The blessing of larger units

It has been a few weeks since it was announced that several congregations would disappear and be merged with existing wards or merge with new wards (a ward is a local unit in the Mormon church, like a parish in the Roman Catholic church). What can we say about it now?

Larger units bring blessings

Our leaders have clearly indicated that one of their concerns was that in smaller units it is always the same people who have leadership and thus demanding callings. Church work often weighed on the same households and families. On the other hand, it was also often the case that in smaller congregations the youth often sat alone or were combined with considerable age differences as a result. After all, you don't explain the gospel in the same way to a seven-year-old as to a twelve-year-old.

These two concerns have clearly been addressed. For example, my two sons are suddenly no longer the only ones who sit with the young men on Sundays, but they have several peers who have the same background. Friends who understand what it means to believe, but also grumble that they have to get out of bed on time on Sunday to go to church for 3 hours.

I also see that work can finally be done to further divide youth classes by age so that more customized work can be done. OK, there are teething problems (sorry for the choice of words) to learn how to deal with that, but it is clearly a blessing. I can testify to that myself when I notice that my boys, in those few weeks, already prefer going to church and are enthusiastic about their Young Men president.

I can also confirm that it is a relief to finally have one calling (well, two actually, but no longer four or five). It even takes some getting used to, but it now allows me to finally elaborate on a calling in depth. There is no doubt that others will experience this too and that this will benefit the functioning of the wards.

No problems?

Is it all just sunshine and roses then? No, every change requires adjustment. Every time I am relieved of a calling, I find that it requires an adjustment. People are inherently inclined to hold on to what they have. The new is unknown and therefore sometimes unloved.

So it is with the new wards. Yes, a small ward also had its charm. You knew everyone to a reasonably good level. You were a close-knit group, because you had to make do with that small group. Now I don't even know most of the new faces by name. That will take some time.

I can also well understand that many people were initially suspicious of this change. If you meet with virtually the same people every week for decades, it's simply not fun when this suddenly changes. Let alone when groups are split up. Fortunately, this has been kept to a minimum and most people have moved with the entire group to another ward.

It is therefore very understandable that at the stake conference this decision was supported by some with a hesitant hand. But faith is hoping for what you cannot (immediately) see, and so faith was certainly needed here. Hope too. Hoping that our leaders truly acted on inspiration and that blessings will follow.

Our church is not democratic but theocratic

It might be suggested that this decision was prepared in the greatest secrecy by a small group, but is that so abnormal? Firstly, in recent months it was no longer a "big" secret. For more than half a year, rumors had been buzzing. But added to that is the fact that it is best to prepare such a thing properly without creating much uncertainty.

Where the criticism sounds that all this happened without polder consultation, people seem to forget that our church is not a democracy, but a theocracy. It is led by Jesus Christ who, through the Holy Spirit, directs his workers, that is, we, fallible human beings, to make decisions. Who knows what would have happened with bilateral consultations? We see the consequences of this every day in Belgium: compromises that afterwards seem like an awful solution. If you gave one person a say in choosing which unit he or she would go to, then you have to give that to everyone. Where then is the order in the kingdom of Christ on earth?

In that case, there had probably been years of palaver trying to please everyone, which would never have worked. Would the loudest shouters have attracted the most attention? That's not how our church works at all. On the contrary, she must especially take into account those who do not shout so loudly.

Flanders versus the Netherlands

I also hear that it is striking that many more units have disappeared in the Flemish part of our ring than in the Dutch part. Malicious tongues would even dare to suggest that this is because our ring is led by a Dutchman. No way I believe that. If the previous reproach were true, then we must point out that the small group that made the decision consists of one Dutchman and two Flemings.

As far as I hear, they have been guided very objectively by a set of criteria. Especially the distance to the church was a very important factor. Furthermore, one also had to look at where there were already neighborhoods and where suitable buildings stood. Not an easy exercise, if you ask me.

