ward council should decided what the ward needs and what can be done to help the ward,  it is not meant to give more work to members of the ward council, it is meant to give them the responsibility of knowing what the members of their ward or branch needs.

If an activity is needed the Bishop will then ask a member of the ward council to over see that activity or ask a member to oversee it. Does that mean they will come and say “do this certain program” maybe……. but I think it will be more like, “we need an activity to help strengthen the members in the gospel” or we would like a “Christmas Party”, or we need a “service activity” then the person asked can come up with some ideas of how do that, they can still look for ideas on web sites, read ideas from email lists, or talk to others, it will just mean that instead of a committee coming up with ideas, the Bishop will assign a topic. My guess is the same people will be involved in pulling off the activity, it will just be an assignment instead if a calling!


"Some of my thoughts and ideas on Ward Activities"
Here are some idea's of things we have done and I have not written all the info about it yet, or things I have been thinking about doing, I am sure some of you have done some of these things, if you you would like to share, how your activity went and would like to share it with others, please email me!

  • Boxed Dinners - have the couple pack a dinner including sliver wear and plates etc, and then everyone places their box on a table and you can either bid with fake money, or just have everyone pick on and then eat, no peeking on what is in side the "box" it is always fun to see what people do, I mean it is a great lesson on judging things by there appearance. Some have put a REALLY nice dinner in a old torn up dirty brown paper bag, others made a really fancy box, nice ribbon etc and there was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches inside, some bought food, others made it. Then you just eat and enjoy each others company
  • New Joseph Smith Evening: there are lots of reader theaters out there on Joseph Smith, or you can make it fun and play games that he did (stick pull etc) we I also put together a Joseph Smith Trivia
  • Picture Game
  • Pot Luck Dinners
  • Adult Firesides- we have these about every other month, the ward LOVES them, we have members speak, we have them on Sunday evenings, at peoples homes. IT is casual, with refreshments and visiting after. We have had talks on: Service, Families, Being Happy
  • Sports Night (just an idea I am not sure what I think of this yet, any idea's??)
  • Family sports night, kick play, parents against the kids, or something like that!
  • Our annual Fundraiser- Family Bake Sale and Auction
  • Adult Cookout Dutch Oven Cookout, we head out to some open land, and have Dutch Oven cooking and a small program
  • Breakfast / Easter Egg Hunt - FamilyDone at the local park, GREAT missionary tool, we invite everyone around us, we have a few games, like egg toss, a relay game. a place for them to dye eggs. We have the YW came and help hide the eggs earlier, we put some out just in the grass for the little one's to find. I think we have broke up the ages this way, 0-3, 4-7 and then 8-11. We have had pancakes, and we have had everyone bring something for a "continental breakfastt"
  • Adult Game Show Night
  • Ward Camp out, we try to have these every year, LOVE THEM!!!
  • 4th of July Breakfast / Flag raising ceremony, you would be surprised how many people do come. You could invite you local Fire Department for breakfast, your scouts can do the Flag Raising, have a trivia game on facts about the USA
  • Family Swimming PartyWe rent a local pool for 2 Hours GREAT TURN OU
  • Adult Water Game Night
  • Annual Fall Festival, This is a BIG missionary tool, we have done it for years and tons nonmembers come
  • Ward Service Project
  • Breakfast with Santa
  • Adult Christmas Dinner , one thing you can do, it have different ward members set a nice table and be the host of the table, it makes the decorated really easy.
  • Adult or Family Pinewood derby
  • 24th of July party
  • Play in the Park: In the cooler months, which is winter in AZ we have Park Day on Wednesdays from 11 am to whenever, Mom's (or Dad's I guess if they wanted) meet at a park (in one of the subdivisions) and eat lunch and let the kids play and the adults visit.
  • Open Gym: I want to start, "Open Gym" ( must be accompanies by an adult, we don't want a bunch of teenagers to show up to play ball) This is to replace Park Day, since it is to hot to go out side here, but it is like winter in other States and we are trapped in the house, I thought we could open the Gym at the church to let the kids ( I would guess around Primary age) run around, play ball, scream, get it out instead of doing it at home.
  • I think a STAKE Road show would be so much fun!
  • Someone asked: I am looking for ideas how to use bandanas as table decorations for a Chili Cook-Off ward party? Here are some of my thoughts, if anyone else has any ideas, please email me so we can share them with everyone!"When I think of a chili cook-off, I think of cowboys........the bandanas, how about getting cowboy boots, one boot per table, have the bandanas sticking out of the boot with some wheat sticking out , does that make since?? We did that once for a cub scout dinner.Or how about use them as place mats, or use them to tie up the silverware, they would be your napkins, tie them around each cup, use then as toppers on top of the table cloth.............. just my brain thinking!

