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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Georgia

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This article is about the Church in the U.S. state. For the Church in the country, see The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Caucasus.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Georgia
The Atlanta Georgia Temple at night.
AreaNA Southeast
Members89,285 (2022)[1]
Stakes19
Wards135
Branches29
Total Congregations164
Missions2
Temples1
Family History Centers44[2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Georgia refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Georgia. The first branch in Georgia was organized in 1876. It has since grown to 89,285 members in 164 congregations.

Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.82% in 2014. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, roughly 1% of Georgians self-identify themselves most closely with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[3] The LDS Church is the 8th largest denomination in Georgia.[4]

Stakes are located in Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Cartersville, Coal Mountain, Columbus, Conyers, Fayetteville, Kingsland, Lilburn, Macon, Marietta, Powder Springs, Roswell, Savannah, Sugar Hill, Tifton, and Winder.

History

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Rudger Clawson (left) and Joseph Standing (right), as they were serving as missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Membership in Georgia[5][1]
YearMembers
1890175
19304,311
197414,360
198027,210
199041,595
199957,857
200974,644
201987,411
202289,285

In 1843, missionary work was briefly opened in Georgia by Elder John U. Eldredge. Other missionaries followed to preach and to campaign for Joseph Smith in his presidential bid. The campaign ceased in 1844 with the death of Joseph Smith, and missionary work halted in 1846.[6]

Missionary work in Georgia resumed in 1878. The Southern States Mission headquarters was established in Rome (60 miles north of Atlanta). One early convert to the Church donated land and built a chapel at Mormon Springs in Haralson County.[6]

Missionaries were initially treated well upon their return to the South, but before long their success led to violent opposition. On July 21, 1879, Elder Joseph Standing was killed by a mob near Varnell's Station. His companion, Rudger Clawson, escaped serious injury. Unable to secure protection for missionaries, the church pulled out all missionaries in Georgia for the next decade. in 1889, a small group of members left to go west by Train.[7]

Missionaries returned to Georgia in 1899, but slowly and cautiously due to disease and persecution. Ohio was added to the Southern States mission at the request of President Ben E. Rich, so he would have a place where ill missionaries could recover.[7][8]

In 1930, branches were located in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Macon and Savannah. Sunday Schools had been established in Cedar Crossing, Douglas, Empire, Glenwood, Milledgeville, and Thomaston. That year, the state membership was 4,311.[8]

LeGrand Richards, later a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, served as Southern States Mission mission president from 1934 to 1937, and wrote the outline for A Marvelous Work and a Wonder while in Atlanta.[9]

In 1957, the Atlanta Stake was created, taking the northern two-thirds of the state with 3,000 members with wards in Atlanta (2), Columbus, Macon, and Empire. Branches for the stake was located in Buchanan, Athens, Gibson, Milledgeville, and Palmetto. The remainder of the state was covered by the Georgia-Florida and South Georgia districts.[10]

Humanitarian relief

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From Atlanta, hurricane and flood relief has been shipped to many areas of disaster including Hurricane Andrew, the Albany, Georgia flooding in 1994, Hurricane Opal, Hurricane Katrina as well as many other storms and disasters.

In December 1994, the Church donated 158,000 pounds of food through 26 religious and charitable organizations to the hungry in Atlanta. As various natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes struck Georgia and other areas across the south, Church members in Georgia responded to supply funds, goods, and volunteer help in the aftermath.

Southeast Area based in Atlanta

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Though its headquarters is publicly in Salt Lake City, many operations for the North America Southeast Area operate through Atlanta.

In 1919 the headquarters of the Southern States mission moved to Atlanta under mission president Charles A. Callis. At that time, this mission stretched as far west as Arkansas and Louisiana, and as far north as Ohio.[11]

In 1983, the Atlanta Georgia Temple was completed and dedicated, being the only temple in the Southeast United States for over 11 years.

Area headquarters in Atlanta include complete temporal and ecclesiastical distribution centers. Family Services for the North America Southeast Area is also based in Atlanta.

