The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded with just six members on April 6, 1830, in upstate New York. The church is a Christian church whose purpose is to bring all people unto Jesus Christ. who reconciles us to God the Father through Faith, Repentance, Baptism and Confirmation.

The key to LDS belief is that God continues to speak through living prophets and apostles, as He did nearly 2,000 years ago. The church believes in guidance from God through the Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon as books of scripture which both testify of the divinity of Christ and His role as Savior and Redeemer as composed by living prophets in the past. This divine communication continues through living prophets God has chosen to lead His children in preparation for the return of Christ.

Though the church started out small in an isolated area, it has grown to nearly 16 million members with more members outside the United States than inside the United States. The ministry of the church is made up of lay servants who maintain their own homes, families, and employment without financial compensation from the church or formal religious training.

The aim of the church is to model our lives after the life of Jesus Christ. That is done through loving our fellow man through service and devoting our lives to nurturing our families and homes to be a place where His presence may be felt.

Worship services are generally called “Sacrament Meeting” and consist of prayer, music, partaking of the emblems of Christ in remembrance of Him, and listening to sermons prepared by members of the congregation. Most congregants wear clothing that demonstrated they are giving their best to be in the presence of God.

All are welcome and we look forward to serving you. Be blessed!

About the church:

Name: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Meridian Congregation.

Pastor: Bishop Spencer Blalock – 2 years.

Denomination – Nondenominational.

How many members: About 500 in this congregation from all generations and many ethnicities.

Founded: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded in 1830. However, the Meridian congregation was officially organized in 1920, though there were members meeting in the area since the latter-1880s.

Address: 5805 North Hills St., Meridian, MS 39301.

Service Times:

Sunday Worship – 10 a.m., Sunday School – 11:15 a.m.

Women/Men Ministry – noon, Contact info: 601-483-7426 or www.lds.org.

Weekly programs:

Wednesday:

Boy Scouts of America – Troop 100 – 6:30 p.m.

Young Women – 6:30 p.m.

Scripture Power Hour – 7 p.m.

Family History Research – 6:30 p.m. (free)

Special upcoming events:

Every first Sunday of the month is considered a day of fasting wherein members fast for a period of 24 hours and donate what they would have spent to the poor.

Usually, every last Sunday of the month is a potluck lunch right after church and we invite all to come, fellowship.

Annual events special to our church:

We generally plan a number of events throughout the year that coincide with religious and national holidays. The public is always invited and can contact us o find out about upcoming events.

An event particular to the LDS is Pioneer Day. This generally falls on the closest Saturday to July 24th and commemorates the trek of the early Latter-day Saints across the plains as they fled from persecution to find a place of peace. This event usually consists of food, fun, and games in a safe family oriented environment.

Cheryl Owens coordinates the Worship Site Profile, which appears each Saturday in The Meridian Star. Recommend your site to cowens@themeridianstar.com.