Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Potential Mission Districts

I have provided an updated list of mission districts which I think are likely to be organized in the next couple years. Mission districts are analogous to stakes as they administer multiple branches (usually three to ten) but they have less independence in church administration and leadership than stakes. The creation of mission districts signals progress in church growth as it is an important step for the Church to establish a "center of strength" in a new location from a handful of mission branches into a more organized entity which has potential to become a stake.  The creation of a district from branches that were previously assigned to no stake or district but reported directly to the mission or area president suggests maturation in local leadership which can provide sufficient manpower and quality leaders to staff both branch and district callings.

Potential new districts listed below were identified based on recent congregational growth trends, missionary reports on the number of convert baptisms and activity rates, and distance and location from other nearby stakes and districts. Previous lists are available for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. Locations where there are fewer than three branches are included if there is a high likelihood that additional branches will be organized within the near future in order for a district to be organized.

Like other administrative and congregational units, the creation of districts is approved by the First Presidency.  Information used to compile this list does not contain any unauthorized information and I take full responsibility for this work.

AFRICA

  • Asamang Ghana (4) [Agona, Asamang, Effiduasi, and Mampong Branches - all currently assigned to the Ghana Kumasi Mission]
  • Atta Nigeria (6) [Atta, Amaimo, Amakohia, Ogwa, Orlu, and Umundugba Branches - all currently administered by the Owerri Nigeria Stake]
  • Axim Ghana (3) [Agona Nkwanta, Axim, and Nkroful Branches - all currently administered by the Ghana Cape Coast Mission]
  • Bouafle Cote d'Ivoire (3) [Agbonou, Bouafle, and Koko Branches - all currently assigned to the Yamoussoukro Cote d'Ivoire District]
  • Bujumbura Burundi (5) [Bujumbura 1st, Bujumbura 2nd, Bujumbura 3rd, Kalundu, and Uvira Branches - all currently administered by the DR Congo Lubumbashi Mission]
  • Daloa Cote d'Ivoire (6) [Gbeuliville, Kennedy, Lobia, Marrais, Orly, and Tazibouo Branches - all currently assigned to the Yamoussoukro Cote d'Ivoire District]
  • Divo Cote d'Ivoire (3) [Divo, Konankro, and Plateau Branches - all currently assigned to the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission]
  • Douala Cameron (2) [Bonaberri and Douala Branches - both currently assigned to the Republic of Congo Brazzaville Mission]
  • Fianarantsoa Madagascar (2) [Fianarantsoa and Tsianolondroa Branches - both currently administered by the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission]
  • Fort Dauphin Madagascar (2) [Fort Dauphin and Tanambao Branches - both currently administered by the Madagascar Antananarivo Mission]
  • Francistown Botswana (3) [Francistown, Gerald, and Monarch Branches- all currently administered by the Botswana/Namibia Mission]
  • Gulu Uganda (2) [Bar Dege and Gulu Branches and the Kitgum Group - all currently administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
  • Kitale Kenya (5) [Kitale, Mautuma, Misikhu, Naitiri, and Sikhendu Branches - all currently administered by the Eldoret Kenya District] 
  • Klerksdorp South Africa (3) [Jouberton, Klerksdorp, and Potchefstroom Branches - all currently assigned to the South Africa Johannesburg Mission]
  • Lilongwe Malawi (4) [Kalambo, Kauma 1st, Kauma 2nd, and Lilongwe Branches - all currently administered by the Zambia Lusaka Mission]
  • Lira Uganda (2) [Adyel and Lira Branches - both administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
  • Marondera Zimbabawe (2) [Dombotombo and Marondera Branches - both administered by the Zimbabwe Harare Mission]
  • Makeni Sierra Leone (2) [Makama and Teko Road Branches - both administered by the Sierra Leone Freetown Mission]
  • Meagui Cote d'Ivoire (3) [Meagui 1st, Meagui 2nd, and Soubre Branches - all assigned to the Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan West Mission]
  • Mombasa Kenya (3) [Bamburi, Changamwe, and Mombasa Branches - all currently administered by the Kenya Nairobi Mission]
  • Nelspruit South Africa (2) [KaNyamazane and Nelspruit Branches - both currently assigned to the South Africa Johannesburg Misson]
  • Ngandajika DR Congo (2) [Ngandajika and Tshioji Branches - both currently administered by the Luputa DR Congo Stake]
  • Nsukka Nigeria (2) [Nsukka and Obollo-Afor Branches - both administered by the Nigeria Enugu Mission]
  • Ondo Nigeria (3) [Adeyemi College Road, Ondo, and Yaba Branches - all currently assigned to the Nigeria Benin City Mission]
  • Pointe-Noire Republic of Congo (4) [Aeroporto, Loandjili, Mpaka, and Pointe-Noire Branches - all currently administered by the DR Congo Kinshasa Mission] 
  • Rwanda Kigali (3) [Kigali 1st, Kigali 2nd, and Kigali 3rd Branches - all currently administered by the Uganda Kampala Mission]
  • Tamale Ghana (2) [Education Ridge and Vitin Branches and possibly one or two member groups - all currently assigned to the Ghana Kumasi Mission]
  • Techiman Ghana (4) [Dwumoh, Kenten, Krobo, and Vatican Branches - all currently assigned to the Ghana Kumasi Mission]
ASIA
  • Macau (3) [Macau 1st, Macau 2nd (English), Macau 3rd Branches - all pertain to the China Hong Kong Mission]
  • Siem Reap Cambodia (2) [Siem Reap 1st and Siem Reap 2nd Branches - both currently administered by the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission] 
  • Tagudin Philippines (4) [Balaoan, Bangar, Luna, and Tagudin Branches - branches currently assigned to either the Candon Phillipines or San Fernando Philippines Stakes]
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
  • Barreiras Brazil (3) [Barreiras 1st, Barreiras 2nd, and Luis Eduardo Magalhaes Branches - all branches currently assigned to the Brazil Salvador South Mission]
  • Cruzeiro do Sul Brazil (3) [Cruzeiro do Sul, Formoso, and Remanso Branches - all branches currently assigned to the Brazil Manaus Mission]
  • Marabá Brazil (3) [Canaã dos Carajás, Marabá, and Parauapebas Branches - all currently assigned to the Brazil Belem Mission]
  • Tefé Brazil (3) [Coari, Jutaí, and Tefé Branches - all currently assigned to the Brazil Manaus Mission]
OCEANIA
  • Aoba Vanuatu (6) [Apopo, Lobori, Lolotinge, Lovutialao, Navuti, and Redcliff Branches - all currently assigned to the Luganville Vanuatu District]

