...And now I have to spend time in one if I am to participate in a school related event that my kids are involved in.

The event has nothing to do with the Mormon church. I didn't expect to have to deal with anything like this, since the ward buildings are typically (as far as I have ever experienced) only used for Mormon events.

It's only a building, and not a religious event, so I will try not to let it get to me. The only things I'm worried about are unpleasant flashbacks/memories... And I'm a little worried that the people responsible for hosting the event might hold the food hostage until it's been "blessed/prayed over" while we're all stuck in there, lol. Ya know? I just don't want to have to sit through a Mormon ritual in a Mormon building in order to participate in a school related event that is important to my kids.

On one hand, kudos to TSCC for actually allowing the building to be used for a non-church event. On the other hand, I wish it wasn't THIS event that I need to attend. Ugh.

Anyway. Not the end of the world, and I will try to not make it a bigger deal than it is. I just have some trepidation about it and thought it would help to kind of work through it here.

I'll update, too, and let you know how it goes.

You have to assume that the mormons wouldn't do it unless they expect to get something out of it.

Yeah, I'll be waiting for the other shoe to drop the whole time, I think.

Mormon church buildings are 'sanitary' in the sense that they don't allow any individuality, any member decorations or accents to be used.

No teen room with couches, etc.

No 'community events' bulletin boards, No food banks, emergency shelters, No child-care, or weekly neighborhood feeds like other churches do

"On one hand, kudos to TSCC for actually allowing the building to be used for a non-church event. " - Oh please don't think they are doing this from the goodness of their hearts. They are charging the school rent for the space for the evening.
If they do pray over the food, slip out the door quickly then you can slip back in when you hear "Amen."

Huh, I hadn't even thought they might be charging a use fee... Honestly I was so surprised the event would be held at the ward building, I just assumed that some of the (LDS) parents in this school group pulled some strings to use the building.

Does TSCC do this kind of thing often enough to have a rental policy? Honestly have never seen a ward building ever used for anything non-church related.

EVERYONE! - This is one of the signs the CULT worships, $$$$.
Any so called rule/policy can and will be broken/changed if money is involved that goes to the CULT.

This event that the poster's child is in is a school related event most likely NOT political or commercial anyway.

The other sign the CULT worships is the upside down 5 pt. star, [one point on the bottom rather than 2], you know, the one on the cover of the SATANIC Bible which is the same one that is all over the temple grounds, probably inside the temple too.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2016 03:03PM by verilyverily.

I was under the impression that they would never allow the buildings to be used for non-church events.

Here are the instructions from the Church Handbook.

Wonder how they got around these:

https://www.lds.org/handbook/handbook-2-administering-the-church/selected-church-policies/21.2?lang=eng&_r=1#212

Maybe the local bishop is making some money on the side.

Shinehahbeam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Maybe the local bishop is making some money on the
> side.


Sure does make one wonder, doesn't it?!
The event must have been cleared, somehow, which means, according to the handbook, no money is involved.
Still very odd.

Thank you for that link.

This event is often catered (not always, though), and if I recall correctly, usually coffee/tea is provided... I wonder how they will get around that? I guess they probably just won't serve it? None of us attendees have been informed of any changes to the status quo.

I can say that for certain that the LDS dress code is very unlikely to be met.

Gah, all this wondering what will be allowed and what won't is dredging up old frustrations with unnecessary rules.

Edited to add: The top part of the handbook page had been cut off on my phone. So I hadn't seen this very first sentence until now:

"Church buildings and other property are to be used for worship, religious instruction, and other Church-related activities."

I have no idea how they got around this. In my experience, this ward is really aggressive (at least as far as coming after "inactives")- it's hard to imagine them bending the rules. The only thing I can think is that either the people who made this happen are atypically laid back OR there is an agenda to somehow make this event at least sort of church-related to loosely conform to the handbook rules.

Ugh. I'd like to give the LDS parents in this school group the benefit of the doubt, but... I'm skeptical. I guess we'll see how it goes.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2016 01:35PM by fortheloveofhops.

You forget just how many rules there were inflicted on you as a Mormon, until you have to show up for an event that involves them. The list is long.

Well, it went as well as I could have hoped. No prayers/food blessing. I was prepared to walk out if it turned into a church thing. But nothing like that happened. (Whew!)

Some things I thought were funny, though, that probably would go right by the average never-mo:

I bet that building has never before seen so many bare shoulders and short skirts EVER. Lol.

Also jeans, capris, flip flops, yoga pants and leggings.

Someone (I don't know who) brought a rum cake to share for dessert. ;-)

There was grumbling about no coffee and many mentions of going to Starbucks after- but overall it was not horrible. I still have no idea how they got approved to use the building for this event and I'm not going to possibly get anyone into trouble for it by asking around.

For me personally, The weirdest flashback was the taste of the water. It tasted EXACTLY the same as I remember, which is odd because the ward building I attended many years ago is miles away from this one.

Good to hear that you survived, relatively trauma-free(except for the water).

Yeah, they must use the same filtration system for their water fountains or something. I was expecting the smells or the visuals to trigger some memories but didn't think about the water, lol.

20 years of avoiding lds church buildings was a cal ripken-like streak.

It was such a long time, I really expected the only times I would have to go to one in the future would be for funerals.

This whole anxiety over to what extent the school event would have to conform to LDS churchy rules and/or rituals in order to use the building tells me I am not anywhere near recovered, lol. I'm fine if I don't have to deal directly with TSCC or people pushing/representing it. Faced directly with it, a lot of the anger is still right there.

when our new chapel in Carnation, WA was 'dedicated', I asked to invite the local Habitat chapter (I on the board) to be able to meet in our building...

BOY DID THE S*IT HIT THE FAN!


I believe I heard a thousand NOs...

I also rarely go into a ward/stake building...but occasionally can't avoid it because of scout events. My son's troop is not LDS, but the district round table meetings and other district events are held in the stake building.

For me the smell is exactly the same! It always triggers memories when I have to attend a meeting.

Also the carpet half-way up the wall - never understood that!

Carrie

Yep, I remember when they put that wall carpeting in when I was a kid. That stuff was rough and prickly. They said it was for sound dampening, but thinking about it, I suspect it was also to discourage people from leaning against the walls and falling asleep during meetings. It smelled like old burlap bags.

I didn't see it at this event- we were in the basketball court (I think they used to also call that the cultural hall?) which my spouse thought was hilarious because before we got there I described it exactly even though I had never been in that building. Right down to the accordion curtain/sliding barrier separating it from the chapel.

It's like going into a Target or other box store in another city and becoming disoriented when you walk out because it's so similar to the one you're used to. As designed.

My granddaughter is in a high impact dance group, Something between tap dancing and 'River Dance'. The dancer range in age between 4 and 50-60. The bulk are under 18 and almost all are girls. Costumes go from frilly little tutus on the youngest to somewhat provocative form fitting on the teenagers.

They have 3-4 recitals a year at various venue around town. Several have been at a ward house and there wasn't any religious emphasis.

The difference is the bishop's two daughters are students/dancers in the troupe.

Bishop's power trumps all other rules.