As part of the ongoing updates to the General Handbook for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, policies have been broadened to allow single adult males to serve in more leadership positions.
“In recent months, our minds have been drawn with particular focus to Latter-day Saints who are single adults,” said Elder Quentin L. Cook. “We want you to know that you are loved—and so very needed in building the kingdom of God. For this reason, we felt to search carefully for policies and misperceptions that might limit the Church service of single members. What we found was that Church policy already allows for broad service by single adults—and it could be even broader. We feel today’s policy adjustments can make a big difference. We hope your leaders know to put you to work—including as counselors in bishoprics, on high councils, and as organization presidents and counselors.”
Single adult males in young single adult or single adult wards may now serve as counselors in both ward and stake presidencies. They may also serve as high councilors in the stake. All men serving in a bishopric, either married or single, must be high priests. The policy states that “if a man called as a counselor in a bishopric is not a high priest, the stake president ensures that he is ordained a high priest before setting him apart.”
Single adult women have long been able to serve as Stake Relief Society presidents and counselors.
Other updates included information about members with disabilities, guidelines on preparing and qualifying for missionary service, meetings in the church, and more. Click here for an overview of them all.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
