Colorado Springs North Stake (CSNS)

Ward Council and Ward Youth Council Bulletin

Aug 23 - 29, 2021

Avoiding Fear and Building a Foundation in Christ

25 August 2021

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We write to you today, very mindful of each of you, your families, your neighbors, and your friends. For many of us, there is an ongoing anxiety around us. We have faced an unprecedented time in the history of our country, and our world, this last year. In many cases, it has been a reality that we do not desire to repeat. And still for others, the hope of avoiding a repeat of this past year may be diminishing. The fears and concerns of recent past times are still in our hearts today.

We desire to share with you a couple of things, lovingly and from our hearts, for anyone that is troubled about the future…the future of their family, their employment, their livelihood, their health, and even their mortality.

First, never, at any time or in any circumstance, let fear and the father of fear (Satan himself) divert you from your faith and faithful living. There have always been questions about the future. Every person, every young couple, every family, in every era has had to walk by faith into what has always been some uncertainty. We have all been challenged and confronted by difficult times. Certainly, there are yet serious challenges ahead, and still, we know it is a wonderful time to be alive. These are the days when prophecies are being fulfilled.

As we all go through our own unique trials, we should strive to follow the Savior’s perfect example of relying on God and His promises. We should keep an eternal perspective, patiently trusting that our pains, struggles, and sorrows won’t last forever and that the reward of the righteous is great. We should continue to make good choices, even when life is hard. As we pray, serve others, and study the word of God, we will feel closer to Him.

Second, there have been many stories shared throughout history about ensuring that our life and our testimonies are built on foundations of bedrock rather than sand. Let us share with you a short story that was given by Bishop Gary E. Stevenson, Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the Boy Scouts of America national annual meeting on May 23, 2013, that may help illustrate the importance of preparation and foundations during difficult times.

In 2004 Hurricane Ivan swept through the Caribbean and the United States. At its peak, it reached category 5 strength and winds as high as 165 miles per hour, becoming the 10th most intense Atlantic hurricane on record. Damages were estimated at nearly 19 billion dollars. One of the islands hit hardest was Grand Cayman. During part of the storm, the entire island was completely covered with water and was reported to have even disappeared from satellite.

One homeowner there was Dick Mason. Aware of the approaching storm, he fled to a bunker for protection. When the storm passed and it was safe to leave the bunker, he emerged to a scene of devastation. Home after home was torn apart—nearly 85 percent of the buildings on the island sustained damage. As Dick walked back to his home on the coast, he did not know what he might find there. Then, as his street came into view, he found, amid the devastation, a single home standing intact on the road—his home. He even found lights on because his generator had survived.

Why had his home withstood the wind? Because years earlier he had understood the power of a strong foundation. When the home was built, he had prepared his foundation 20 feet down, boring and anchoring into bedrock. To some, that depth may seem excessive. Yet Dick maintained the importance of a deep foundation to secure his home. It was that strong foundation that provided safety against the intense storm.

Now brothers and sisters, there is a way to avoid fear and to build on “bedrock” in each of our lives. It is done by developing a “deep” personal conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ and knowing how to receive inspiration. We must know—and know that we know. We must stand spiritually and temporally independent of the world. Might we suggest to you that this begins by understanding that God the Father is the Father of our spirits and that He loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and Savior, and that the Holy Ghost can communicate with our minds and our hearts.

This is where and how we start to combat fear and build faith. This is where we build strong foundations and begin to receive inspiration. It is where we begin to become acquainted with the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and where we practice and apply gospel teachings until they become natural and automatic to each one of us. It is where the promptings in our life become the very bedrock foundation of our testimonies. Then our testimonies will keep us happy and safe in troubled times.

This is a wonderful time to be alive…even with all that is happening around us and all that we may be struggling with. The Lord needs each of us. This is our day; it is our time! We bear testimony of our Heavenly Father, the Father of our spirits; of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Savior; and of the Holy Ghost, who is the means through which we receive divine guidance. We bear testimony that we can personally receive inspiration and withstand the storms of fear and the unknown. May we learn to recognize and know the voice through which inspiration and blessings come, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

President Sterling L. Rogers
President Jeffrey A. Johnson
President Christian K. Lovejoy

Most announcements should be electronically distributed weekly prior to Sunday so they do not take time in sacrament meeting; the bishopric may give essential announcements briefly before the opening hymn (see General Handbook 29.2.2.2).

From Elder Quentin L. Cook's general conference talk Deep and Lasting Conversion to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ (after President Nelson's two-hour meeting block announcement), "To help members prepare for the Sabbath, some wards already send an informative email, text, or social media message midweek. In view of this adjustment, we strongly recommend this type of communication. These invitations will remind the members of the Sunday meeting schedule for that week, including the upcoming class lesson topic, and support continuing gospel conversation at home."

