Wikipedia

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

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Florida. The LDS Church represents about 1% of the population of Florida according to the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscepe Survey.[3] Official membership statistics show the church representing about 0.75% of the general population.[4] Florida has the 8th largest membership population in the United States and the largest membership population east of the Mississippi. The LDS Church is the 6th largest denomination in Florida.[5]


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Florida
The Orlando Florida Temple
AreaNA Southeast
Members168,527 (2022)[1]
Stakes34
Wards229
Branches53
Total Congregations282
Missions4
Temples2 Operating
1 Under Construction
2 Announced
5 Total
Family History Centers84[2]

History

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Membership in Florida
YearMembership
1904 1,230
1930 3,164
1974 28,915
1980 36,811
1990 82,413
1999 108,955
2009 131,621
2019 160,266
Source: Windall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Florida[1]

In April 1843, Joseph Smith called William Brown and Daniel Cathcart to serve a mission to Pensacola, but no record exists of them fulfilling the calling. Between April and June 1854, Phineas Young visited the Indian chiefs in Florida and distributed copies of the Book of Mormon.

Missionaries began preaching in Pensacola in January 1895 and started a number of Sunday Schools soon afterwards. The first was in Coe Mills in May 1895.[6] The first branch, known as the Hassell Branch, was created in Jefferson County on May 9, 1897. In September 1897, the Sanderson Branch was organized. George P. Canova, a well-to-do landowner and chairman of the Baker County Commission, became the branch president in January 1898. Five months later, following threats of violence, Canova was killed as he returned home from a church meeting.[7]

In 1906, Charles A. Callis became president of the Florida Conference. That same year, a meetinghouse was dedicated in Jacksonville. Another meetinghouse was completed in Oak Grove in 1907.[8] In 1909, missionaries began working in Miami during the winter months. Three years later, four Latter-day Saint pioneer families from Arizona moved to Florahome, Putnam County and established a Sunday School. In 1914, Julius C. Neubeck of Miami was called on a seven-month mission by Callis and became the first missionary from that city. He then became presiding elder of the church in Miami following his mission.[9]

By 1925, branches or Sunday Schools existed in Florahome, (Putnam County), Jacksonville, Sanderson, Tampa, Miami and in other places throughout the state. In February and March 1925, church president Heber J. Grant visited Jacksonville and held public meetings. Ten years later, the Florida District had 22 branches, and the West Florida District had another 13 branches.[10]

The first stake in Florida and in the South was created in Jacksonville on January 19, 1947, by Callis, who by then was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Alvin C. Chace, a grandson of early leader George P. Canova, was called as the first president.[8]

Due to the influx of immigrants Florida received over the past few decades from the Caribbean and other countries, branches and wards were created to accommodate foreign speaking individuals in Florida. The first Spanish-speaking stake in the southeastern United States was organized in Miami. This was followed by the creation of a second Spanish-speaking stake in Hialeah Gardens in 1998.[9]

On October 9, 1994, church president Howard W. Hunter dedicated the Orlando Florida Temple. On January 19, 1997, church president Gordon B. Hinckley addressed more than 5,000 members at a conference in Jacksonville commemorating the stake's 50th anniversary.[11]

The LDS Church has assisted in recovery efforts from several natural disasters in Florida, and many Florida church members have responded to additional calls to give aid in surrounding states, such as the cleanup efforts following Hurricane Katrina, and Hurricane Irma, and major flooding in Georgia.[12] Increasing membership has enabled the magnitude of the church's involvement in disaster relief to grow substantially over time.[13] In 2019, church president Russell M. Nelson visited Orlando and spoke to 15,000 members at the Amway Center and visited with the owner of Pulse nightclub, the gay nightclub in Orlando where a gunman killed 49 people in a mass shooting.[14]

Deseret Ranches

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Deseret Ranches in St. Cloud, Florida

In 1950, more than 50,000 acres (200 km2) was purchased by the church and which is now known as Deseret Ranches. Deseret Ranches, now part of the Cattle division of AgReserves, encompasses 295,000-acres and extends across Orange, Osceola and Brevard counties and is seen as critical to the Orlando region's water supply.[15] The ranch is home to about a quarter million citrus trees, timberland, tree farms, commercial crops, and large deposits of fossilized seashells used in road base.[16]

In 2013, the LDS Church purchased 382,834 acres from St. Joe Company in Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty and Wakulla counties.[15] The land, primarily timberland, was purchased for $565 million.[17][18] The LDS Church is now Florida's largest private landowner.[19] In 2020, the LDS Church sold more than 20,000 acres of land surrounding Lake Wimico in Florida to The Nature Conservancy who then donated the land to the state and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.[20]

Stakes

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A meetinghouse in Macclenny, Florida
 