Stakes

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A meetinghouse in Jesup, Georgia
Meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Pearson, Georgia

As of June 2024, the following stakes were located in Georgia:

Stake Organized Mission Temple District
Athens Georgia 2 May 2004 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Augusta Georgia 5 Feb 1978 South Carolina Columbia Columbia South Carolina
Atlanta Georgia 23 Jun 1996 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Cartersville Georgia 19 Mar 2006 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Chattanooga Tennessee[a] 21 May 1978 Tennessee Knoxville Atlanta Georgia
Coal Mountain Georgia 6 May 2018 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Columbus Georgia 15 Jan 1978 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Conyers Georgia 6 Mar 2011 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Dothan Alabama[a] 2 Mar 1986 Florida Tallahassee Birmingham Alabama
Fayetteville Georgia 14 May 1978 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Hilton Head South Carolina[a] 24 Feb 2019 South Carolina Charleston Columbia South Carolina
Kingsland Georgia 15 Nov 1987 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Lilburn Georgia 5 May 1957 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Macon Georgia 10 Mar 1963 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Marietta Georgia 21 Jun 1987 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Newnan Georgia 16 Aug 2020 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Powder Springs Georgia 23 Nov 1980 Georgia Atlanta Atlanta Georgia
Roswell Georgia 12 May 1974 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Savannah Georgia 7 May 1978 South Carolina Charleston Columbia South Carolina
Sugar Hill Georgia 26 May 1991 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
Tallahassee Florida[a] 21 Jan 1973 Florida Tallahassee Orlando Florida
Tifton Georgia 26 Oct 1975 Florida Tallahassee Atlanta Georgia
Winder Georgia 1 Mar 2020 Georgia Atlanta North Atlanta Georgia
  1. ^ a b c d Stake located outside Georgia with congregation(s) meeting in Georgia

Missions

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Atlanta, Georgia became headquarters for the Southern States Mission when it was opened in 1876 with Henry G. Boyle as president. The mission covered the southern United States from Texas east. As more missions were created, the territorial coverage was reduced. In Jun 1971, the Southern States mission was renamed the Georgia-South Carolina Mission. On June 20, 1974, it was renamed the Georgia Atlanta Mission.

Georgia is now home to two missions.

Mission Organized
Florida Jacksonville Mission July 1, 1987
Georgia Atlanta Mission Nov 1876
Georgia Atlanta North Mission July 11, 2003
South Carolina Columbia Mission July 1, 1975

The Georgia Macon Mission which was organized in 2013 was disorganized in 2019.[12]

Temples

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Main article: Atlanta Georgia Temple

On June 1, 1983 the Atlanta Georgia Temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley. For over 11 years (1983-1994), it served as the only temple in the North America Southeast Area.

edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Rededicated:
Size:
Notes: 		Sandy Springs, Georgia, U.S.
April 2, 1980 by Spencer W. Kimball
March 7, 1981 by Spencer W. Kimball
June 1, 1983 by Gordon B. Hinckley
November 14, 1997 by Gordon B. Hinckley
34,500 sq ft (3,210 m2) on a 9.6-acre (3.9 ha) site - designed by Emil B. Fetzer
The rededication in 1997 was for the addition of a new baptistry, two new sealing rooms, and remodeling. In April 2009, the church announced that the Atlanta Temple would close on July 1 for 15 to 18 months for renovations[13] The temple was rededicated by Thomas S. Monson on May 1, 2011[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State: Georgia", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 16 May 2023
  2. ^ Category:Georgia Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved March 28, 2022
  3. ^ "Adults in Georgia: Religious composition of adults in Georgia". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2021-05-16.
  4. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 16, 2021. Note:While it's the eighth largest denomination in Georgia, it's the ninth largest denomination when "nondenominational" is considered as a denomination.
  5. ^ Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Georgia
  6. ^ a b Jenson, Andrew. Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Deseret News Publishing Company
  7. ^ a b History of the Church:Transitions: Early-Twentieth-Century Period.BYU Studies.Retrieved 24 Jan 2008
  8. ^ a b Berrett, LaMar C. (July 1960), History of the Southern States Mission, [masters thesis], Brigham Young University, retrieved 2009-07-01
  9. ^ Lucille C. Tate, "LeGrand Richards: A Marvelous Work and a Wonder", Tambuli, February 1983.
  10. ^ "William L. Nicholls to Preside over New Atlanta Stake", Church News, May 11, 1957.
  11. ^ Richard E. Bennett, "Elder Charles A. Callis: Twentieth-Century Missionary", Ensign, April 1981, p. 46.
  12. ^ "Church Announces New Missions, Boundary RealignmentsFour new missions to open in July". www.newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  13. ^ Atlanta Georgia Temple set to close in July for renovation (April 4, 2009). Church News published by Deseret News Publishing Company. Last accessed April 26, 2009.
  14. ^ LDS Church announcement about temple rededication

Further reading

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