A district was discontinued in Peru.
The Huaral Peru District was discontinued and both branches that previously pertained to the district (Chancay and Huaral) now report directly to the Peru Lima West Mission. Organized in 2010, the district had four branches but two of the branches were closed in April 2013. Member activity and convert retention problems and few available priesthood leaders to staff both branch and district callings likely contributed to the closure of the district.
There are now 100 stakes and 21 districts in Peru.
And in the meantime, barely any stakes or even districts are being created this year. It disturbs me.
ReplyDeleteChristopher--
ReplyDeleteNo stakes have been dissolved this year or since the October announcement, except one for the MTC in Mexico. Seems like the strong ward growth Matt reports will pay off in future years. If the missionary surge is keeping every stake within "no dissolving needed" range, that is a worldwide accomplishment that will create stability. And, naturally, as stakes get bigger--building on stability--some will split.
er, Mike, not Matt, reports ward growth
ReplyDeleteAt this point, 36 stakes had been created and 6 disestablished for a net of 30. At this point this year, 26 stakes have been created and 1 disestablished for a net of 25. While behind 30, it also isn't "barely any."
ReplyDeleteI think the general authorities have been busy with the new missions being created.
I note that the Peru Lima West Missions runs north from Lima, partly on the coast. Just to the east, in parallel, is one of the new missions in Peru. Just to the east of that mission is the other new mission in Peru.
I wonder with new missions in the area, if burdens have been lifted from the Peru Lima West Mission presidency, which now overseas a district of 6 branches and these two now independent branches. Both surviving branches date from the 1980s, so they have been around for a while. I don't know about the two branches dissolved last spring.
I suspect that as many missions not only get smaller in area, but larger in numbers of missionaries, we might see more districts--particularly small ones--dissolved, as missions can focus more resources on mission branches.
It would not surprise me if instead of a district president supervising these branches, that now a counselor in the mission presidency is doing so.
Matt does a good job of reporting ward and branch changes, usually on a monthly bases.
ReplyDeleteI have been reporting those I learn about as I learn about them.
agreed; I should have clarified.
ReplyDeleteOne of the recent church newses reported 3 new stakes. There is growth in stakes, and I would not be surprised to see even more in the fall.
ReplyDeleteAt one level it is saddening to see districts dissolved, but when they only had 2 branches they were probably never thriving. Better to have strong leadership in each branch.
I just completed a post for my blog, Blu Principles" that compares seminary enrollment and the membership to seminary student ratio by country. The ratio is vastly different between South American countries. Peru and Bolivia have ratios of 29.37 and 34.04. Chile and Argentina stagger in at 81.16 and 63.37. Part of the difference may be due to population demographics. Part of the difference may be due to missionary practices. Do you know if the missionary practices differ between these countries?
ReplyDeleteIf you've lived in a district you know that often times the leadership that would best be used to strengthen branches are often eaten up by district callings. If a district has less than 4 units it is almost better that it is just apart of another nearby stake.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that we haven't seen the end of small districts being discontinued, particularly in areas near new missions.
ReplyDeleteThere are different reasons why districts are created:
1. To prepare to become a stake (for large districts with 5 branches that could potentially become wards)
or
2. ease the burden on mission presidencies, which have a number of mission branches.
In time, districts created for the second purpose might, with growth, become like the first purpose. Districts created to support a small number of branches and are no where near close enough to become stakes might be less needed if mission presidencies can focus more time on them because of fewer distractions. It is this type of district that could be in jeopardy of closing. A counselor in a mission presidency might provide as much support as a district president and free up local priesthood leadership to support the programs in the branch.
I thought that there would be more districts created now that mission presidents have less of an administrative burden then before. Now that they have more time due to smaller geography, fewer stakes, districts, and mission branches (in missions that divided anyway) I figured that these mission presidents would be more willing to open new areas, thus leading to more new branches and more districts.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Peru. One reason to be discontinued the Huaral Peru District is that many active members have moved to Lima.
ReplyDeleteThis generally happens in all cities near Lima, as Huacho, Barranca and Cañete. Each of these cities have districts, but there are more cities in each district and have this problem emigration to Lima.
Huacho Peru Stake has 5 wards, 1 branch when it was created was 6 wards, 2 branches.
Barranca Peru District has 6 branches, actually meets the minimum requirements to be stake but there are members who reported a delay by the fear that active members move out.
Cañete Peru District has 4 branches and has the possibility of creating new branches, Mala branch reported more than 140 active members.
Huaral Peru District is the second time it is discontinued.
I think that these branches should reorganize under Huacho Peru Stake or Lima Peru Puente Piedra Stake but the end was so.
http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2013/08/21/the_future_of_mormon_mega-projects.html
ReplyDeleteThe São Luís BrazilStake Poneiros was not created. Omotivo was not informed. We agurado more information.
ReplyDeleteThe Kisanga Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake was created on 25 August. There are 7 wards and 2 branches in the stake:
ReplyDeleteGecamines 1st Ward
Gecamines 2nd Ward
Katuba 3rd Ward
Kisanga 1st Ward
Kisanga 2nd Ward
Mampala Ward
Plateau Ward
Kasumbalesa Branch
Kipushi Branch
The La Esperanza Ward, Santo Domingo Dominican Republic San Gerónimo Stake, was created on 25 August. There are now 8 wards in the stake:
Enriquillo Ward
Herrera 1st Ward
La Esperanza Ward
La Yuca Ward
Los Angeles Ward
Los Girasoles Ward
Pantoja Ward
San Geronimo Ward
The Planetario Ward and the Bicentenario Branch, Ciudad Victoria México Stake, were created on 25 August. There are now 11 wards and 3 branches in the stake:
Campestre Ward
Carrera Ward
Central Ward
Flores Ward
Libertad Ward
Lomas Ward
Mainero Ward
Planetario Ward
Purificación Ward
Tamaulipas Ward
Villas Ward
Bicentenario Branch
Padilla Branch
Victoria Branch
The Asikuma and Odoben 2nd Branches, Swedru Ghana District, Ghana Cape Coast Mission, were created on 25 August. There are now 9 branches in the district:
Ansanful Branch
Asikuma Branch
Kojo Bedu Branch
Odoben 1st Branch
Odoben 2nd Branch
Swedru 1st Branch
Swedru 2nd Branch
Swedru Ghana District Branch
Winneba Branch
The Tembisa 2nd Ward, Centurion South Africa Stake, was created on 25 August. There are now 7 wards and 1 branch in the stake:
ReplyDeleteCenturion 1st Ward
Centurion 2nd Ward
Hospitalview Ward
Kempton Park Ward
Rabie Ridge Ward
Tembisa 1st Ward
Tembisa 2nd Ward
Birch Acres Branch
Nice to see that there is finally some congregation growth in Mexico, and in the north.
ReplyDelete