Our Sacrament Meetings

Outside of a temple, the most regularly held and sacred meeting members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attend is our weekly sacrament meeting. Indeed, this is a meeting we are commanded to attend. “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9). There we have the opportunity to partake of the sacrament. If we have properly prepared ourselves to participate in this ordinance, we may thereby renew the covenants that we made with our Father in Heaven at the time we were baptized and confirmed. Given its sacred nature, our participation in this service should be marked by reverent worship. Assuming that almost everything we do regularly might be improved upon, the purpose of this writing is to suggest several things we as members may do to improve the reverence of our sacrament meetings and thus our opportunity to enjoy a spiritual experience while there.

Some members of the Church are becoming lazy when they verbally make reference to this meeting. Even from the pulpit, we find some thinking that a single word title is sufficient. For example, “We will meet with so and so right after sacrament.” Our sacrament meetings should be referred to as such in all contexts.

These meetings commence with an invocation and are concluded with a benediction. These prayers as with all of our prayers are directed to our Father in Heaven and are properly concluded in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. When praying to the Father, we should use the appropriate “prayer language.” New members of the Church should be taught proper prayer language. Those of us who have been members for many years should use proper prayer language without exception. The reason for using the forms thee, thou, thine, and thy in the English language is often misunderstood. There are those who mistakenly believe that these forms are the formal voice of the language when in fact they are not. They are the familiar voice. A brief consideration of the German language may be instructive here. In German, both voices are used actively on a daily basis. The familiar voice is used when speaking with family members, close friends, and the Deity. The formal voice is used upon all other occasions. In English, we use the familiar voice when speaking to God and the formal voice on all other occasions whether speaking to friends or strangers. A careful reading of the prayers used to bless the bread and water during the sacrament service should be helpful in illustrating the appropriate use of prayer language (D&C 20:77 and 79).

Individually, we should use our right hand for ordinance purposes on all occasions. During the sacrament service, we should partake of the bread and the water with our right hand. Trays bearing these emblems should be passed by those officiating in this ordinance with their right hand. When participating in a “laying on of the hands” ordinance, if too many participants make it necessary that only one hand per individual may be used, the right hand should be used. When we are called upon to participate in actions of “common consent,” we should raise our right hand.

How otherwise may we better demonstrate reverence while attending our sacrament meetings? By doing those things that will lift our participation there above what we might do and say in a common assembly of our fellow citizens. Proper dress does not include the wearing of jeans and sports shirts. More dressy attire is called for including shirt, tie, and coat for the brethren. Coats may be optional in very warm weather. Sisters are encouraged to wear skirts rather than pants. Chewing gum simply is inappropriate for all attending this meeting. Referring to one another as “you guys” may in some cases be appropriate on the street, but such a reference is not appropriate in the context of our associations in a church setting. There, we should refer to one another as “brothers” and “sisters.” While in the chapel, our conversations should be reverent in both volume and subject matter.

Given the sacred purpose for attending sacrament meeting, appropriate preparation and reverent participation are necessary in order to fully benefit from the opportunities that are offered there.