A meetinghouse in Gulfport, Florida

Stakes in Florida as of June 2024

Stake Organized Mission Temple
Boynton Beach Florida 17 Aug 2014 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
Brandon Florida 23 Aug 1992 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
Cocoa Florida 13 Nov 1977 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Coral Springs Florida 16 Jan 1994 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
DeLand Florida 20 Sep 1998 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Dothan Alabama[a] 2 Mar 1986 Florida Tallahassee Birmingham Alabama
Fort Myers Florida 13 May 1984 Florida Tampa Fort Lauderdale Florida
Fort Walton Beach Florida 7 Jan 1996 Florida Tallahassee Birmingham Alabama
Gainesville Florida 29 Feb 1976 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Jacksonville Florida East 15 Sep 1968 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Jacksonville Florida South 21 Jun 2009 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Jacksonville Florida West 19 Jan 1947 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Kingsland Georgia[a] 15 Nov 1987 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Lake City Florida 16 Mar 1986 Florida Jacksonville Orlando Florida
Lakeland Florida 27 Jun 1980 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
Lake Mary Florida 9 Nov 2014 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Leesburg Florida 14 Nov 1982 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Miami Florida 13 Nov 1960 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
Miami Lakes Florida 25 Jan 1998 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
Naples Florida 23 Sep 2018 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
Ocala Florida 30 Jun 2019 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
Odessa Florida 16 Oct 2016 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
Orlando Florida 23 Feb 1958 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Orlando Florida South 30 Aug 1992 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Orlando Florida West 23 Aug 2020 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Palm Bay Florida 10 Jan 2016 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
Panama City Florida 16 Nov 1975 Florida Tallahassee Orlando Florida
Pensacola Florida 15 Jun 1969 Florida Tallahassee Birmingham Alabama
Sarasota Florida 17 May 2009 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
St Cloud Florida 6 Nov 2005 Florida Orlando Orlando Florida
St Petersburg Florida 18 Aug 1974 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
Stuart Florida 12 Oct 1980 Florida Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida
Tallahassee Florida 21 Jan 1973 Florida Tallahassee Orlando Florida
Tampa Florida 25 Oct 1959 Florida Tampa Orlando Florida
  1. ^ a b Stake located outside Florida with congregation(s) meeting in Florida

Missions

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On March 1, 1894, Florida became part of the Southern States Mission. The Florida Mission was then organized from the Southern States Mission on November 1, 1960. From the Florida Mission the Florida Tallahassee Mission and the Florida South Mission were formed on July 1, 1971. On June 20, 1974, the Florida South Mission changed its name to the Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission. Three additional missions has been created in Florida since then.

Mission Organized
Florida Orlando Mission 1 July 1998
Florida Fort Lauderdale Mission 1 November 1960
Florida Tallahassee Mission June 2024
Florida Jacksonville Mission 1 July 1987
Florida Tampa Mission 1 July 1976

Temples

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The state of Florida has five temples in various stages of construction or operation. The first, the Orlando Florida Temple, was dedicated on October 9, 1994, by church president Howard W. Hunter. The Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple was announced by church president Thomas S. Monson on October 3, 2009, with ground broken for its construction on June 18, 2011.[21][22] A public open house took place from March 29 to April 19, 2014.[23] The temple was dedicated by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the church's First Presidency on May 4, 2014.[24] The temple is designed to serve an estimated 25,000 church members in South Florida.[25] As of November 2022, current church president Russell M. Nelson has announced temples to be constructed in Tallahassee, Tampa, and Jacksonville.

class=notpageimage|
Temples in Florida
  •   = Operating
  •   = Under construction
  •   = Announced
  •   = Temporarily Closed
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style: 		Windermere, Florida, U.S.
April 6, 1991 by Ezra Taft Benson
June 20, 1992 by James E. Faust
October 9, 1994 by Howard W. Hunter
70,000 sq ft (6,500 m2) on a 13-acre (5.3 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design - designed by Scott Partnership Architects
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Dedicated:
Size:
Style:
Notes: 		Davie, Florida, U.S.
October 3, 2009 by Thomas S. Monson[27]
June 18, 2011 by Walter F. González[28]
May 4, 2014 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf[29]
30,500 sq ft (2,830 m2) on a 16.82-acre (6.81 ha) site
Classic modern, single-spire design
A public open house took place from March 29 to April 19, 2014.[26]
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Location:
Announced:
Groundbreaking:
Open House:
Dedicated:
Size: 		Tallahassee, Florida, United States
5 April 2020 by Russell M. Nelson[31]
5 June 2021[30] by James B. Martino
4-23 November 2024
scheduled for 8 December 2024
29,225 sq ft (2,715.1 m2) on a 4.97-acre (2.01 ha) site
 
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Location:
Announced:
Size:
Notes: 		Riverview, Florida
3 April 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[32][33]
29,000 sq ft (2,700 m2) on a 12-acre (4.9 ha) site
The location of this temple was originially announced on October 31, 2022. The subsequent relocation of this temple was announced on April 22, 2024.
 