Upcoming Events

1. Face to Face for Young Adults with Elder and Sister Bednar: “Ask, Seek, Knock”, Sunday, September 12th, 4pm

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sister Susan Bednar will be the featured guests at a Face to Face for young adults on September 12, 2021, titled “Ask, Seek, Knock.”

View the broadcast on Sunday, September 12, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. mountain daylight time on the Church satellite system, Broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, YouTube, Latter-day Saints Channel and other digital channels.

All young adults, whether single or married, are invited to participate. Full-time missionaries are also invited to attend and to bring those they are teaching when possible. All ages and demographics are welcome. Local leaders are encouraged to determine a viewing date and time that best serves the young adults in their area.

Prior to the event, young adults may submit questions on the event page on Face2Face.ChurchofJesusChrist.org .

2. 2021 Church Music Festival [Online], Friday, September 17, 2021, 6pm

All individuals and families are invited to participate in the Church Music Festival.

Recurring Events

1. Colorado Springs Institute, for Young Adults (ages 18-30, married and single):

1. • Register using the Seminary and Institute app (for Apple or Android) or at myinstitute.churchofjesuschrist.org. All meeting link and other information will come once students are registered.

• All of our information is on our website: cospringsinstitute.org. Please helps us spread word!

• Reed Romney, Institute Director - Colorado Springs, 719-377-8056

2. Young Single Adults (YSA), ages 18-30

• • Colorado Springs YSAs Facebook and Instagram groups

3. Middle Single Adults (MSA), ages 31-45, Events and Information

• • Colorado Springs LDS Midsingles (ages 31-45) Facebook group and email: CSMidsingles@gmail.com

4. Single Adults (SA), ages 31+, Events and Information

• • Colorado South Single Adults (CSSA) Website

  • Colorado Springs LDS Multi-Stake Single Adults 31+ Facebook group

  • Denver LDS Singles Website

  • Castle Rock LDS Singles crssingleadults@hotmail.com email

5. BYU-Pathway Worldwide

• • A one-year program that helps members of the Church start or return to college

  • Students earn 15 credits toward a degree and upon completion, may continue working toward a skills-based certificate, an Associate's degree, or a Bachelor’s degree online through BYU-Idaho – at a GREATLY reduced cost

  • Learn more and apply online or contact your local Pathway missionaries: Elder & Sister Zenger (ages 18-30) 503-290-9933 or 503-684-6073; or, Elder & Sister Riding (ages 30+) 719-761-2955.

6. Temple Ordinance Workers and Temple Volunteers are Needed at the Denver Colorado Temple

• • If interested, contact your bishop

7. Colorado Springs Home Storage Center and Bishops' Storehouse normal weekly schedule:

• Wednesday: 4pm-7pm

• Thursday: 9am-12pm

• Saturday: 9am-11am

The online stake calendar provides event details: e.g. event start/end times, participants invited, point of contact for questions, address, reserved building room(s), setup/cleanup times, etc.

This Week: Monday, August 23rd - Sunday, August 29th

Mon, Aug 23, 2021

• Family Home Evening

• Multistake Adult Education Gospel Study Class [ML] 12 - 1:30pm

• Multistake Middle Single Adult Home Evening Group [LX] 6 - 8pm

• Multistake Single Adult Home Evening Group [CSCSC] 6 - 7:30pm

• Institute [USAFA] 6:20 - 7:50pm

• Stake Young Single Adult Home Evening Group [JB] 7 - 9pm

Tue, Aug 24, 2021

• North America Central Area Service Mission Conference [LX] 6 - 7pm

Thu, Aug 26, 2021

• Stake Temple Recommend Interviews (by appointment only) [LX] 6 - 9pm

• Institute [JB] 6:45 - 8:30pm

• Multistake Support Meeting for Women [DS] 7 - 8pm

Sun, Aug 29, 2021

• Fifth Sunday: youth and adult meetings under the direction of the bishop (Primary held every Sunday)

• Stake High Priests Quorum Meeting [LX] 6:30 - 8am

• Stake Youth Musical Devotional [LX] 5 - 6:30pm

• Multistake Support Meeting for Men [JB] 6 - 7pm

Next Week: Monday, Aug 30th - Sunday, Sep 5th

Mon, Aug 30, 2021

• Family Home Evening

• Multistake Adult Education Gospel Study Class [ML] 12 - 1:30pm

• Multistake Middle Single Adult Home Evening Group [LX] 6 - 8pm

• Multistake Single Adult Home Evening Group [CSCSC] 6 - 7:30pm

• Institute [USAFA] 6:20 - 7:50pm

• Stake Young Single Adult Home Evening Group [JB] 7 - 9pm

Tue, Aug 31, 2021

• Institute Fall Term Begins

Thu, Sep 2, 2021

• Stake Temple Recommend Interviews (by appointment only) [LX] 6 - 9pm

• Institute [JB] 6:45 - 8:30pm

• Multistake Support Meeting for Women [DS] 7 - 8pm

Fri, Sep 3, 2021

• School District 38 (D-38) No School (Return Tuesday, September 7th)

