When you are in the "dying" ward - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

MikeWaters · 10-07-2013, 10:49 PM

I have been in a ward for almost 4 years now.

It has considerably shrunk during that time. While it is in the burbs, it is not a part of the burbs that is attractive to LDS families buying homes.

It's probably been about 3 years since a family has bought a house in our ward boundaries and moved in. In fact, we may actually be the last family to have done so.

Lots of families who owned houses have moved out.

The people that have moved in are renting (mostly apartments, but a couple have rented houses). They turn over pretty quickly. When the renters are ready to buy a home, they have almost all bought outside the ward.

So that creates a ward where the entire primary on some Sundays might be 12 kids. A YW program with only 5 girls. A Boy Scout troop with only 2 boys.

It's a very strange dynamic. The ward just north of us who shares out building is bursting at the seams, in comparison.

Our ward is too small to run a Cub Scouts and Seminary program on its own and thus combines with that larger ward.

So the demographics of our ward is largely two groups: old empty-nester homeowners and young renters. And never did the twain meet. There are a few young families, but that's a small minority. This contributes to the lack of cohesion in the ward. Frankly the old-timers want nothing to do with the revolving door apartment renters.

Well, Mike, why don't you just turn it around yourself? I've tried in some small ways. More than most. I've arguably been the most ambitious activity planner in our ward.

We need a shot in the arm.

10-07-2013, 10:49 PM	#1
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	When you are in the "dying" ward I have been in a ward for almost 4 years now. It has considerably shrunk during that time. While it is in the burbs, it is not a part of the burbs that is attractive to LDS families buying homes. It's probably been about 3 years since a family has bought a house in our ward boundaries and moved in. In fact, we may actually be the last family to have done so. Lots of families who owned houses have moved out. The people that have moved in are renting (mostly apartments, but a couple have rented houses). They turn over pretty quickly. When the renters are ready to buy a home, they have almost all bought outside the ward. So that creates a ward where the entire primary on some Sundays might be 12 kids. A YW program with only 5 girls. A Boy Scout troop with only 2 boys. It's a very strange dynamic. The ward just north of us who shares out building is bursting at the seams, in comparison. Our ward is too small to run a Cub Scouts and Seminary program on its own and thus combines with that larger ward. So the demographics of our ward is largely two groups: old empty-nester homeowners and young renters. And never did the twain meet. There are a few young families, but that's a small minority. This contributes to the lack of cohesion in the ward. Frankly the old-timers want nothing to do with the revolving door apartment renters. Well, Mike, why don't you just turn it around yourself? I've tried in some small ways. More than most. I've arguably been the most ambitious activity planner in our ward. We need a shot in the arm.