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Ministering is the term for Christian service given to fellow congregants, known as "ward members," within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Prior to April 1, 2018, a somewhat similar program within the church was termed "home teaching", "block teaching", and "ward teaching", when performed by male priesthood holders[1] and "visiting teaching," when performed by female members of the church's Relief Society. The previous dual home- and visiting-teaching programs had been designed to allow families to be provided spiritual instruction in their own homes, in addition to weekly church services.[2] The present joint program deemphasizes teaching, replacing it with prayerful consideration given to the needs of one's assigned congregants, finding ways to serve and fellowship them.[3][4]
In areas with few church members, the local units are called branches, rather than wards. The ministering program operates within these branches in a like manner to the wards.
gospeltopics
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