• USAFA Parents Weekend

Sat, Sep 4, 2021

• School District 38 (D-38) No School (Return Tuesday, September 7th)

• USAFA Parents Weekend

• School District 20 (D-20) No School (Return Tuesday, September 7th)

• Stake Primary Child-of-Record Baptisms [LX, JB, MN] 9am - 12pm

Sun, Sep 5, 2021

• School District 38 (D-38) No School (Return Tuesday, September 7th)

• USAFA Parents Weekend

• School District 20 (D-20) No School (Return Tuesday, September 7th)

• Fast Sunday

• First Sunday: Sunday School (Primary held every Sunday)

• Multistake Support Meeting for Men [JB] 6 - 7pm

Updates to the Stake Calendar of Events

The following meetings and activities on the stake calendar are changed due to state and church-wide announcements:

Tue, Jul 27, 2021 through Sat, Jul 31, 2021

• Rescheduled: Stake Young Men Aaron's Camp [CF] to Tue, Jun 6, 2023 through Sat, Jun 10, 2023

Thu, Aug 5, 2021 through Sat, Aug 7, 2021

• Rescheduled: Stake Young Men Deacons Camp [CF] to Thu, Jun 1, 2023 through Sat, Jun 3 ,2023

Ward Meeting Times for 2021 starting Sunday, August 15th

• Unless an exception is noted below, all wards hold sacrament meeting first and ward weeknight activities are at the same building as Sunday meetings

• Lexington building, 8710 Lexington Dr, Colorado Spring CO 80920

  • Pine Creek Ward: Sacrament meeting 8:30am - 9:30am, quorums and classes 9:40am - 10:30am, Wednesday weeknight activities at the Jamboree building

  • Cordera Ward: Sacrament meeting 10:00am - 11:00am, quorums and classes 11:10am - 12:00pm, Tuesday weeknight activities

  • Gleneagle Ward: Sacrament meeting 11:30am - 12:30pm, quorums and classes 12:40pm - 1:30pm, Tuesday weeknight activities

  • Northgate Ward: Sacrament meeting 1:00pm - 2:00pm, quorums and classes 2:10pm - 3:00pm, Wednesday weeknight activities

• Monument building, 950 West Colorado Highway 105, Monument CO 80132

  • Jackson Creek Ward: Sacrament meeting 8:30am - 9:30am, quorums and classes 9:40am - 10:30am, Wednesday weeknight activities

  • Monument Ward: Sacrament meeting 11:00am - 12:00pm, quorums and classes 12:10pm - 1:00pm, Tuesday weeknight activities

  • King's Deer Ward: Sacrament meeting 1:30pm - 2:30pm, quorums and classes 2:40pm - 3:30pm, Tuesday weeknight activities

• Black Forest building, 6950 Shoup Rd, Colorado Springs CO 80908

  • Meadow Run Ward: Sacrament meeting 8:30am - 9:30am, quorums and classes 9:40am - 10:30am, Tuesday weeknight activities

  • [Black Forest Ward (Colorado Springs High Plains Stake): Sacrament meeting 11:00am - 12:00pm, quorums and classes 12:10pm - 1:00pm, Wednesday weeknight activities]

  • High Forest Ward: Sacrament meeting 1:30pm - 2:30pm, quorums and classes 2:40pm - 3:30pm, Thursday weeknight activities

• Jamboree building, 8295 Jamboree Cir, Colorado Springs CO 80920

  • [Chapel Hills Ward (Colorado Springs East Stake): Sacrament meeting 9:00am - 10:00am, quorums and classes 10:10am - 11:00am, Tuesday weeknight activities]

  • Cheyenne Mountain YSA Ward: Sacrament meeting 12:35pm - 1:30pm (chapel), quorums and classes 11:30am - 12:25pm, Monday and Thursday weeknight activities

  • Mount Herman YSA Ward: Sacrament meeting 11:30am - 12:25pm (cultural hall), quorums and classes 12:35pm - 1:30pm, Monday and Thursday weeknight activities

  • Pikes Peak YSA Ward: Sacrament meeting 11:30am - 12:25pm (chapel), quorums and classes12:35pm - 1:30pm, Monday and Thursday weeknight activities

The church’s Official Communication Library messages may contain confidential or privileged information and are only accessible by and for the use of the individual(s) addressed in the letter/policy.

New This Week

• Face to Face with Elder and Sister Bednar: Ask, Seek, Knock

  • Notices | August 27, 2021: A Face to Face event on September 12, 2021, for all young adults will feature Elder David A. Bednar and Sister Susan Bednar.

