The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched a restructured Sunday worship schedule on Sunday, Sept. 6, affecting members across Sandy's 18 stakes.

The change, first announced March 30 by the church's First Presidency, reshapes the second hour of the two-hour Sunday meeting block. Each stake contains multiple wards, making this one of the most widely felt schedule shifts in the city's weekly routine.

What changed

Under the previous format, the second hour alternated week to week. One Sunday was Sunday School; the next was smaller group meetings split by age and gender, such as Relief Society, priesthood quorums and Young Women classes.

Now both happen every Sunday. Sunday School runs 25 minutes, followed by a brief transition, then a 25-minute group class. Sacrament meeting stays at 60 minutes.

For families with young children, Primary grew from 50 minutes to 55 minutes. The new Primary block breaks down as five minutes for prayer and scripture, 20 minutes of singing time, a five-minute transition and 25 minutes of class instruction, according to Church News.

First Sunday under the new format

On Sunday, Sept. 6, wards and branches watched a series of short instructional videos during the second-hour block, according to the church's newsroom. The videos featured Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson and Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson.

"This is not about attending meetings. This is about spiritual renewal and growth," Elder Bednar said in one of the videos.

The church also introduced new youth curriculum for Aaronic Priesthood quorums and Young Women classes, based on an updated edition of "For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices." The guide contains 12 chapters, one designated for study each month.

How many Sandy congregations are affected

Sandy's 18 stakes, as listed on church reference sites, include Alta Vista, Central, Cottonwood Creek, Crescent Ridge, Dimple Dell, Granite View, Hidden Valley, Hillcrest, Lone Peak and others. The total number of individual wards within those stakes is not publicly confirmed. Salt Lake County had about 610,000 LDS adherents as of 2010, the most recent county-level figure from the Association of Religion Data Archives.

Sandy wards now hold 60-minute sacrament meetings followed by two 25-minute classes every Sunday, with the new youth curriculum cycling through one chapter per month starting in September.

Upcoming Sandy community events

• Sandy youth soccer academy opens Monday, Sept. 14, with a $35 registration fee.
• Sandy Amphitheater wraps its 2026 summer concert season. Check sandyamphitheater.com for remaining dates.
• Dimple Dell Regional Park trails remain open for fall hiking and walking.