Membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Iredell and Mecklenburg counties has substantially increased over the past few years. As a result, on Sept. 18, under the direction of worldwide Church leadership, the Lake Norman North Carolina Stake was established.
Congregations in the Church of Jesus Christ, called wards, are organized geographically and typically contain between 200-500 members. A group of five to 12 wards is called a stake. As membership increases, new wards and stakes are created.
The Lake Norman North Carolina Stake of the Church represents members living in the Mooresville, Lake Norman, Statesville, Cornelius, Huntersville and Mountain Island areas.
Elder John C. Pingree, Jr., a visiting General Authority Seventy for the Church of Jesus Christ who oversaw this change, stated, “North Carolina is among the nation's fastest growing states and the Church has likewise kept pace. With the new Lake Norman North Carolina Stake, we can better strengthen and serve Church members and our local communities in our effort to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
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The Lake Norman stake is one of 19 in North Carolina. Serving as this new stake’s faith leader is Timothy A. Smith, the former stake president of the adjacent Hickory North Carolina Stake. He and his wife, Betsy have three children, two grandchildren, and live in Denver.
Smith has two counselors to assist him in the work of offering spiritual guidance and tending to the temporal welfare of those in need.
His first counselor, Trenton R. Parker, is the former first counselor in the Gastonia North Carolina Stake. He lives in Huntersville with his wife April and their five children.
C. Ray Ruppe, a former bishop and high councilor in the Hickory North Carolina Stake, is serving as the second counselor in the Lake Norman stake presidency. He and his wife Erika reside in Statesville and are parents to four children and 11 grandchildren.
In reference to the recent boundary changes in the region, Smith said, “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to grow in our area as members seek to follow Jesus Christ in their daily lives.”
A handful of converts formed the first congregation of the Church in North Carolina in 1838. Now there are more than 175 congregations and 91,000 members. Reflecting on this growth, Smith shared, “My parents were members of the first stake in Kinston, North Carolina back in 1961. It’s wonderful to see the growth over the years.”
All are welcome to join a service of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Visit ComeuntoChrist.org to find a nearby location and information about meeting times.