SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is scaling back the Sunday time commitment expected of its members from three hours to two.
Church President Russell M. Nelson announced the change Saturday at the faith's twice-yearly conference. He says the new "home-centered church" strategy reflects the faith's increasingly global membership where not all Latter-day Saints live close to a chapel or even have a chapel.
Since 1980, church members have been expected to attend a one-hour sacrament worship service each Sunday, followed by two hours of meetings such as Sunday school and men's and women's groups.
Under the schedule change, which takes effect in January, members will continue attending the one-hour Sunday service but then have only one additional hour of meetings.
Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, says church leaders have been aware for years that the three-hour block was difficult for many.
Leader reaffirms church's opposition to same-sex marriage
Dallin H. Oaks, a first counselor of the First Presidency, also stated the belief that a person's gender is God-given and eternal.
Oaks said Saturday that the church must oppose social and legal pressures to "retreat from traditional marriage or to make changes that confuse or alter gender or homogenize the differences between men and women."
Oaks said those relationships and identities are "essential to accomplish God's great plan."
The comments align with past positions by the church, which has tried to take a more welcoming stance toward LGBTQ people while sticking with fundamental opposition to same-sex marriage and transgender operations.
President Nelson calls on members to use church's full name
Church president Russell M. Nelson recently requested that people stop using shorthand names for the faith such as "Mormon" and "LDS" and instead use just the full name: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Paul B. Pieper, a member of a mid-level global church governing panel, said at a conference Saturday in Salt Lake City that everyone is grateful to take up Nelson's "prophetic call."
Pieper encouraged members to "take upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ," and said the "Savior's name has singular and essential power."
The two-day church conference kicked off one day after the faith announced it was renaming the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir to drop the word "Mormon," in the biggest move yet since Nelson made his request in August. The choir's new name is Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.
The General Conference resumes Sunday at 10 a.m. It is being televised on Idaho's Very Own 24/7 (digital 7.2), and can also be viewed online through the church's website.
