Sunday, September 20, 2009

Stakes Outside the United States Likely to Split Soon

Up to now I have not created any posts providing a list of likely stakes to be divided outside the U.S. Information I have gathered for previous posts on stakes likely to split in the U.S. is based on the number and increase of congregations as provided through stake and ward websites. The Church currently only has websites for most stakes and districts in the United States and Canada. Recently websites were extended to stakes and districts in Australia and New Zealand, may of which currently have functioning websites. A few stakes in some Latin America countries or English speaking congregations around the world have official Church websites as well.

Data used to compile this list was provided through Church websites, such as maps.lds.org, and missionary and member observations or reports. This list is not definitive and does not guarantee that these stakes will be divided and new ones created. Some of these stakes listed are based on my opinions. The time frame for when these stakes will likely be divided is within the next two or three years.

Your suggestions and input is valuable. Please offer constructive comments on where potential stakes may be created from already existing stakes outside the United States or if any of the following stakes appear to be unlikely to split.

Africa

Yopougon Cote D'Ivoire Stake
Takoradi Ghana Stake
Tema Ghana Stake
Antananarivo Madagascar Stake
Benin City Nigeria Ihobge Stake
Benin City Nigeria New Benin Stake
Lagos Nigeria Stake

Asia/Pacific

Butuan Philippines Stake
Savaii Samoa Stake
Kaohsiung Taiwan Stake
Papeeti Tahiti Stake
Raromatai Tahiti Stake

Brazil

Belem Brazil Stake
Brasilia Brazil Alvorada Stake
Fortaleza Brazil Montese
Hortolandia Brazil Stake
Joinville Brazil Stake
Juiz de Fora Brazil Stake
Niteroi Brazil Stake
Rio Branco Brazil Stake
São José do Rio Preto Brazil Stake

Canada

Calgary Alberta Foothills Stake
Calgary Alberta North Stake
Calgary Alberta West Stake
Edmonton Alberta Millwoods Stake
Edmonton Alberta North Stake

Central America

Alajuela Costa Rica Stake
San Jose Costa Rica La Paz Stake
Tegucigalpa Honduras Toncontin Stake
Managua Nicaragua Stake

Europe

Elche Spain Stake

Mexico

Amecameca México Stake
Celaya México Stake
Chilpancingo México Stake
Ciudad Juárez México East Stake
Ciudad Juárez México La Cuesta Stake
Coatzacoalcos México Puerto Stake
Culiacán México Stake
Jalapa México Stake
Juchitán México Stake
México City Anáhuac Stake
México City Chapultepec Stake
México City Culturas Stake
México City Iztapalapa Stake
México City La Perla Stake
México City Tecamac Stake
México City Tepalcapa Stake
México City Valle Dorado Stake
México City Villa de las Flores Stake
Oaxaca México Monte Albán Stake
Pachuca México Centro Stake
Puebla México Nealticán Stake
Saltillo México República Stake
Veracruz México Stake

South America (Spanish)

Jujuy Argentina Stake
Santa Cruz Bolivia Cañoto Stake
Luque Paraguay Stake
Arequipa Perú Manuel Prado Stake
Lima Perú Canto Grande Stake
Lima Perú Puente Piedra Stake
Lima Perú Villa Salvador Stake
Montevideo Uruguay East Stake
Ciudad Ojeda Venezuela Stake
Guayana Venezuela Stake
Maracaibo Venezuela South Stake
Maracay Venezuela Stake
Puerto La Cruz Venezuela

35 comments:

Ray said...

Matt, I wonder if you could give us an idea of the number of wards and branches are in these stakes. I went through the first half of the list and determined the number provided by the Mark Schindler LDS Atlas of Stakes, Temples, etc., as well as information from the Deseret News when stakes have been created since the atlas ceased updating.

Yopougon Cote D'Ivoire-no inf. available from any source
Takoradi Ghana, 5 w. 2 br
Tema Ghana, 6,0, Des. News 4/06
Antananarivo Madagascar, 6,2
Benin City Nig. Ihobge and Benin City New Benin, no inf.
Lagos Nigeria 9,3 as of 10/99

Butuan Philippines, no inf.
Savaii Samoa, 10,2 11/01
Kaohsiung Taiwan, 10/1 4/19/08
Papeeti Tahiti, 7,0 LDS Atlas
Raromatai Tahiti, 9,4 Atlas

Belem Brazil 5,2, 11/01
Basilia Alvorada 7,4 11/01
Hortolandia Br. 7,0, Des News 1/07
Joinville Br. 5,7, 11/01
Juiz de Fora Br 7,1, 11/01
Niteroi Br 7,4, 11/01
Rio Branco Br 10,2, 11/01
Sao Jose do Rio Preto, 7,4, 11/01

Calgary foothills, 11, 1, LDS.org
Calgary No. and W, 10,2 each
Edmonton Millwoods & No., 10,2 each

TempleRick said...

