1980 Switch to Consolidated Meeting Schedule

February 1980 ushered in a change to Latter-day Saint meeting schedules. The Relief Society would meet on Sundays rather than Wednesday mornings and church meetings were consolidated so that Sacrament Meeting, Sunday School, Relief Society/Priesthood Meeting, and Primary were held consecutively/at the same time.

The announcement read, "The purpose of the consolidated meeting schedule is: 1. To reemphasize personal and family responsibility for learning, living, and teaching the Gospel. 2. To allow Church members more time for personal gospel study, service to others, and for meaningful activities. The major objectives of the new schedule are to: 1. Help every Latter-day Saint home become a place where family members love to be, where they can enrich their lives and find mutual love, support, appreciation, and encouragement. 2. Emphasize home-centered Sabbath activities. 3. Reduce the amount of travel by Church members and provide opportunities for family members to travel together and participate together in Church activities. 4. Make more flexible a weekday activity program for all members. 5. Conserve energy resources and reduce the non-essential costs required for members to participate in Church activities."

We can't fully appreciate what life in the Bountiful 9th Ward was like from 1953 to 1980 without understanding how the consolidated meeting schedule altered Latter-day Saint worship and activities.