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Location:
Announced:
Size: 		Jacksonville, Florida
2 October 2022 by Russell M. Nelson[34][35]
29,000 sq ft (2,700 m2) on a 6.6-acre (2.7 ha) site

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State: Florida", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved April 9, 2022
  2. ^ Category:Florida Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved March 28, 2022
  3. ^ Religious Landscape Study: Adults in Florida, Pew Research Center, 2014, retrieved February 7, 2021
  4. ^ The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics (United States)
  5. ^ "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report". Thearda.com. Retrieved April 19, 2021. Note:While it's the sixth largest denomination in Florida, it's the seventh largest denomination when "nondenominational" is considered as a denomination.
  6. ^ "The Saints in Florida", Ensign, June 1975, p. 36.
  7. ^ Thomas R. Canova Family Organization Newspaper Articles Regarding The Assassination of George Paul Canova Father of Thomas R. Canova
  8. ^ a b Richard E. Bennett, "Elder Charles A. Callis: Twentieth-Century Missionary", Ensign, April 1981, p. 46.
  9. ^ a b "Florida Reaches 100,000 Members", Ensign, December 1996, pp. 66–71.
  10. ^ 2005 Deseret Morning News Church Almanac. Deseret Morning News. p. 175
  11. ^ "Members celebrate 50th anniversary of first southern stake", Church News, January 25, 1997.
  12. ^ Taylor, Scott. "In Florida, an LDS meetinghouse goes from a house of survival to a house of service", Deseret News, 16 September 2017. Retrieved on 19 March 2020.
  13. ^ "'Incredible day'", Church News, February 10, 2007.
  14. ^ Noyce, David. "LDS leader Nelson discusses ‘lasting happiness,’ meets with Pulse nightclub owner during Orlando visit", The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 June 2019. Retrieved on 19 March 2020.
  15. ^ a b Spear, Kevin. "Mormon church-owned company buys huge swath of Florida land", Orlando Sentinel, 7 November 2013. Retrieved on 11 March 2020.
  16. ^ Walch, Tad. "LDS Church makes large timberland purchase in Florida Panhandle", Deseret News, 10 November 2013. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  17. ^ Provost, Claire. "From book to boom: how the Mormons plan a city for 500,000 in Florida", The Guardian, 30 January 2017. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  18. ^ Fineout, Gary. "Mormon church affiliate buying up Florida land", The Salt Lake Tribune, 8 November 2013. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  19. ^ Martinez, Amy. "The Mormon Church - Land Lord", Florida Trend, 26 December 2014. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  20. ^ Croft, Tim. "Nature Conservancy purchases land at Lake Wimico", Gannett, 12 February 2020. Retrieved on 12 March 2020.
  21. ^ Samuels, Jennifer; Benzion, Calli (June 25, 2011), "Groundbreaking for Ft. Lauderdale temple", Church News, retrieved November 2, 2012
  22. ^ "New picture of planned Mormon temple: Mormons break ground for temple in South Florida", Florida Sun-Sentinel, June 20, 2011, retrieved November 2, 2012
  23. ^ "Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced", Newsroom, LDS Church, January 13, 2014
  24. ^ "Church Dedicates Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, 143rd in the World", Newsroom, LDS Church, May 4, 2014
  25. ^ Nolin, Robert. "New Mormon temple soars above Davie pastures", South Florida Sun Sentinel, Florida, 1 July 2015. Retrieved on 10 August 2019.
  26. ^ "Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced", Newsroom, LDS Church, January 13, 2014
  27. ^ Taylor, Scott (October 3, 2009), "Brigham City among five new locales for LDS temples", Deseret News, retrieved November 2, 2012
  28. ^ "Church Leaders Break Ground for Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple", Newsroom (News Release), LDS Church, June 18, 2011, retrieved November 2, 2012
  29. ^ "Church Dedicates Fort Lauderdale Florida Temple, 143rd in the World", Newsroom, LDS Church, May 4, 2014
  30. ^ "Tallahassee Temple Groundbreaking Kicks Off Construction Project", newsroom, June 5, 2021
  31. ^ "Prophet Announces Eight New Temples at General Conference: The Church will build its first temple in the Middle East", Newsroom, LDS Church, 5 April 2020
  32. ^ "7 new temple locations announced by President Nelson to close conference", Deseret News, Deseret News, April 3, 2022
  33. ^ "President Nelson Announces 17 New Temples", Newsroom, LDS Church, April 3, 2022
  34. ^ "President Nelson announces 18 new temples, including 4 near Mexico City, as conference closes", Deseret News, Deseret News, 2 October 2022
  35. ^ "The Church of Jesus Christ Will Build 18 New Houses of the Lord", Newsroom, LDS Church, 2 October 2022
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