Latter-day Saint Ward Boundaries realigned in Afton and Thayne Stakes
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Afton Wyoming and Thayne Wyoming Stakes gathered Sunday, February 16 in respective meetings for announcements regarding realignments of current ward boundaries and creation of three new wards.
Leaders in the Afton Stake, who include President Scott Milne and his two counselors Jeff England and Larry Lancaster, announced the creation of two brand new wards, the West Hills Ward and the Dry Creek Ward. Thayne Stake leaders, who include President Jeremiah Daniel and his counselors, Martell Brower and Adam Robbins, announced the creation of the Willow Creek Ward.
“Sometimes changes like these are difficult,” said Thayne Stake President Jeremiah Daniel. “In some cases, members have been attending a specific ward for over 30 years, but as we are asked to go outside of our comfort zone and reach out to others, it will generate growth, and growth is the whole purpose of our being.”
Afton Stake Communications Director, Lance Oviatt, explained the structure of wards and stakes, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is organized into large geographic units called stakes and a stake is made up of local congregations called wards and branches. A stake is overseen by a stake president and two counselors. A ward is presided over by a bishop and his two counselors. In some instances, a branch may be formed where there are specific needs or few members locally. A branch is presided over by a branch president.”
According to Oviatt, a stake is comprised of at least 2000 members, and a ward must have at least 250 members. Both stakes in Star Valley have well over the required number of members. As membership grows in a ward or stake, changes are necessary to ensure that all members are properly cared for and growing. When the need arises for such changes, stake leaders thoughtfully and prayerfully create new boundary plans and select new bishops, and then submit them for approval to the First Presidency of the Church in Salt Lake City. Occasionally, plans must be redesigned before they are approved. Once plans and new bishops are approved, local leaders announce and implement the changes.
With the recent changes, the Afton Stake now has 12 wards and one branch designated for Young Single Adult members. The Thayne Stake is comprised of 10 wards and a branch specifically for Spanish-speaking members.
The new boundaries required leaders to reorganize or create nine new ward bishoprics. New bishoprics in the Thayne Stake are as follows:
Bedford Ward: Bishop Geoffrey Gordon Howe, 1st Counselor Joseph Leland Heywood, 2nd Counselor Alexander Lane Scharmann, Executive Secretary Rusty K. Heiner and Ward Clerk Tyrel Merritt Mavy.
Willow Creek Ward: Bishop Delbert Cole Suter, 1st Counselor Dustin Aquilla Taylor, 2nd Counselor Scott Coburn Larsen, Executive Secretary Nathan Thomas Beane, Ward Clerk James Albert Shumaker, Assistant Ward Clerk over Finance Heath Travis Hirschi, Assistant Ward Clerk over Membership James Darrell Hunting.
Cedar Creek Ward: Bishop Jake Hubbard (who was the prior bishop and was retained), 1st Counselor Dustyn Susumu Adams, 2nd Counselor Branden Shane Hendricks.
Thayne 1st Ward: Bishop Marcus Weber (who was the prior bishop and was retained), 1st Counselor Justin Gayle Andrews, 2nd Counselor Matthew Bryce Roberts and Executive Secretary Trevor Ashton Aitken.
New bishoprics in the Afton Stake are as follows:
Dry Creek Ward: Bishop Paul Kucharek, 1st Counselor Jody Shumway and Scott Erickson 2nd Counselor.
West Hills Ward: Bishop Tyler Jack, 1st Counselor William Christiansen, and 2nd Counselor Judd Rich.
Afton 3rd Ward: Bishop McKay Young, 1st Counselor Luke Lorimer, 2nd Counselor Andrew Orton.
Afton 4th Ward: Bishop Kade Wilkes, 1st Counselor Kyle Ronniger and 2nd Counselor J.R. Burgess.
“As we do boundary realignment and create wards, it will give each of us a better opportunity to serve our neighbors, friends, and families as the Savior Jesus Christ demonstrated each day of His life,” said Daniel. “Relationships will hopefully become more cherished in meaningful ways.”
For more specific Afton Stake boundary descriptions, please visit https://tinyurl.com/4f3a3eek
For Thayne Stake boundaries descriptions, please visit
