2.5.2 LDS Wards and Stakes

I. OBJECTIVE

This policy gives guidance for establishing the names of wards and stakes within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

II. BASIC PRINCIPLES

1. The preferred name of LDS Church Unit is the name by which it is commonly identified (RDA 11.2.2.3). This should be determined from resources associated with the body. The official LDS Church website (www.churchofjesuschrist.org) should be consulted if accessible. A list of stakes, with their founding dates, may be found at http://www.wikiwand.com/en/List_of_stakes_of_The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints#/United_States. If historical information of a unit is needed, consult a current LDS Almanac. Or, if current Church calling allows you access to official Church directory of units on www.lds.org, please use that.
2. Since wards and stakes are subordinate to the Church and their names always contain a term (“ward”, “stake”, “paroisse”, “pieu”) that by definition (in the context of the LDS Church) implies that they are a part of another body, the authorized access point for the Church will be the first element in the authorized access point for the ward or stake (RDA 11.2.2.13-14).
3. For wards, a variant access point should always be recorded through the stake name (RDA 11.2.3.7).
4. As local churches, ward names should always be qualified by the place in which they are located unless the complete place name is part of the ward or stake name (RDA 11.13.1.3)

III. SPECIFIC PROCEDURE

1. Use the form: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ǂ b [name of ward or stake]
2. Do not interpose the name of the stake in headings for wards. When choosing the preferred name, use the official form of the name (the one found in Church directories or at www.churchofjesuschrist.org) when available, regardless of what appears on the book in hand. It is important, however, to use the name by which the ward or stake was known at the time the work was issued. (In cases of uncertainty, consult older directories.)
3. Use numerals rather than spelled out numbers, except in cases where the official name consists solely of an ordinal number or where the official form in directories prescribes otherwise. (Note: the official form of numbered church units at www.churchofjesuschrist.org uses numerals.)
4. Record a variant access point from the spelled out form.
   Note: many ward names have been established with the number spelled out. Do not revise these.
5. Qualify all ward names (but not stakes) by place, unless the complete name of place is included in ward name. Do not revise already established ward names that do not have this qualifier.
6. For ward names, include a variant access point which interposes the name of the stake between the name of the Church and the name of the ward (Note this means that the stake name must also be established.)
   If the name of the stake changes over time, but the name of the ward does not, add variant access points giving the ward name formed subordinately to the other (earlier/later) stake names, as needed.
7. Include variant access points for any other variants found.
8. Apply the same procedures to branches and districts.
9. Include other RDA elements as appropriate:

Date associated with the corporate body

Examples

046  ǂs 1957-06-30 ǂ2 edtf

046  ǂs 1961 ǂt 1993 ǂ2 edtf

Place associated with the corporate body

Examples

370  ǂe Richmond (Va.) ǂ2 naf

370  ǂe Provo (Utah) ǂ2 naf

Language of the corporate body

Examples

377  eng

377  spa

Type of corporate body

Examples

368  Stakes (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh

368  Wards (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh

368  Missions ǂ2 lcsh

368  Branch

IV. RDA EXAMPLES

110 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Mesa 40th Ward (Mesa, Ariz.)
368 _ _ ǂa Wards (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh
370 _ _ ǂe Mesa (Ariz.) ǂ2 naf
377 _ _  ǂa eng
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Mesa Fortieth Ward (Mesa, Ariz.)
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Mesa Arizona South Stake.ǂb Mesa 40th Ward (Mesa, Ariz.)
670 __ ǂa Heritage spotlights, 1997: ǂb cover (Mesa 40th Ward, Mesa Arizona South Stake)

046  ǂs 1891 ǂ2 edtf
110 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Center Ward (Salt Lake City, Utah)
368 _ _ ǂa Wards (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh
370 _ _ ǂe Salt Lake City (Utah) ǂ2 naf
377 _ _  ǂa eng
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Salt Lake Stake.ǂb Center Ward (Salt Lake City, Utah)
670 __ ǂa We shall meet again, 1991?: ǂb t.p. (Center Ward, 1891-1991)

110 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Pariosse Lille (Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France)
368 _ _ ǂa Wards (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh
370 _ _ ǂe Villeneuve-d’Ascq (France) ǂ2 naf
377 _ _  ǂa fre
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Pieu Lille.ǂb  Pariosse Lille (Villeneuve-d’Ascq, France)
670 __ ǂa Eglise de Jesus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours, via WWW, 24 Sept. 2009 ǂb (Paroisse Lille, 1, rue Breve, 59650 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France; in the Pieu Lille [Lille Stake])

110 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Ganado Branch (Ganado, Ariz.)
368 _ _ ǂa Branch
370 _ _ ǂe Ganado (Ariz.) ǂ2 naf
377 _ _  ǂa eng
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.ǂb Chinle Arizona Stake.ǂb Ganado Branch (Ganado, Ariz.)
670 __ ǂa Looking back & looking forward, c2009: ǂb cover (Ganado Branch, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Exceptional practice for numbered wards in Salt Lake City, following an already established pattern.

046  ǂs 1902 ǂ2 edtf
110 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ǂb Salt Lake Stake. ǂb 29th Ward
368 _ _ ǂa Wards (Mormon Church) ǂ2 lcsh
370 _ _ ǂe Salt Lake City (Utah) ǂ2 naf
377 _ _  ǂa eng
410 2_ ǂa Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ǂb Salt Lake Stake. ǂb Twenty Ninth Ward
670 __ ǂa Burt, F.P. The first 60 years of the 29th Ward in Salt Lake City, c1964 (subj.) ǂb t.p. (29th Ward in Salt Lake City) p. 51 (org. 1902)
670 __ ǂa Barraclough, M.E. The next 16 years of the 29th Ward in Salt Lake City, c1980: ǂb t.p. (29th Ward in Salt Lake City) verso t.p. (Salt Lake Twenty Ninth Ward)

Note: information about the Salt Lake City wards and branches can be found here https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Salt_Lake_City,_Utah_LDS_Church_Wards_and_Branches

Maintained by: Elizabeth Tobiasson