Mixed Midsingles/Family Ward dynamic

"With a growing number of 30-something Singles in the Church, many areas are responding by having specific Midsingles activities (and wards) to better meet the needs of 30-something Midsingles. Currently, over 50% of singles who were once active at age 30 in a YSA Ward go inactive in the Church by the time they turn 34, if there’s not an established Midsingles Program/activities and/or ward in their area. In each stake on the stake rolls there are , on average, 250-600 30-something Midsingles. Yet often only a handful or dozen 30-something Midsingles are active, many times sitting alone in a family ward.

So they try to attend an all-age Single Adult 31+ activity or dance, and see no one in their age range in attendance, instead seeing primarily people who could be their parents or grandparents attend. Currently in many areas, less than 5% of active 30-something Midsingles attend all-age 31+ Single Adult activities.

As a result, many 30-something Midsingles feel kicked to the curb after leaving the YSA Ward and feel the Church has no place for them. To better reach out to 30-something Midsingles and ensure YSAs stay active in the church after they turn 31, some stakes, under approval of their local Area Seventy, have created a Mixed Midsingles/Family Ward or Midsingles Magnet Ward.

The first such Mixed Midsingles/Family Ward was created in Huntington Beach, California, the Huntington Beach 1st Ward Midsingles, in January 2004. There are now 15-20 such wards across the country."

My cousin participated in the first Mixed Midsingles/Family Ward in Huntington Beach. He met his wife there. I spoke with them about it. They actually really liked it. I'd be really curious to see if they move towards this model throughout the country. Being that I fall in this category, I'm not sure that I'd mind so much. It would be definitely interesting to see what kind of a dynamic it would play in the Utah scene. Considering that we have a HUGE singles scene here. All I know is that I have definitely felt the whole 'not feeling like I belong anywhere' vibe. It's not fun. I never thought I'd be here at this stage in my life. That's for sure. But I have learned so much and done so much during these years where I would have otherwise been married. I can't begrudge the learning and growth.