Additional Relief Society meetings

I remember reading in the handbook a year or two ago about "extra" additional relief society meetings. They were meant for anyone in the Relief Society to organize a book club or game night or whatever but it wasn't an official Relief Society meeting. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Am I making this up in my head? Does anyone have a copy of that part of the handbook?

That would be found in Handbook 2: 9.4.2
However, I don't see it as being quite as social as your example.

I agree, those are the regular additional activities and they are supposed to be more spiritually uplifting and built on the topics that are written in the handbook.

I am having a hard time because some people think activities should be "just for fun" sometimes and I remembered reading that those kind of activities can be organized as extra additional activities by any relief Society sister and that would help with the social part if relief society but it isn't supposed to be the main monthly activity. I thought I read a small section of that in the handbook in the last couple years but I can't find it now

I guess my question is why does anyone feel like they need a sanction? If I want to start a book club, I just start a book club. I invite people I know. If I want to extend that to all the sisters in my ward, that's my prerogative. It doesn't have to be an official informal RS meeting in order to accomplish the goal of sisters enjoying one another's company.

FWIW,

Liz

Handbook 2: 9.4.2 outlines and describes Additional Relief Society Meetings. They are usually held monthly but may be less frequent. They are planned under the direction of the Relief Society presidency and at least one member of the presidency attends them. They are official Relief Society meetings.

Additional Relief Society Meetings replaced the former monthly Homemaking Meeting. They allow more flexibility for the Relief Society presidency to meet the needs of the sisters.

Although all of the sisters in the Relief Society are invited to attend, the meetings are not mandatory, and it is not expected that all sisters will be there. Varying subjects and activities will be of varying interest to different sisters. But they are a formal part of the Relief Society program.

Now, if Liz wants to start a book club, she does it. She invites people she knows, and she invites as many as she wishes. And while many of them will happen to be Relief Society sisters because on her circle of friends and influence, her book club is not an Additional Relief Society Meeting and is not an official part of the Relief Society. In our area we have book groups, quilting groups, and lots of other groups created by sisters for sisters and friends with similar interests.

lmcguire wrote:I guess my question is why does anyone feel like they need a sanction? If I want to start a book club, I just start a book club. I invite people I know.

If you meet in your home, no problem. But I'm guessing they want to meet at church. And at that point, some kind of approval from leaders must be obtained.

Yes, as lajackson and russellhltn mention - my private book-club is not a Relief Society or church activity, and it would not be appropriate to have it at church - but it could meet the needs of sisters who feel the need for more adult / social interaction. (Sorry if my reply made anyone think these might be thought of that way - I never intended the idea to be seen as official.)