Cleaning the chapel

The wards who use our building take turns cleaning the building. Since there are three wards, each ward cleans it one month a quarter. Generally, they clean it weekly during that month. In our ward, we alternate quarters between the elders quorum and the high priests. This month was the elders quorum’s turn in our ward.

My family was one of the families cleaning tonight. While I was vacuuming the chapel for 40 minutes, I was left wondering why people leave the chapel in such a mess? Each week at that. Ground in Triscuits, ground in Ritz crackers, squished raisins, ground in Cheerios, and on. Why can’t people leave the garbage at home or at least clean up after themselves? Why can’t they take they bulletins with them when they leave? Why can’t they put away the hymnals when they leave?

Are other churches (faiths) like this?

62 thoughts on “Cleaning the chapel

  1. I am not arguing to apply the old laws. rather, I am aking if they were inspired.

  2. It seems to me from reading Kim’s writings that several items LDS believe in are not inspired. For example, I learned the flood during the time of Noah’s Ark was not world wide but a local flood. The BOM did not cover North and South America but a small piece of land somewhere. One would have to ask why the Lord felt it necessary to make laws governing body functions. Perhaps a local leader (perhaps even a HP) felt the women of his time would follow his edicts if it was in scripture. Or could this be like the Word of Wisdom for the people who followed Moses?

    The best part is that they did not have toliets to clean or did they?

  3. Hi, y’all. I just happened to stop by and read this rather interesting discussion on cleaning ward buildings and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to throw in my opinion and feelings. First, by having an opinion, I am not an authority on any subject, so, please, do not take offense by what I say, but how did you all get from cleaning the ward building to the theory behind menstruation? As a woman, I find it strange that other women…who doubtless do not enjoy menstruating like myself…choose to get all huffy about the delicate referral made by George to ‘womens items.’ I appreciate this delicacy taken on his part. As for the rest of the discussion, it is wholly unnecessary, and I cannot imagine what it would be like for someone not of our religion to be reading this page. I love the Lord, and I love His Church, and I love the opportunity to be of service by cleaning the church on Saturday. So you know, in Chile they have custodians who clean the buildings, and really I felt that we were cheated somehow in the privilege of preparing the ward house for Sunday. Remember it is service that is being performed by your part. It is not meant to be a chore and I am sure that if we do it as a chore the blessings that could have been ours are held back from us. Remember the Lord loves each and every one of us and desires that we do things to show our love for Him and His children. I hope I haven’t offended anyone, but please remember the important things…the gospel, the Atonement, the restoration…and let all the other silly things just roll off your back.

  4. Of course it’s a service, Rindi. But it’s also a sign of respect not to leave a mess when one comes to church.

  5. Rindi said: “I find it strange that other women…who doubtless do not enjoy menstruating like myself…choose to get all huffy about the delicate referral made by George to ‘womens items.’ I appreciate this delicacy taken on his part.”

    I was thrilled to hear from a woman who appreciates things.

  6. “It is not meant to be a chore and I am sure that if we do it as a chore the blessings that could have been ours are held back from us.”

    Not only do you have to do it, you have to ENJOY it. Wow. And I thought the cleaning alone was onerous…

  7. It’s just common courtesy to not leave a mess behind for others to clean up. It shows a lack of manners to leave your garbage all over, and to not pick up after yourself.

  8. I have noticed that families tend to sit in the same pews week after week and the messes in the chapel also seem to be in the same pews or same spot week after week.

    Should the Bishop give a church calling to clean certain parts of the chapel each week?

  9. Do you think the YM and YW should take a turn cleaning the church building like the Elders and HP do? If the youth clean the building with their families, then the YM & YW would end up doing twice as much work as the adults. Is this fair to the YM & YW?

  10. I happened on to this site while trying to get some tips on keeping our 60 year old building clean in Layton, Utah. I was curious to find out what works in other wards across North America. We just started our cleaning program (don’t know how our ward escaped that duty for 15 years, but we seem off to a good start). Lots of marketing and a good Bishop to help energize the program has helped.

    I was glad to know that vacumming the chapel takes about 40 minutes – that’s what my experience shows. I liked the discussion on rich/poor versus who cleans and who doesn’t clean.

    I have to admit that our church is so old that tampon and sanitary napkins are not offered so please let’s not get that started. I don’t know the OT well enough to support the new program or somehow relate it to a form of idol worship:)

    I JUST WANTED SOME HINTS ON HOW TO KEEP THE WARD HOUSE CLEAN or what’s working/not working in your area.

    May search some other blogs to see if somebody else handles the physical facilities.

    It was nice to get Sacrament started today and know that our ward members pitched in to make the meeting house look nice.

    Thanks for the opportunity to comment – I will be moving on now.

  11. Just wanted to say that I have seen mothers bring whole sandwiches to church and start with her own quarter and send the rest down the row. I believe it was the same mom who another week passed whole granola bars down the row for the children. They are also the type to come in and out of church a half dozen times with one child or another or alone.

    I have seen other mothers eating the crackers and Cheerios, but maybe they were pregnant. Me? When I am pregnant I keep graham crackers in the car and slip out between meetings, if necessary. I am old school where no food is allowed in the chapel for anyone. And no drink breaks for us during Sacrament. Noone is working up a sweat, even here in Arizona.

  12. Well the born again group I am with recently moved to a new chapel where they are now hiring people to clean up on what used to be what we church memebers I doing. I miss the good old times.

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