October 2020 General Conference will be “virtual only”
Jun 4, 2020, 9:11 AM | Updated: 9:58 am
April 2020 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | IRI
SALT LAKE CITY — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Thursday that the church’s October 2020 general conference will follow the same pattern as in April and will be held virtually.
“As a worldwide organization, we have an obligation to be good citizens and to act with caution as it relates to such a unique setting as general conference, which traditionally brings thousands of visitors to Salt Lake City from around the globe,” they First Presidency said in the Thursday letter.
“Because of our concern for the health and safety of others, we have decided that the October 2020 general conference will follow the same pattern as the conference held in April of this year. The general sessions will be broadcast as usual. However, the general sessions will not be open to the public.”
The church says that more details about the conference scheduled for October 3 and 4 will be released as plans are finalized.
In April the church held it’s first “digital-only” conference and broadcast from a small auditorium on Temple Square due to the outbreak of COVID-19. This was the first time the church had not allowed members and visitors to attend the gathering since WWII.
During April’s conference, the church celebrated the 200-year-anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the event where Latter-day Saints believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to the young Smith to restore Christ’s original church on the earth.
Church President Russell M. Nelson marked the occasion by issuing a bicentennial proclamation, which was only the sixth such proclamation in church history.
Other notable announcements during April’s conference were the announcement of a new church logo, eight new temples, the call for a global fast for relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a worldwide Hosanna Shout.
Related:
LDS Church: April General Conference will be “technology only”
Latter-day Saints mark bicentennial of First Vision of Joseph Smith
Special Coverage from Palmyra