PREVIEW OF MAIN PAGES

Skits & Programs

These ideas on this web site are NOT all mine, they are one's I have collected over time, if you are responsible for one of these great ideas and I have not given you credit for it, please email me...

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A Night in Bethlehem

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Halloween Carnival with a Book of Mormon Theme

Here is some emails about an idea Pam from Texas had, her first email and other peoples reply's and ideas. Thank you Pam for letting me share this idea!! (this came off the yahoo group list) I'm planning a carnival...

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Ward Talent Show

Ward Talent Show Thanks to Dawn Ackroyd form the Yahoo group list for this great idea We had our ward talent show last night. We had an amazing turn out. We set up about 250 chairs in the gym -...

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The Polar Express with a LDS Touch

The Polar Express with a LDS Touch Shared by Sis Billie Jo Maurer   (I had many people ask if there was a ticket to print, so I made one:) you can find that here - Polar Express Ticket )...

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Christmas Ward Party idea

For many years we have had two different ward parties, a Breakfast with Santa and an Adult Ward dinner, but as life has become crazy we have tried to simplify and I really felt bad that the kids were not...

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Parties, Picnics, and Potlucks

Parties, Picnics, and Potlucks http://www.lds.org/ensign/2004/07/parties-picnics-and-potlucks?lang=eng&;query=parties,+picnics,+potlucks Activities can help unify wards and branches and bring people to Christ. Why do wards and branches have activities? Can a ward dinner, talent show, or softball game really help fulfill the mission of the...

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Breakfast With Santa (or evening party)

Breakfast With Santa We love our Breakfast with Santa, but recently we have had to change it to Our Ward Christmas Party, but let me explain our Breakfast First. Breakfast With Santa We always picked a Saturday earlier in the...

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Boxed Dinners

Boxed Dinners Have the couple pack a dinner including sliver wear and plates etc, and then everyone places their box on a table and you can either bid with fake money, or just have everyone pick on and then eat,...

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Summer Reading Program

We do a Summer Reading Program, we give a small treat each Sunday to anyone who has read 100 pages or more, we keep track and give a bigger award to those at the end of the summer who read...

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Feeding a Large Group

Feeding a Large Group Here is a web site that will help you plan! http://www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/plan/quan100.html Feeding a large group These amounts feed approximately 100 people: 2 gallons Applesauce 3 gallons String beans 2 gallons Baked beans 24 pounds Beets (cooked)...

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Christmas Games

Christmas Games Here are a few Christmas Games that I have collected {module Christmas Games}

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Daily Challenge (during a school break)

Daily Challenge (during a school break) Fall break is upon us here in AZ, so here is something you could give to your kids, youth or Adults in your ward, pick and choose which one's would work for the group...

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Polar Express Party

Polar Express Party   This idea was shared by Nyla Miller of Sandy Utah. She said, I have been in Activities for 4 years and never have I had a Christmas Party as well attended as this. The children and...

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Non-Talent Night

Non-Talent Night   We had a "Non-Talent" night.  Some of you may have done one before, but this was our first.  The idea was for the YW leaders (we were in charge) to think up talents ahead of time, and...