Perhaps there are people who think we'd be better off with a Belgian ring instead of a Flemish/Dutch one. I don't see how this can help. A Belgian feeling does not exist. A Fleming has a thousand times more in common with a Dutchman than with a French-speaking Belgian. Faith is a cultural given anyway, and Europe is divided into two major cultural families: the northern Germanic culture and the southern Romance culture. That dividing line runs straight through Belgium. Belgium is, in any case, a disaster when it comes to unity andit increasingly looks like we will separate one day. The only time a Fleming sits next to a Walloon is when the Red Devils play. I know dozens (more than a hundred)  Dutch brothers and sisters, and my Walloon fellow believers whom I know I can count on one hand.

More contributions from Flanders

A piece of criticism that has been given for a long time and is separate from this consolidation of units, makes sense somewhere. The youth work across the rings has a predominantly Dutch character. If movements have to be made to bring our religious teenagers together, then it is usually heading north. Camps and meetings can also be organized in Flanders for once. But perhaps now that there are so many duplications of callings, there will be just enough volunteers who are called upon toorganize this in our stake as well? Let that be an appeal to our stake presidency.

Also the criticism that it is not feasible for everyone to make the further move now, is sometimes true. For those who do not have their own car, it is not easy to get to church by public transport. Especially for the cross-border wards, this is far from evident. Sometimes there is no public transport on Sunday from the former  municipal capital to the new  ward location.

The call to members to step up is also nice, but unfortunately easier said than done. Families often go to church together and then their car is full. Taking another family is not always easy. Driving back and forth twice is again an extra burden on families who want and can do this. The promise that it is a maximum of forty-five minutes away for everyone only applies to those who are not dependent on public transport or others.

Practically, in the buildings themselves, it is also not evident. Some buildings were not designed to suddenly be a ward that is almost large enough to be split again. Now there may sometimes be enough people to split youth classes, but there are too few rooms.

Grudging or taking on a challenge?

You can grumble about it, but you can also trust that this is a challenge. You are only a Mormon if you believe in the fact that we are here to take on challenges, if you believe that we need to be stretched to gain new flexibility. To think that our leaders have not considered this, would mean we think they are idiots. I certainly don't believe that.

Are there ready-made solutions? No. New buildings will have to come, and they are not there immediately. Should these new buildings even be in the same city? For me, that's not necessary. Perhaps it is better to choose a new ward location that is better situated for everyone.

We are all missionaries

For the missionaries too, it is not always evident. Can they remain active in a city where we have no church building? Let me say that missionaries do not need a church building, but a living church. And you have that as soon as two or more gather in His name in faith. In faith, therefore without grumbling and with great sense of initiative.

To suddenly claim that members would no longer feel like telling others about their faith because there are no longer missionaries in their city… I can't quite grasp it. Put me somewhere alone, and I will still enthusiastically talk about my faith. We are a missionary church, and every member is a missionary. We evangelize by our example and use words where necessary.

We may also have to dare to state that it is no longer really of this time to send missionaries out on the road and go from door to door. There are much more efficient methods. I have been helping our mission president for some time to set up more online missionary work. Yes, probably our mission will also have to adapt to the new reality and centralize missionaries more and provide a car. But in any case, we ourselves must take more action: no more missionaries? OK, all the more the task restson ourselves to be a missionary.

Trust like Nephi

Again, I understand that questions are being asked. Asking a question is not wrong. I even understand those who grumble. There is nothing wrong with expressing your opinion in a mature way. But ultimately, it's about faith. And therefore trust. Also in our leaders and in this decision.

Will this consolidation decision be a good decision? I cannot give the answer, but I can say that it will not depend on our leaders, but on ourselves. They have shown us the direction, but we must undertake the journey. You can do that faithfully like Nephi or you can resist like his brothers. We all have that free choice.

Disclaimer: I know I have touched on some sensitive topics and that I am answering what some people think and say. I don't want to hurt anyone, but I just want to say how I think about it and how I let my faith prevail in this matter. Sorry to anyone who takes offense; I ask for their forgiveness now. Please feel free to leave your comments below, but please keep it friendly.