Wikipedia

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Delaware refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Delaware. As of 2022, the LDS Church reported 5,613 members in 12 congregations.[3]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Delaware
AreaNA Northeast
Members5,613 (2022)[1]
Stakes2
Wards10
Branches2
Total Congregations12
Family History Centers3[2]

Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.55% in 2014.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, less than 1% of Delawareans self-identify themselves most closely with the LDS Church.[4] The LDS Church is the 11th largest denomination in Delaware.[5]

History

edit
Membership in Delaware
YearMembership
194119
1960400
19741,350
19801,767
19903,178
19993,730
20094,716
20195,634
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Delaware[1]

Missionaries for LDS Church arrived in Delaware in 1837.[6]

Block teaching began in 1941 among some 16 LDS families meetings began May 4, and the Wilmington branch was organized September 28, 1941. The branch, with 9 adults and 10 children, continued with little growth for the next decade. In 1950, some 63 attended a branch party at the home of the branch president. The Salisbury Branch was organized in 1953. The Dover Branch was organized later that decade.[7]

In 2010, Delaware member Bruce Winn, CEO of 1,100 employees at the Corporation Service Co., left the company to serve as a mission president and, later, as the first temple president of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple.[8]

Stakes

edit

In 1960, the Philadelphia Stake was created which included Delaware congregations. Prior to that, the congregations were part of the Washington Stake. On December 8, 1974, the Wilmington Delaware Stake was created covering the Delaware and nearby areas in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. On November 18, 1979, the New Jersey Wards and branches of the Wilmington Stake were organized as the Pitman New Jersey Stake (reorganized as the Cherry Hill New Jersey Stake on September 23, 1986).

On June 18, 2006, William W. John, programs manager at DuPont, became stake president for the Wilmington Delaware Stake.[9]

On April 12, 2012, The Dover Delaware stake (Delaware's second) was created from the Wilmington Delaware Stake.[10]

As of January 2024, Delaware had the following congregations:[11]

Dover Delaware Stake

  • Camden Ward
  • Dover Ward
  • Harrington Ward
  • Salisbury Ward (Maryland)
  • Seaford Ward
  • Smyrna Ward

Wilmington Delaware Stake

  • Bayview Ward (Maryland)
  • Newark 1st Ward
  • Newark 3rd Ward
  • Wilmington 1st Ward
  • Wilmington 2nd Ward
  • Wilmington 3rd Branch (Spanish)
  • Newark YSA Branch

Missions

edit

Delaware is part of the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission.

Temples

edit

Delaware is part of the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple District.

edit
Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Notes: 		Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
October 4, 2008 by Thomas S. Monson[12]
September 17, 2011 by Henry B. Eyring
September 18, 2016 by Henry B. Eyring[13]
61,466 sq ft (5,710.4 m2) on a 1.6-acre (0.65 ha) site
Announced at the 178th Semiannual General Conference.[12]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State: Delaware", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 21 June 2021
  2. ^ Category:Delaware Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved March 28, 2022
  3. ^ a b The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)
  4. ^ "Adults in Delaware: Religious composition of adults in Delaware". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  5. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved May 24, 2021. Note:While it's the eleventh largest denomination in Delaware, it's the twelfth largest denomination when "nondenominational" is considered as a denomination.
  6. ^ "Facts and Statistics", Church News, 2020. Retrieved on 1 April 2020.
  7. ^ Helen Candland Stark, The L.D.S. Church in Delaware: A Book of Remembrance,1966.
  8. ^ Shaw, Julie. "Leadership announced for new Mormon temple", The Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 June 2016. Retrieved on 1 April 2020.
  9. ^ "New Stake Presidents", Church News. July 29, 2006.
  10. ^ "New Stake Presidents", Church News, May 5, 2012.
  11. ^ "Classic Maps", churchofjesuschrist.org, retrieved 2021-06-08
  12. ^ a b Mikita, Carole (October 4, 2008). "LDS Church plans temples in Rome, 4 other locations". KSL.com. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  13. ^ Weaver, Sarah Jane (September 18, 2016). "President Eyring dedicates temple in Philadelphia, the place 'where so much began'". Deseret News.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints_in_Delaware&oldid=1240547234"