MyWardFamilyThe usual order of sacrament meeting
The bishop presides, and he or one of his counselors conducts. The General Handbook describes what the meeting includes. In most wards the agenda follows this order:
- Prelude music while people arrive.
- Welcome and announcements, kept short, including who is presiding and conducting.
- Opening hymn and invocation.
- Ward and stake business: releases and sustainings, new move-ins, and other business the bishop approves.
- Sacrament hymn and the administration of the sacrament.
- Gospel messages: speakers, often with a congregational hymn or musical number between them.
- Closing hymn and benediction.
- Postlude music.
On fast Sunday the speakers are replaced by testimonies, and confirmations and blessings of children often happen in that meeting. Ward conference, stake conference and special programs change the agenda for that week.
A weekly rhythm that works
Four to six weeks ahead
Pick themes or topics and ask speakers. Give each speaker plenty of notice and a clear topic. Note who spoke recently so the same few people aren’t asked every month.
The week before
Confirm speakers, prayers and the musical number. Agree on hymns with the music coordinator, organist and chorister.
Midweek
The counselor who is conducting drafts the agenda and shares it with the bishop. The clerk and executive secretary add ward business: callings to sustain, releases, and move-ins to welcome.
Saturday
Finalize the agenda, print programs if your ward uses them, and send the conducting script to whoever is conducting.
Sunday morning checklist
- Who is presiding and who is conducting, and any visiting authorities to recognize
- Opening, sacrament and closing hymns, with numbers on the hymn board
- Invocation and benediction confirmed
- Every release and sustaining written out, with names spelled and pronounced right
- Speakers, order and rough times; a plan if one is missing
- Priests and deacons ready for the sacrament
- Anything time-sensitive: a missionary farewell, a baby blessing, a musical number
Writing ward business
Business is where small mistakes happen. Write each item the way it will be read, with full names. Releases usually come before sustainings. Keep a running list during the week so nothing is remembered at 8:55 on Sunday morning.
Common snags
- The agenda lives in three places. A text thread, a printout and someone’s memory. Keep one shared version.
- Speakers asked too late. Ask weeks ahead and confirm the week before.
- Business forgotten. Add callings to the agenda the moment they’re accepted.
In MyWardFamily, the agenda, speakers and ward business live in one shared plan. Accepted callings and releases flow into business, and the person conducting can read from the read-aloud view. See the sacrament meeting planner.
This guide is written by MyWardFamily, an independent tool. It isn’t official Church guidance and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Always follow the General Handbook and your stake leaders.