Auxiliary organization (LDS Church)
Encyclopedia
An auxiliary organization is a secondary body of church government within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) that is "established for moral, educational, and benevolent purposes." As their name suggests, LDS Church auxiliary organizations are ancillary to the governing power of the priesthood
in the church. The five auxiliary organizations of the LDS Church are Primary, Relief Society
, Sunday School
, Young Men
, and Young Women
.
The existence of church auxiliary organizations as a means of assisting the priesthood is based the Apostle Paul's
statement that God has established "helps" and "governments" in the church to assist the apostles and prophet
s who lead the church. Apostle Harold B. Lee
taught that "an auxiliary is to be an aid to the priesthood in watching over the Church and also an aid to the home, under the direction and … cooperation [of] the priesthood." The purpose of the auxiliary organizations is to help “plant and make grow … a testimony of Christ and of the Gospel."
According to Joseph F. Smith
, church auxiliary organizations are temporary organizations which may be created and discontinued as the needs of the church and the priesthood hierarchy change. As President of the Church, Smith further stated:
In the LDS Church today, each auxiliary organization is headed by a "general president" and two counselors; the three individuals together form the "general presidency" of the auxiliary. These individuals are not general authorities of the church, but are referred to as "general auxiliary officers" or "general officers" of the church. Like general authorities, general officers are accepted and sustained
by the members of the church as leaders in their respective areas of jurisdiction, which are set out by the First Presidency
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additionally, each auxiliary organization exists at a local ward and stake level, with presidencies formed to direct the work of the auxiliary in that particular region. Auxiliary presidencies work under the direction of the local priesthood leaders, which in most cases are the bishop and the stake president.
Priesthood (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the priesthood is the power and authority to act in the name of God for the salvation of humankind...
in the church. The five auxiliary organizations of the LDS Church are Primary, Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
, Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
, Young Men
Young Men (organization)
The Young Men is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, and Young Women
Young Women (organization)
The Young Women is a youth organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
The existence of church auxiliary organizations as a means of assisting the priesthood is based the Apostle Paul's
Paul of Tarsus
Paul the Apostle , also known as Saul of Tarsus, is described in the Christian New Testament as one of the most influential early Christian missionaries, with the writings ascribed to him by the church forming a considerable portion of the New Testament...
statement that God has established "helps" and "governments" in the church to assist the apostles and prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
s who lead the church. Apostle Harold B. Lee
Harold B. Lee
Harold Bingham Lee was eleventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from July 1972 until his death.- Early life :...
taught that "an auxiliary is to be an aid to the priesthood in watching over the Church and also an aid to the home, under the direction and … cooperation [of] the priesthood." The purpose of the auxiliary organizations is to help “plant and make grow … a testimony of Christ and of the Gospel."
According to Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
, church auxiliary organizations are temporary organizations which may be created and discontinued as the needs of the church and the priesthood hierarchy change. As President of the Church, Smith further stated:
We expect to see the day, if we live long enough ... when every council of the Priesthood in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will understand its duty; will assume its own responsibility, will magnify its calling, and fill its place in the Church, to the uttermost, according to the intelligence and ability possessed by it. When that day shall come, there will not be so much necessity for work that is now being done by the auxiliary organizations, because it will be done by the regular quorums of the Priesthood.
In the LDS Church today, each auxiliary organization is headed by a "general president" and two counselors; the three individuals together form the "general presidency" of the auxiliary. These individuals are not general authorities of the church, but are referred to as "general auxiliary officers" or "general officers" of the church. Like general authorities, general officers are accepted and sustained
Common consent
Common consent is a democratic principle established by the Latter Day Saint movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr., who taught in 1830 that "all things must be done in order, and by common consent in the church, by the prayer of faith." As it is most frequently used by the Church of Jesus Christ of...
by the members of the church as leaders in their respective areas of jurisdiction, which are set out by the First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additionally, each auxiliary organization exists at a local ward and stake level, with presidencies formed to direct the work of the auxiliary in that particular region. Auxiliary presidencies work under the direction of the local priesthood leaders, which in most cases are the bishop and the stake president.
See also
- List of general officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Genesis GroupGenesis GroupThe Genesis Group is a social organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for African American members and their families. It was first organized in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1971 to provide members an organization where they could affiliate with fellow African American members. ...