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for this list! It`s definitely a good read. As someone who is very enthusiastic about the growth of the Church in Europe, however, I was surprised that no potential European districts made the list, unlike in previous years.

Here are some suggestions:
The northernmost branches in Norway could form a district. So could the three branches in Finland which lie within a rather small geographic area but which report directly to the Finland Helsinki Mission. I`ve also heard some rumors ever once in a while that the Reykjavik Branch in Iceland could split, opening the door for a separate district in Iceland.

I would also assume some realignments in the Czech/Slovak Mission, likely creating an independent district for Slovakia and leaving most of the other branches of the Mission in the first stake in the Czech Republic.

Greece also has enough members and branches for a district in the Athens area. I`m not sure though if leadership capacities are far advanced enough for a district to function.

I distinctly remember the branches on and off the northern Scotish coast also being on one of the prior lists and I still think it would be a good idea to organize a district from them.

Finally, the branches in Turkey could be absorbed in a district as well, even though there is a lot of distance between them. However, since Turkey has good infrastructure in and between the major cities (where the four branches are all located) and since distance has never been a deterrant in creating districts and even stakes in this part of the world, I think it is definitely possible.

Michael said...

New units created last Sunday in Moldova, Texas, California, Utah, Quebec, Taiwan, and Tahiti.

23 November 2014
1. Chişinau 2nd Branch (Russian), Chişinau Moldova District (4 branches)
2. Cypress Lakes Ward, Cypress Texas Stake (13 wards)
3. Lincoln 7th Ward, Lincoln California Stake (9 wards, 1 branch)
4. Oquirrh Lake 10th Ward, South Jordan Utah Oquirrh Lake Stake (10 wards)
5. Saint-Jerome Branch, Montreal Quebec Stake (6 wards, 5 branches)
6. Sanhsia Ward, Taipei Taiwan West Stake (12 wards)
7. Vaihiria Ward, Papeari Tahiti Stake (9 wards)

John Pack Lambert said...

Are there other foriegn language branches in Eastern Europe besides the new branch in Moldova?

Michael said...

There are two Russian branches in Latvia, one in Moldova, and one in Lithuania.

Also, there is an English branch in Kiev, Ukraine, and an English ward in Moscow, Russia.

Brandon Plewe said...

I'm assuming that you're predicting that additional branches would also be created in these areas. As you know, the Church seems to have stopped creating 2-branch districts altogether, and we even see a lot of 3-branch districts being eliminated. I wonder if there is some expectation that districts are only created where there is a reasonable prospect of a future stake.

Gnesileah said...

While we have seen many two- and three-branch districts discontinued over the last few years, the Church has also created a handful of new small districts during the last two years, including the Taiohae Marquesas Islands and Agbor Nigeria Districts, with only two branches each; and the Nkawkaw Ghana, Ho Ghana, and La Fria Venezuela Districts with three branches each.

Currently, insofar as I can tell, there are 10 districts in operation with only two branches, and 77 districts in operation with three branches. It's possible many of these also supervise groups.