Open House

So if you are wondering where we have been these past few weeks, I will explain. Our church building has been under construction for the past 14 months and we've been meeting at the next closest building (it's 3 blocks down the road from our other one...). Our bishop asked me as ward activities chair to take charge of an open house for the community. So what does that involve exactly? I guess it depends on whose in charge. For ours we placed an article in the local paper, had a banner made to announce the date, and made flyers for the 500 dwellings in our ward boundaries. The scouts started the open house off with a flag ceremony and the bishop gave the prayer. I had spots highlighted for a tour with church members volunteering to take groups through. I sort of wish we had a count on everyone that came during the 4 hour open house but in the opening group it was about 100 people that walked through.
The tour included the chapel, bishop's office, young women room, library, primary, relief society, and ended in the cultural hall for refreshments. In the chapel we had hymns and songs from the children's songbook played on the piano, as well as the sacrament table set. Our focus here was Sunday worship services.
In the bishop's office we had a framed photo of the new Ogden Temple and a photo of the bishopric. The Ogden temple will be closed sometime at the end of the year for 18-24 months while the remodeling occurs. Our focus was the bishop's role in encouraging members to live worthy to attend the temple.
The young women's room had a tent with sleeping bag and firewood display as though you were entering girl's camp. The YW president put together a slideshow of photos from the previous year's camping trip. The focus in this room was the young women programs for 2010 such as the new personal progress program, emphasis on virtue, new youth website youth.lds.org, and YW activities like mutual and girl's camp.
In the library we had focus on geneology work and the new website new.familysearch.org and access to member numbers and confirmation dates for members to get signed up. Thanks again Mom for coming to take over this presentation.
In the primary room we had all the same easter activities we did in california last year. We had a scavenger hunt with photos of key elements of the Easter Story. We continued on the theme of Easter with a coloring page, find the match, Easter Sudoku, Easter Crossword Puzzle, and a Puzzle of the Resurrected Jesus appearing to Mary. In this room we also had the cd of the primary's fall musical program that the kids spend all year learning.
In the relief society room was a photo collage of enrichment activities the ladies had been doing the past few years (quilting, cooking, book groups, dining divas, and silly fun). The focus in this room is the service and love the ladies have for each other and the community.
In the cultural hall we had a video slideshow of the building during different phases of completion and the move in day bringing everything out of the pod. We had cookies and lemon water and left this room for conversation. The missionaries had a little table with pamphlets if anyone was interested in learning more about the gospel. We had handouts with the new building meeting times and announcing the dedication for Sunday evening.
Deciding what to highlight, coordinating guides, greeters, refreshments, and information for everyone was overwhelming at times but whenever I prayed for help and guidance things came together. The spirit of love and neighborly friendship was so strong it was hard not to smile constantly and forget about the blisters on my feet and pregnancy contractions.
The artistic rendering of the remodeled Ogden Temple: