Monday, February 18, 2013
New Mission to be Created in Ghana
Missionaries serving in the Ghana Accra Mission report that the mission will divide this summer to create the new Ghana Accra West Mission. The Ghana Accra Mission will likely be renamed the Ghana Accra East Mission. Currently the Ghana Accra Mission has six stakes and four districts and services the entire Accra Metropolitan Area, Volta Region, and most of Eastern Region. The dividing of the mission may result in expanded LDS outreach in Volta Region where only one branch operates in Ho and the opening of new units in the Accra area. The Church created the Ghana Accra Mission in 1985. Addional missions were organized in Cape Coast (2005) and Kumasi (2012). With four missions by this summer, Ghana will be one of the most reached African countries with an average of six million people per mission.
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Thanks for the information. We could see up to 100 new missions this summer. Thus, it doesn't surprise me if Ghana with 3 mission would end up with 4. Given that the Accra mission is the largest in terms of congregations and stakes inside the mission boundaries, it isn't surprising that Accra would end up being the one split. Six of the ten Ghana stakes are inside the Accra mission.
I would guess that the Abomosu Ghana District (Abomosu Branch, Abomosu Ghana District Branch, Asunafo Branch, Asuom Branch, Kwabeng Branch, Sankubenase Branch), the Asamankese Ghana District (Asamankese 1st Branch, Asamankese 2nd Branch, Asamankese Ghana District Branch, Kade Branch, Oda Branch), and the Koforidua Ghana District (Adweso Branch, Effiduase Branch, Koforidua Branch, Koforidua Ghana District Branch, Oyoko Branch, Suhum Branch) will end up in the west mission and the Kpong Ghana District (Ho Branch, Kpong Branch, Senchi Branch) will end up in the east mission.
As for the stakes, I would guess that the Accra Ghana Adenta Stake (Achimota Ward, Adenta 1st Ward, Adenta 2nd Ward, Kwabenya Ward, Madina 1st Ward, Madina 2nd Ward, New Legon Ward, West Adenta Ward
Dodowa Branch) and the Tema Ghana Stake (Adjei Kojo Ward, Ashaiman Ward, Batsona Ward, Bethlehem Ward
Lebanon Ward, Nungua 2nd Ward, Tema 1st Ward, Tema 2nd Ward, Tema 3rd Ward, Klagon Branch, Kpone Branch) will likely be covered by the east mission.
The Accra Ghana Kaneshie Stake (Dansoman Ward, Kaneshie Ward, Korle-Bu Ward, Lartebiokorshie Ward, Mataheko Ward, Mamponse Branch) and the Accra Ghana Kasoa Stake (Buduburam Ward, Kasoa 1st Ward, Kasoa 2nd Ward, McCarthy Hill Ward, Odorkor Ward) will likely be covered by the west mission.
The remaining two stakes pretty much around the temple could go either way in my opinion:
Accra Ghana Christiansborg Stake (Cantonments Ward, Christiansborg Ward, La Ward, Nungua 1st Ward, Teshie 1st Ward, Teshie 2nd Ward, Teshie 3rd Ward, Trade Fair Ward, Jamestown Branch)
Accra Ghana Tesano Stake (Alajo Ward, New Town Ward, North Ridge Ward, Ofankor Ward, Tantra Hills Ward, Tesano Ward, Nsawam Branch)
I didn't mention the other two "congregations" the Africa West Area branch and the Ghana Accra Mission branch, both headquartered in Accra. The Africa West Area branch (branch president is the area president) has responsibility for all parts of the area not inside a stake or mission and the Ghana Accra Mission branch (branch president is the mission president) has responsibility for all parts of the mission not in a stake or assigned to a district or independent branch. Presumably a second mission branch will be established when the mission is split, so each mission will have one.
Great breakdown Mike! I think your predictions are right.
I am trying to find a new branch created in Western Region sometime in the past few months and it is not the Shama or Twifu Praso 2nd Branches. Any idea on what the branch's name is?
I am thinking we may even have a fifth mission in Ghana in the not-too-distant future in Takoradi.
I think 60-80 missions is the most likely outcome... they're releasing the names of new mission presidents at about double the normal rate, but most reports say about 50.
Matt, there are two possibilities:
The Eshiem Branch of the Takoradi Ghana Stake was created in November 2012.
The Tarkwa Branch (independent mission branch) was created in October 2012. It is northwest of the Takoradi Ghana Stake.
This is what I have for the Ghana Cape Coast Mission, which covers the Western and Central Regions:
Swedru Ghana District:
Kojo Bedu Branch
Odoben Branch
Swedru 1st Branch
Swedru 2nd Branch
Swedru Ghana District Branch
Winneba Branch
Independent Branches:
Abakrampa Branch
Agona Nkwanta Branch
Axim Branch
Daboase Branch
Ghana Cape Coast Mission Branch
Kissi Branch
Mankessim Branch
Nkroful Branch
Tarkwa Branch
Stakes covered by the mission:
Assin Foso Ghana Stake:
Akonfudi Ward
Assin Achiasi Ward
Assin Foso 1st Ward
Assin Foso 2nd Ward
Habitat Ward
Nuamakrom Ward
Paramu Ward
Telecom Hill Ward
Twifu Praso 1st Ward
Kenkuase Branch
Nyenasi Branch
Twifu Hemang Branch
Twifu Praso 2nd Branch
Cape Coast Ghana Stake:
Abura 1st Ward
Abura 2nd Ward
Bakano Ward
Cape Coast 1st Ward
Cape Coast 2nd Ward
Elmina Ward
Moree 1st Ward
Moree 2nd Ward
Nkanfoa Ward
Ola University Ward
Yamoransa Ward
Green Hill Branch
Ntranoa Branch
Takoradi Ghana Stake:
Chapel Hill Ward
East Tanokrom Ward
Kojokrom Ward
Kweikuma Ward
Mpintsin Ward
Nketsiakrom Ward
Sekondi Ward
Sofokrom Ward
Takoradi Ward
West Tanokrom Ward
Eshiem Branch
Shama Branch
Thanks Mike; it is the Eshiem Branch that I was looking for. I imagine we'll see some new stakes in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission considering all three stakes have 12 or more units.
I agree about the possibility of new stakes in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission.
One complicating factor is that none of the stakes (nor the district) are adjacent to each other. Thus, it probably would not be the case of two stakes spawning a third.
The Cape Coast Stake could split east west with:
West Stake:
Elmina Ward
Ntranoa Branch
Abura 1st Ward
Abura 2nd Ward
Ola University Ward
Bakano Ward
East Stake:
Cape Coast 1st Ward
Cape Coast 2nd Ward
Nkanfoa Ward
Green Hill Branch
Moree 1st Ward
Moree 2nd Ward
Yamoransa Ward
With the Cape Coast 1st Ward--the central unit--going either way.
The Kissi independent branch potentially could be added to the west stake and the Abakrampa and Mankessin indepedent branches could be added to the east stake.
I really like that the meetinghouse locator now shows boundaries of stakes, districts, wards, and branches. It makes it a lot easier to identify units and where they are.
One question: have you ever seen a stake administrative branch? I have seen them for districts, missions, and areas, but I have yet seen one for stakes. With the district and branches and boundaries mapped, it is easy to see why district administrative branches are used--they often have well over half the area assigned to the district.
My mind is split in between having 10-20 new missions (not likely), having 50-75 missions, and having 75-110 new missions. If these are going to be announced on Saturday, I'm surprised we only know about 8-10.
I would be shocked if new missions were not created for Central DRC and Cameroon. Plenty of unreached areas there. I am counting on only 30 missions. Would put average missions size post mission to close to 220 missionaries each at a total population of 70,000. Trying not to get my hopes up too high. I would love to see several more in India. Tons of potential there.
If I do the math based on what I understand the church was saying in their news conference a month ago, that every mission would be maxed out with 250 missionaries and then new missions would be opened then that means they have over 86,000 missionaries. (347 missions * 250 missionaries) = 86750 missionaries. If there are 50 missions being opened will they have 250 missionaries as well or will the hold about 150 missionaries each like most other missions did before the announcement?
If I do the math based on what I understand the church was saying in their news conference a month ago, that every mission would be maxed out with 250 missionaries and then new missions would be opened then that means they have over 86,000 missionaries. (347 missions * 250 missionaries) = 86750 missionaries. If there are 50 missions being opened will they have 250 missionaries as well or will the hold about 150 missionaries each like most other missions did before the announcement?
Well if that were the case and every mission was maxed out at 250 meaning 86750, it would mean that 50 more missions of 250 would bring the number to 99,250, and if it were 150 a pop that would be 94,250. This is close to the General Authority estimates that have come out saying 90,000.
There are many missions that are not going to need to get to 250 in any way whatsoever, just because there aren't enough units to cater to/visa restrictions. But some missions will certainly get much higher than 250 leading up to July when many of the missions are going to split.
It'll be fun to see how things play out.
Keep in mind, if the split missions have 150, both missions would have smaller size
So I could see a plan
290 unsplit missions*250 missionaries= 72,500
100 split missionaries(50 new/50 old)*150 missionaries-15,000
Total of 87, 500 long-term, which would be more likely post-surge (I think we were headed to 70,000 anyhow, so adding in 17,500 as a permanent "bump" seems reasonable.
Interestingly, this would only be 50 "more" missionaries than the maximum to begin with 150+150=300, so the split provides flexibility to deal with long-term unknowns (whether more young men will serve because its 18 a decade from now, whether sisters the same age will serve en masse)
Unless things have majorly changed recently I think the number of missions in India will not grow by more than one a year for a while, and probably not even that fast.
The big problem is that India only allows the Church a very low number of missionary visas and there is not a large indigenous member population. Unless the government allows more missionary visas, it will not be practical to create more missions.
An Area Seventy here said 'The Surge' would peak at 93,000 but drop back to where it would hover at just over 70,000. That is what they are looking at long-term.
Utah Provo (majority are in the urbanized metro) has 155 missionaries now, htey only had 120 before. The peak, later this Summer, will be at the 250 mark.
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