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Ideas for Carnival Booths

Ideas for Carnival Booths This is a list I have collected for booth ideas. Lollipop Tree Pencil Palace “Crazy Hat” Ball Toss Balloon Burst Dowel Ring Toss Tip the Bunny Gator Swamp Toss Donut Walk Double Trouble Dice Seven /...

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SUMMER VACATION SCRIPTURE CAMP (for kids)

  SUMMER VACATION SCRIPTURE CAMP - "We had camp M-F 9-11a.m. and each day was a different day of scripture that we focused on. Monday for example was the Old Testament. We had a time travel room, which on that...

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Eternally Wed Questions

Eternally Wed Questions 1 - What is your spouse's favorite scripture story? 2 - Would you describe your spouses family more like the ... Cleavers, Simpsons, Adams Family? 3 - If your spouse could be a superhero, who would it...

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Family Feud Questions

Family Feud Questions SurveyAnonymousPlease answer these questions personally and seriously.  Do not copyanswers off other people!!!1.      Where do the best hamburgers come from?____________________________________________2.      What is the most commonly sung Hymn?______________________________________________3.      What is your favorite book in the Book of Mormon?_____________________________________4.     ...

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Getting to Know you Questions

Getting to Know you Questions What is your favorite Primary song? What is your favorite nursery rhyme? What is your favorite subject in school? What is your favorite flavor of jelly beans? Which flavor of ice-cream do you prefer? What...

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Safety Guidelines for Activities

Safety Guidelines for Activities I recently sat in a meeting with our Bishopric where we were being trained, they had just recently attend a little Phillmont for scouting in the church (2/28/09), at this meeting they were told that the...

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The Price is Right

The Price is Right - We had purchased five items for this game. We called up four people for each one. The I read a "bit" I had written for that item (usually funny) and each of the four wrote...

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TEN COMMANDMENTS of SUCCESSFUL POTLUCKS

TEN COMMANDMENTS of SUCCESSFUL POTLUCKS I got this fun list off the yahoo email Activity group, I am not sure were it came form to begin with, if anyone knows who wrote it, please let me know and I will...

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The Merry Mix-up

On card print out the items listed below, one to a card. Pass out to the audience. A narrator reads the story aloud pausing at each blank space. The people in the audience take turns filling in the blanks by...

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Let’s Make a Deal

Let's Make a Deal - This was hysterically funny. (this games was played during the activity Groovy game night) We play this a couple times during and then after when we had about ten minutes left. We would ask for...

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Hillbilly Hoedown

Hillbilly Hoedown shared by Wendy K. of UtahI thought I'd like to share an Adult Activity we held last night. It was held in the back yard of one of our committee members: The Hillbilly Hoedown was a great success!...

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Pioneer Themed Activities

Pioneer Themed Activities from Alice Baker--thank AliceDuring the month of July, I try to have a different pioneer-themed activity for singing time each week. (1)  “PIN THE PIONEER ON THE HANDCART” – This is a pioneer-themed cross between “Pin the...

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Annual Fall Festival – Ward Party idea

This is a BIG missionary tool, we have done it for years and tons nonmembers come. We have always held this event the Saturday before Halloween, but let me say, this does not have to be a Halloween Event, I...

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Feeding a Large Group

Feeding a Large Group Here is a web site that will help you plan! http://www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/plan/quan100.html Feeding a large group These amounts feed approximately 100 people: 2 gallons Applesauce 3 gallons String beans 2 gallons Baked beans 24 pounds Beets (cooked)...

Read more ...

 

Information 06/25/2023

The time has come for me to be honest with myself,  that I just can't keep up with this site any more. I am working full time now and loving on my grandkids.  I will still be adding great quotes I find and things from General conference etc. Never fear, I am still here for you. If you need something please reach out to me, and I will See what I can do. You can reach me at theideadoor@gmail.com

Thanks for your understanding! Liz from the Idea Door

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