The Parramatta Australia Stake was closed a couple of weeks ago. This is the first stake closure in Australia. My father was in the inaugural stake presidency and we were members of the stake for most of my early years in the church.

http://www.lds.org.au/index.php/news/local-news/general-news/310-new-leadership-sydney
The PR spin is predictable in the news release created for the sheeple. There is no mention of a stake closure. The news appears in an article headed "New Local Leadership for Sydney Saints". Even this heading is inaccurate because the new stake president has been a stake president several times before. They are clearly running out of talented leadership.

The real news of the stake closure is quite accurately portrayed on the LDS Church "Growth" website. http://ldschurchgrowth.blogspot.com/


Stake discontinued in Australia

"For the first time in LDS Church history in Australia, a stake was discontinued. The Sydney Australia Parramatta Stake was consolidated into several neighboring stakes in the Sydney area. The number of congregations in many Australian stakes is much lower than other nations, which jeopardizes the continued operation of some stakes if large numbers of members move away and few new converts are baptized and retained. Overall Australia has experienced moderate membership growth rates among industrialized nations but has experienced stagnant congregational growth."

If it wasn't for the dramatic increase in Polynesian membership in the church in Sydney due to immigration from New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga, the church would be in very serious decline.

Thanks Simon for the info. really would love to have an aussie beer with u one day!

Perhaps they count that under the "move away" category?

I personally know of about 50 people who have resigned during the last 10 years. This must be a small fraction of the haemorrhaging that is taking place. But as you noted, these people seem to have just moved away.

This from http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/statistics/units/




"Sydney Australia Parramatta Stake discontinued. Wards reorganized under the Liverpool Australia Stake and the Sydney Australia Baulkham Hills Stake (formerly the Sydney Australia Greenwich Stake), which transferred three wards to the Sydney Australia Harbour Stake (formerly the Sydney Australia Hyde Park Stake)."



It's like a game of shuffle cups, changing names so the sheeple lose track.

I'll have to tell DH about the Stake closure. That is where he served his mission, and we loved our visit as ExMormons 2 summers ago. Very lovely place.

Sounds totally like a business report.

Thank you Simon from Oz. This is why I"m here. As a Mormon-raised child, I squirmed and feared greatly. Now it's their time.

The worm turns.

When I hear of the decline of the church I have mixed feelings. On the one hand I feel pleased that the negative impact of the church in the world is getting smaller. However, on the other hand I know that the leaders will be blaming the members for the decline. More guilt, more shame, and more work.

stupidity will always have its attendant rewards
in or out of MORmON contexts. the sooner ppl learn the lesson the better off they will be. If they dont then they are in for more of the same. take note BYU basketball player Davies.

I agree it is hard to watch people take the blame for losing confidence, and sure as shootin' they will all be hassled and harrassed and even called to repentance for seeing the man behind the curtain.

Even without the knowledge that the church is false people are beginning to lose their desire to be there simply because it sucks. It's like a second job more than an oportunity to be refreshed.

Just like in North Korea, as the ship goes down over a period of decades, the church leadership will continue to live fat and happy off of the backs of the poor that support them while their kingdom gradually diminishes. By the time it crashes, the current leaders will have died, never suffering any sense of loss.

Great news,Simon. May it be the first of many.

Thanks for the info!

Not specifically about Australia, but this is an interesting analysis of the numbers and the likely hemorrhaging at LDSinc.

http://www.postmormon.org/exp_e/index.php/discussions/viewthread/27480/

A friend of mine on FB just posted this:

"Just found out yesterday that my mission (Georgia Macon Mission) has been dissolved and is no longer. I guess the good die young. RIP GMM."

Here are the FP responses in light of the non-FP info...

#
So what's in it's place?
16 hours ago · LikeUnlike

#
I think the Atlanta and Jacksonville Florida missions took over the areas.
16 hours ago · LikeUnlike
#
why did they do that?
15 hours ago · LikeUnlike
#
You guys baptized everybody. The work is done. Congrats.
13 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 3 people like this.

Honor, honesty and integrity!
10 hours ago · LikeUnlike · 1 person



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/14/2011 01:28PM by goldenrule.

I'm larry from perth australia.
The stake here I have broadcast to the world
the dianella temple veiw stake is in decline now
that asshole bishop who became stake president
that decided no mentally depressed people was welcomed
in his ward. He discriminated against me for depression
rather than show love and compassion, tho I knew his history
and father an ex stake president manaic that led 3 to suicide
2 that served with him. I guess I couldnt smile much about
that when he became bishop and now stake president.
He got rid of me when I rejoiced that his father was
now excomunicated, but the son was an asshole just like
his power hungury father. The Mason clan can go fuck
themselfs, self-rightous bastards..

Larry perth australia....
if any aussies want contact with me. I used to attend
bulkham hills ward in sydney and have been a veil worker
in the temple. I served with mastubator old fart caught
out in his temple accom, tho no one is excused of unholy
acts for temple work, tho he gets to serve in temple
and I get kicked out of church discriminated for depression
that breaks my marrige up...

I find new love, like job lost it all and gain it all back
tho never again let man/priests rule over me.
I answer to jesus not man and so does my woman.
amen.

larry.

Having lived in Sydney, I wonder how these closures and reorganisations impact on how far people have to drive across town to get to their wards etc? Sydney traffic is terrible, even on weekends, and I sure wouldn't want to be driving any more than a few kms to get to church each week, let alone all the other weekday meetings etc