I'm showing the following counts:

Africa

Yopougon Cote D'Ivoire Stake - 11,0
Takoradi Ghana Stake - 10,0
Tema Ghana Stake - 10,1
Antananarivo Madagascar Stake - 11,3
Benin City Nigeria Ihobge Stake - 10,0
Benin City Nigeria New Benin Stake - 13,0
Lagos Nigeria Stake - 7,0
(Lagos Nigeria West Stake - 9,0)

Asia/Pacific

Butuan Philippines Stake - 10,1
Savaii Samoa Stake - 12,0
Kaohsiung Taiwan Stake - 10,2
Papeari Tahiti Stake - 10,1
Raromatai Tahiti Stake - 10,4

Brazil

Belem Brazil Stake - 7,0
(Belem Brazil Cabanagem Stake - 9,1)
(Belem Brazil Cidade Nova Stake - 9,1)
Brasilia Brazil Alvorada Stake - 10,1
Fortaleza Brazil Montese - 9,0
Hortolandia Brazil Stake - 9,0
Joinville Brazil Stake - 8,3
Juiz de Fora Brazil Stake - 11,0
Niteroi Brazil Stake - 10,4
Rio Branco Brazil Stake - 10,2
São José do Rio Preto Brazil Stake - 9,3

Canada

Calgary Alberta Foothills Stake - 11,1
Calgary Alberta North Stake - 10,2
Calgary Alberta West Stake - 10,2
Edmonton Alberta Millwoods Stake - 10,2
Edmonton Alberta North Stake - 10,2

Central America

Alajuela Costa Rica Stake - 10,2
San Jose Costa Rica La Paz Stake - 11,1
Tegucigalpa Honduras Toncontin - Stake - 11,1
Managua Nicaragua Stake - 10,0

Europe

Elche Spain Stake - 9,3

Mexico

Amecameca México Stake - 10,1
Celaya México Stake - 11,0
Chilpancingo México Stake - 10,4
Ciudad Juárez México East Stake - 11,0
Ciudad Juárez México La Cuesta Stake - 9,1
Coatzacoalcos México Puerto Stake - 13,1
Culiacán México Stake - 10,1
Jalapa México Stake - 10,0
Juchitán México Stake - 10,3
México City Anáhuac Stake - 11,0
México City Chapultepec Stake - 11,0
México City Culturas Stake - 11,0
México City Iztapalapa Stake - 10,0
México City La Perla Stake - 10,2
México City Tecamac Stake - 11,1
México City Tepalcapa Stake - 11,0
México City Valle Dorado Stake - 11,1
México City Villa de las Flores Stake - 10,0
Oaxaca México Monte Albán Stake - 10,3
Pachuca México Centro Stake - 13,1
Puebla México Nealticán Stake - 12,1
Saltillo México República Stake - 11,0
Veracruz México Stake - 9,1

South America (Spanish)

Jujuy Argentina Stake - 10,3
Santa Cruz Bolivia Cañoto Stake - 11,0
Luque Paraguay Stake - 10,3
Arequipa Perú Manuel Prado Stake - 10,0
Lima Perú Canto Grande Stake - 10,0
Lima Perú Puente Piedra Stake - 11,0
Lima Perú Villa Salvador Stake - 10,0
Montevideo Uruguay East Stake - 11,1
Ciudad Ojeda Venezuela Stake - 10,1
Guayana Venezuela Stake - 10,0
Maracaibo Venezuela South Stake - 11,3
Maracay Venezuela Stake - 12,0
Puerto La Cruz Venezuela - 11,2

Ray said...

Rick, thanks for the prompt response! I haven't had time to go through your entire list, but I'm curious where you got your information--lds.org only give US and Canada (and a few Australia and NZ) ward and branch info. Also, can you go through the rest of Matt's list (Mexico, etc.) that I didn't get to? Appreciate it, Ray

Ray said...

Rick, sorry I missed the rest of your comment--I just didn't look to the bottom. I guess I was so surprised to get such a fast answer!

Also, there are a number of big stakes not on this list (some in Germany and one in the Middle East) that have 13+ units. The biggest I know of is Manama, Bahrain, with 6 wards and 10 branches. Thanks again, Ray

The Chatelain's said...