Selection of Previously Released

• 2021 Church Music Festival

  • Notices | August 19, 2021: On September 17, 2021, we invite all individuals and families to participate in the Church Music Festival.

• Performing Missionaries in Historic Nauvoo, 2022

  • Notices | August 17, 2021: Single members of the Church ages 18 to 25 are invited to audition to serve as performing missionaries, helping with musical and stage productions in Historic Nauvoo.

• Revised General Handbook Chapters

  • Notices | August 4, 2021: Four chapters and other content have been revised in General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    • General Handbook: Summary of Recent Updates - July 2021 (links to updated sections)

    • Church Newsroom: See the July 2021 Update to the General Handbook

• General Conference

  • First Presidency | July 27, 2021: The Saturday evening session of general conference will be continued in a different format.

• Young Adult Face to Face with Elder and Sister Bednar

  • Notices | July 23, 2021: A Face to Face event will be held on September 12, 2021, with Elder David A. Bednar and Sister Susan Bednar.

• 2022 Curriculum Materials

  • Notices | June 25, 2021: The 2022 curriculum items are listed in the attachment to this notice.

• Materials for Area, Coordinating, Mission, Stake, Ward, and Branch Councils

  • Notices | June 15, 2021: Materials used in the April 2021 general conference leadership meeting are now available for area and local leaders.

• For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Conferences Schedule for Stakes in the United States and Canada

  • Notices | June 11, 2021: Beginning in 2022 and 2023, all stakes in the US and Canada will attend FSY conferences every other year.

• Notice, 10 February 2021: 2021 Guidelines for Recording Attendance of Stake Conferences, Sacrament Meetings, and Sunday Quorum and Class Meetings

  • Effective January 1, 2021, local unit leaders and clerks should record stake conference, sacrament meeting, and Sunday quorum and class meeting attendance (excluding Primary) in Leader and Clerk Resources or Member Tools.

Recording Attendance

• Effective January 1, 2021, local unit leaders and clerks have been asked to record stake conference, sacrament meeting, and Sunday quorum and class meeting attendance (excluding Primary) in Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) or Member Tools, including both number of members who attend in person and the number of those who attend remotely. (See Official Communication dated February 10, 2021 – 2021 Guidelines for Recording Attendance in Stake Conferences, Sacrament Meetings, and Sunday Quorum and Class Meetings)

• Attendance recorded will be reflected, as follows, on your Quarterly Report in LCR:

  • Sacrament meeting attendance – Average of the first three months of recorded attendance.

  • Sunday quorum and class meeting attendance (excluding Primary) – Average recorded attendance in March.

  • Primary attendance will be calculated using historical unit reported attendance.

• Note this information cannot be changed on the Quarterly Report page in LCR. Any changes would need to be made on the “Class and Quorum Attendance” or “Sacrament Meeting Attendance” reports in LCR.

Instructions for Discarding Obsolete Materials

• Many bishops’ offices, clerks’ offices, and meetinghouse resource centers contain excess and outdated materials. In considering what to discard, please refer to the list of meetinghouse resource center materials and guidelines on what to discard. Please also consider the following:

  • With the introduction of Come, Follow Me, many manuals have been replaced, including Primary 1–7, Gospel Doctrine, and youth Sunday School manuals.

  • The new Children and Youth program has replaced materials associated with Scouting, Duty to God, Personal Progress, and Faith in God.

  • Online processes in Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) have replaced most administrative forms.

• Clerks and resource center specialists should identify materials that are not being used regularly or that will not be used again and discard them or offer them to members for use at home. Clerks can also shred outdated stationery, forms, or sensitive materials.

Stake Interviews

1. • To schedule an interview with a member of the stake presidency for temple recommends or BYU ecclesiastical endorsements send an email to stake.interview@csnorth.org or text/call 719-644-6401

     • Interviews are held on Thursday evenings at the stake offices or online (by appointment only) to not interfere with leader/parents commitments to weekly child and youth activity nights on Tuesday and Wednesday; church dress requested

     • Stake presidency interviews are not to be scheduled until after the bishopric interview is completed

     • Stake interviews are usually scheduled within a week of their request and should be completed within 30 days of the bishopric interview

     • Members are encouraged to keep their recommends current and avoid last-minute efforts to schedule an appointment under very difficult-to-fulfill time constraints; please plan ahead when scheduling your appointment

     • The stake offices are located as the southwest corner of the stake center with an access door to the right of the main foyer doors (8710 Lexington Dr; northwest corner of Lexington Dr and Research Blvd)

Latest official General Conference addresses, and BYU-Provo, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, BYU Pathway Worldwide, and Ensign College speeches.

Official Newsroom and Church News announcements and articles of interest to our stake.

New videos, images, music, and articles from the church from the Church Media and Come Unto Christ.