No Elders Quorum Presidency in Branch

During the change in priesthood quorum organizations in stakes and wards, the High Priest Group Leadership in our branch was released. We waited as our stake presidency reorganized all the new ward elders quorums. But when our time came our assigned high counselor explained that (according to instructions from our stake president) since our branch is in a stake, unlike a branch in a mission, we would not have an elders quorum. Our branch president was to be in charge of all the Melchizedek priesthood holders in the branch. Our branch president wanted to delegate conducting our priesthood meetings and supervising the ministering brothers and their routes. So he had the former high priest group leader become supervising Instructor.

I am confused. MLS still only has the customary elders quorum presidency positions, so I created a custom calling of supervising instructor in MLS and entered his name after he was called and set apart as supervising instructor. Are we missing something? We have 20 high priests, elders, and prospective elders in our care center branch, along with ten high priests and elders serving us out-of-ward callings.

I think care center branches may have different rules. I know the branch in our stake has an elders quorum, but I looked at the care center branch in the neighboring stake and it doesn't have a called elders quorum presidency. Again I don't know if that's the rule or just the decision of the stake president.

cjohn1949 wrote:since our branch is in a stake, unlike a branch in a mission, we would not have an elders quorum.

I'd be curious about how he came to that conclusion. Granted, section 7 (Melchizedek Priesthood) only has a section titled "Ward Melchizedek Priesthood Leadership". There is no section titled "Branch Melchizedek Priesthood Leadership". However, in the Introduction, it says "References to wards and stakes usually apply also to branches, districts, and missions."

Likewise, there are two branches in my stake. (One language, and one student). Both have elders quorums (per the CDOL).

Handbook 2: 17.2 lists situations that might cause changes to the normal program. While the section on Melchizedek Priesthood is somewhat out of date, I don't see anywhere where it indicates that dropping the elders quorum is an option.

My best guess is that this may be the result of the First Presidency letter which only talks about wards and not about branches. I think the instruction from the Introduction to the Handbook applies. If the First Presidency had intended to eliminate the elders quorum from branches, I'd think they would have spelled that out somewhere in the letter or the two FAQs issued since then.

That said, the stake president has the keys to interpretation. That doesn't mean you can't politely raise the issue with him or one of his councilors. If he has questions about the situation, he can consult with the area authority.

Thank you for your help and suggestions, We have discussed the issue with a counselor in our stake presidency and he is considering the matter with the stake president. However, I searched the cdol for all 36 other care center branches in the Utah South Area and found that none of them have an elders quorum either.

cjohn1949 wrote:Thank you for your help and suggestions, We have discussed the issue with a counselor in our stake presidency and he is considering the matter with the stake president. However, I searched the cdol for all 36 other care center branches in the Utah South Area and found that none of them have an elders quorum either.

Depending on your calling, if I remember correctly, you may only be able to see unit leaders and their counselors, secretaries and clerks for wards other than your own. So, elders quorum presidencies in other units may be there but not showing.

sbradshaw wrote:Depending on your calling, if I remember correctly, you may only be able to see unit leaders and their counselors, secretaries and clerks for wards other than your own. So, elders quorum presidencies in other units may be there but not showing.

There are some care center branches with an elders quorum and a Relief Society presidency, some with just a Relief Society presidency, and some with neither. Given the unique circumstances in these branches, what is appropriate for a particular branch is best decided by the stake president and branch president after reviewing the information in the handbooks.

Conventional branches should have an elders quorum and a quorum presidency. As russellhltn pointed out, "references to wards and stakes usually apply also to branches, districts, and missions."

Finally something that I can answer (probably)

In Branches without an Elders Quorum Presidency, all positions are under authority of the Branch Presidency (either Branch President, or assigned to a Counselor). I'm currently 2nd Counselor on the Branch Presidency here and we haven't enough (active) members for an Elders Quorum President. I'm not sure if it would change seeing as you're in a Stake while we're in a district, although I can't imagine it would.