What is the story with Schindler's LDS Atlas of Stakes? I found that it was a great source for the international church around 2000. Could technology from that site be used with new information gathered from this blog? I think I remember hearing that Mark had passed away. What a great site he started!

TempleRick said...

There actually aren't any German or Middle Eastern stakes with 13+ units right now, but hopefully we'll see wards divide and branches mature quickly.

Berlin Germany Stake - 7,4
Dortmund Germany Stake - 7,4
Dresden Germany Stake - 6,5
Düsseldorf Germany Stake - 8,2
Frankfurt Germany Stake - 9,2
Hamburg Germany Stake - 6,2
Hannover Germany Stake - 6,5
Heidelberg Germany Stake - 6,5
Kaiserslautern Germany Military Stake - 5,1
Leipzig Germany Stake - 4,8
Munich Germany Stake - 6,5
Neumünster Germany Stake - 5,6
Nürnberg Germany Stake - 8,3
Stuttgart Germany Stake - 6,5
-
Manama Bahrain Stake - 5,5

Ray said...

The Chatelaine's, yes, it is very sad that Marc (Sorry, I wrote "Mark" earlier) Schindler died when he did because of the wonderful work he did. I'm so glad the family left the site up, and I agree that it would be great to update, although we may have to start over.

Ray said...

Rick, thanks for giving me the number of wards and branches for those stakes. The Manama Bahrain Stake must have had a district divided off recently because I was told last year that there were 6 wards and 10 branches.

Also, the LDS Atlas showed Leipzig, Germany with 5 wards and 14 branches. I'm sure several of those units went into a district, which I believe is the Erfurt District. A couple of other German stakes were bigger then, too, and either had branches close or had districts spin off.

Matt said...

The reason for the discrepancy with how many units there are in the Manama Bahrain Stake is because there are several wards and branches located in countries in the Middle East that are too sensitive for the Church to make public. The majority of these members are either from North America, Europe or the Philippines and are not natives from these nations.

I created this list from information gathered from missionaries serving around the world, maps.lds.org and friends of mine who have interests in the growth of the Church.

I remember when Marc would update his Atlas before he passed away. It would be a monumental taska to re-create it, mainly for areas with large numbers of Church units like Utah and Mexico City.

Thanks for information and data provide everyone!

Ray said...

Maybe someone with the time and energy could start the job by doing the easy ones first (i.e. where there has been little or no change since the early 2000s) and then move up to the areas where only one new stake or district had been formed, name changed, dissolved, and so on.

Of course there's much more to it with ward and branch creation, name changes, and dissolution.
I would love to do it but don't have the tools and information available. Thanks, Ray

Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ray said...

Gnesileah, Do bishops have access to the CDOL or only stake executive secretaries? And is a printed or electronic or both?

Ray said...

"is it printed..." Sorry--need to preview my comments

Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TempleRick said...

CDOL used to be printed, and then it was distributed on CD. But now only the online version is updated. The following have CDOL access:

Bishops
Branch Presidents
Stake Presidents
Stake Presidency Counselors
Stake Clerks
Stake Executive Secretary (if added by stake president)
Assistant stake clerks
District President and Counselors
District Clerk and Assistant Clerks
District Executive Secretary

There is a proposal for getting ward and branch clerks and executive secretaries access as well.

Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Daniel said...

Wait, are you denied access to the CDOL whe you are released from the calling that required you to use it?

Daniel said...

On yes, why is the church sensitive about the Manam Bahrain Stake when it publishes information about it on the lds church news. And another matter of fact is that in other sensitive areas of the world like China the church does not seem slow do admit at all that there are expats branches there. Does anyone know when the Bahrain Manama stake was created, I heard it was created by elder Packer but I am not sure when.

Matt said...

I believe the Church recently decided that it would release more information publicly on the Manama Bahrain Stake. You can find this information at maps.lds.org for Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, and Oman. Meethinghouse information is not provided; only the bishop or branch president's name and contact information, which is likely a phone number for the Church.

I believe that once you are released from a calling that allowed access to CDOL your access is removed.

I am excited about the conversation about recreating an international LDS Altas. I would love to be a part of it, but I am pressed for time right now. I am pretty busy teaching English and also am working with David Stewart from www.cumorah.com on creating country profiles for every nation the Church is established in. We just started and I am not sure when these will be put up on the site, but keep an eye out for them.

Ray said...

Andrew,
Manama Bahrain Stake April 19, 1983Source: Rick's ldschurchtemples.com

Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ray said...

When I gave the source for the Manama Bahrain Stake's creation date as ldschurchtemples.com, I forgot to say go to "temples," then "Frankfurt Germany," then "temple districts," then select "chronological" for the dates of stake and district creation, oldest to newest. Ray

Daniel said...

