The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Washington, D.C.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the District of Columbia
The Washington D.C. Temple
Area	NA Northeast
Members	3,337 (2024) [1]
Wards	4
Family History Centers	1 [2]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Washington, D.C. refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Washington, D.C.. Official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.38% in 2014. According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, roughly 1% of Washingtonians self-identify themselves most closely with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ^[3]

History

Membership in the District of Columbia

Year	Membership
1974	620
1989*	500
1999	1,160
2009	2,200
2019	3,144
2024	3,337
*Membership was published as a rounded number. Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: District of Columbia [1]

In 1933, a large granite chapel was completed in the area. ^[4]

Congregations

Congregations that meet in the District of Columbia

As of May 2025, the following congregations meet in the District of Columbia: ^[5]

• Capitol Hill Ward (English)
• Chevy Chase Ward (English)
• Eastern Market YSA Ward
• Foggy Bottom YSA Ward
• Mount Pleasant Ward (Spanish)
• Washington DC Branch (Sign Language)
• Washington DC 3rd Ward (English)

Other congregations that serve the District of Columbia

Congregations meeting outside the District of Columbia that serve those in the District: ^[5]

• Falls Church 2nd Branch (Persian)
• Montgomery Branch (Mandarin)
• Potomac SA Ward
• Takoma Park Branch (French)

Temples

Main article: Washington D.C. Temple

On November 19, 1974, the Washington D.C. Temple was dedicated by church president Spencer W. Kimball. Despite its name, the temple is not located within the District of Columbia; it is located in Kensington, Maryland, approximately three miles north of the city limits.

	16. Washington D.C. Temple Official website News & images		edit
	Location: Announced: Groundbreaking: Dedicated: Rededicated: Size:	Kensington, Maryland, U.S. November 15, 1968 by David O. McKay December 7, 1968 by Hugh B. Brown November 19, 1974 by Spencer W. Kimball August 14, 2022 by Russell M. Nelson [6] 156,558 sq ft (14,544.7 m2) on a 52-acre (21 ha) site - designed by Fred L. Markham, Harold K. Beecher, Henry P. Fetzer, and Keith W. Wilcox

Meetinghouses

The Unification Church (1931-33, Young and Hansen) at 2810 16th Street NW, formerly the Washington Chapel, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Unification Church, Formally Washington Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on 7th Street SE in Washington, D.C.

A meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

See also

• LDS Church portal

• Washington DC LDS Stake

References

1. "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by State: District of Columbia", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 20 June 2021
2. Category:West Virginia Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved April 11, 2022
3. "People in the Washington, D.C. metro area: Among adults in the Washington, D.C. metro area". Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Pew Research Center . Retrieved 2021-06-20.
4. "Facts and Statistics", Church News , 2020. Retrieved on 3 April 2020.
5. "Meetinghouse Locator", churchofjesuschrist.org, retrieved February 9, 2023
6. "President Nelson Rededicates the House of the Lord in Washington, D.C.", Newsroom, LDS Church, August 14, 2022, retrieved October 21, 2022

Further reading

• Barney, Ronald O. (2010). "Joseph Smith Goes to Washington, 1839-40". In Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel; Jackson, Kent P. (eds.). Joseph Smith: The Prophet and Seer. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. pp. 391–420. ISBN   978-0-8425-2753-8. OCLC   495616860.
• Bradford, Mary L. (August 1974). "From Colony to Community: The Washington, D.C., Saints". Ensign . Vol. 4, no. 8.
• Burke, Lee H. (1990). History of the Washington D.C. LDS Ward: From Beginnings (1839) to Dissolution (1975). Salt Lake City: Publisher's Press. OCLC   22473701.
• Bush, Larry (August 1974). "The Mormons: A Heritage of U.S. Government Service". Ensign . Vol. 4, no. 8. pp. 28–32.
  • Based on an earlier, longer article which was later published as Allen, James B.; Blumell, Bruce D. (1976). "The Mormons and the Federal Government in Washington: A Summary". Task Papers in LDS History (13). Salt Lake City. OCLC   13972822.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
• Lowe, Julian; Thayn, Florian H., eds. (1991). History of the Mormons in the Greater Washington Area: Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Washington D.C. Area 1839-1991. Washington, D.C.: Community Printing Service. OCLC   681868552.
• Peterson, F. Ross (2000). "Washington, D.C.". Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. pp. 1314–1315. ISBN   1-57345-822-8.
• Thayn, Florian H. (Spring 1981). "A Little Leavening". 21 (2). BYU Studies: 211–24.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• Newsroom (District of Columbia)
• ComeUntoChrist.org Latter-day Saints Visitor site
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Official site