Challenge to local Mormons

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 21

Challenge to local Mormons

A challenge was issued to Canterbury members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints xvhen they met for their quarterly conference.

The conference president Mr S. Bird) challenged them o become a stake next year. X stake is an area organisaion in the church which is mswerable to, and receives iirection immediately from, he church headquarters in Salt Lake City. To become a stake, church nembership in Canterbury must increase from the present 1600 to about 2000 ?v the end of the year. Active membership, the number of priesthood-holders, and rome-teaching needed to increase, said Mr Bird. Homeeaching involves monthly 'isits by assigned priesthoodlolders to member families. All inactive members will ie contacted. The church , has no paid ninisters, relying on lay n embers.

I On August 18. Mr A. T. Tuttle, a member of the ! First Council of 70s. which is a general authority of the church, will visit Christ;church for a special meeting, possibly concerning the intention to create a stake in Canterbury. During the conference, Twizel, where the membership has increased greatly in the last six months, was 'made an independent branch of the church. It will no longer rely on Timaru for leadership. There are now seven branches in Canterbury, compared with four in June. The area general conference of the church will be held in Hamilton in February. The prophet of the church '(Mr S. W. Kimball) will 'attend.