How was the Manama Bahrain Stake created that long ago. It must have been the smallest stake in the church when it was created. I wonder if they created it so that expats there would not have to go directly up to the area presidency to get a temple recomend. It might be hard to find out but I think that Matt should try to find out which districts in the world report to an area and not to a mission (like for temple recomends).

Ray said...

The news of the Manama Bahrain Stake's creation was embargoed for many years for political sensitivity reasons.

I only learned of it 4 or 5 years ago when I saw the "Arabian Peninsula" stake listed in the Frankfurt Temple District, and when I called the Church Information Management Dept. about it, they knew nothing about it and said it may have been a mistake.

I don't know if there was a name change or if it's always been the Manama Bahrain Stake

TempleRick said...

The Arabian Peninsula Branch was created on September 2, 1976, under the International Mission. On September 2, 1982, it was transferred to the Arabian Peninsula District. The Arabian Peninsula Stake was then created on April 19, 1983. The name was changed to the Manama Bahrain Stake not long ago, but I cannot find an exact date.

TempleRick said...

I envision a GIS approach to an LDS Atlas, which could be implemented in an application such as Google Earth, that offers numerous layers including area boundaries, mission boundaries, temple district boundaries, stake boundaries, ward boundaries, temple locations, meetinghouse locations, institute locations, Church university and college locations, visitors' center locations, and so forth. Each layer could be turned on or off. Even more incredible would be to incorporate all historical data so that the locations of buildings, units, organizations, boundaries and so forth were tied to dates, allowing a user to go back in time and see these boudaries and buildings appear/disapper and change through time. Of course, all that would require massive amounts of work!

I think any LDS Atlas effort would require Church cooperation through the sharing of data. There is an army of employees at Church Headquarters keeping up with the constant changes to all this information, which would be too difficult to keep accurate and up to date without Church assistance.

LDS Maps is already a big step forward. And if the Church has geocoded boundaries in the form of a series of coordinates, it seems like a fairly simple task to display those lines in LDS Maps. It may be worth requesting.

Ray said...

Rick, you mentioned the Arabian Peninsula Branch was created in 1976 in the International Mission.

I'm guessing that mission closed some years ago and that all remote branches belong to the nearest mission, right?

I'm amazed at how much information you have on these seemingly obscure wards, branches, stakes and districts!

Gnesileah said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TempleRick said...

The International Mission used to cover any areas not organized under a formal stake or mission. Here is some additional information:

Liahona August 1983

The International Mission was discontinued in September 1987, however, when "quasi missions" or "area missions" were created such as the Africa Southeast Area Mission, Asia Area Mission, Australia/New Zealand Area Mission, Europe Central Area Mission, and so forth.

This concept was extended to stakes, too. There were "quasi stakes" or "district stakes" that were created in the Caribbean such as the Kingston Jamaica District Stake, Lesser Antilles District Stake, Trinidad District Stake, and so forth.

These quasi organizations have since been discontinued.

Ray said...

Rick, how about the Colonia Dublan Stake in the Col. Juarez Temple District? When it was created almost 20 years ago it was quite large and I'm sure it has grown since--or maybe some units were transferred to the Colonia Juarez Stake nearby. Can you tell me how large those 2 stakes are, and also the 2 districts in that Temple District? Thanks, Ray

Daniel said...

To many comments have been made on this posting-maybe you should put some of them on the other postings.

TempleRick said...

Colonia Dublán México Stake - 6,3
Colonia Juárez México Stake - 6,1
La Sierra México District - 0,6
Sierra Madre México District - 0,7

Matthew J. Bembridge said...

Further to your predictions for future stakes I would suggest that in the UK you could see the following split:

Belfast Northern Ireland Stake - 8 Wards, 5 branches - possible east/west split.

I don't know if you'll find this of any interest but I have compiled a complete map of Church units in the UK and Ireland, which I keep up-to-date for Google Earth. I have thrown in a ton of other features as well:

http://sites.google.com/site/britishlatterdaysaints/Home/BritishIsles-UnitedKingdom%26RepublicofIreland%28%C3%89ire%29.kmz?attredirects=0&d=1

Let me know what you think, I've not had any feedback on it yet.

Matt said...

Very impressive Matthew! There has been talk about producing an LDS Church unit atlas among those who are most interested in studying the Church's growth and the worldwide distribution of congregations and members. You've clearly done it for the United Kingdom. Your maps have provided a valuable tool for those interested in studying the Church's reach and presence in the British Isles. Again, very nice!