Ordinances which are not a requirement for exaltation are referred to as
non-saving ordinances. A non-saving ordinance may be performed on behalf of an individual many times; in practice, however, some non-saving ordinances are only performed once per individual. While not every denomination performs each of these ordinances, they can be found throughout Latter Day Saint theology. •
Animal sacrifice: The ordinance of animal sacrifice was instituted in the Strangite denominations, primarily as a part of Strangite celebration
rituals. Although the chapter on "Sacrifices" in Strang's
Book of the Law of the Lord speaks of them as being offered for sins, the prohibition on such sacrifices contained in 3 Nephi 9:19–20, meant that Strang focused instead on sacrifice as an element of religious festivities, especially the commemoration of the
coronation a king. The head of every house, from the king to his lowest subject, was to offer "a heifer, or a lamb, or a dove. Every man a clean beast, or a clean fowl, according to his household." •
Anointing of the Sick/
Administration to the Sick and
Consecrating oil: A person who is physically ill, emotionally strained, or sick in any other way may request administration of this blessing or ordinance. The purposes to provide assurance of God's care and concern and also of the church's interest in that person. Often this included the anointing of the head of the person with consecrated oil, necessitating the ordinance of "Consecrating oil". •
Calling: This ordinance requires that a person having responsibility over a unit or an auxiliary of the church prayerfully seek revelation to determine which individual is to fill particular responsibilities within that organization. If the individual agrees—and many persons wait to receive spiritual confirmation before agreeing—then the individual is "called" to the position. •
Dedication of a church building or a temple: This ordinance is performed after the building is completed or purchased; if a building undergoes extensive remodeling, this ordinance may be performed again. •
Dedication of a grave: This ordinance is performed immediately before the body is placed in the grave; it is usually performed only once. •
Dedication of a land or country for the preaching of the gospel: This ordinance is usually performed before or soon after
missionaries begin to preach in a particular country; it is usually performed only once (but may be performed again if missionaries have not been in a particular country for an extended period of time); it is typically performed by an
apostle. •
Foot washing: The ordinance of foot washing was instituted in the
Rigdonite/Bickertonite denominations as a demonstration of personal humility. Members follow the ordinance of as described in four times a year, when members greet each other with a "
holy kiss", preferably on the cheek, to signify that they are greeting each other in the love of God, in accordance with the description given in the
King James Version of the New Testament. The Rigdonite/Bickertonite denominations believes that this is a very important ordinance, citing Jesus' statement to
Peter: "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." The purpose of the practice is twofold: to give a baby an official name and to provide an opportunity to give a blessing for the child's spiritual and physical welfare. •
Patriarchal blessing/
'''Evangelist's blessing''': A blessing or ordinance given normally once by a
patriarch to a church member. Patriarchal blessings are modeled after the blessing given by
Jacob to each of his sons prior to his death and are considered a gift of knowledge and strength of one's coming challenges and blessings. •
Prayer circle: An antiphonic prayer around an altar, performed as part of the
endowment and on other occasions, such among the
Apostolic United Brethren and the
True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days, where prayer circles within temples, endowment houses, and homes are still common. • '''
Priesthood blessing (including father's blessings)''': A prayer for healing, comfort or counsel given by a Melchizedek Priesthood holder, who lays his hands on the head of the person receiving the blessing. •
Rebaptism of faithful members: In late 1839, many who were already
baptized members of the church, were rebaptised either to show a renewal of their commitment to the movement or as part of a healing ordinance. Some denominations, such as the
Community of Christ, never performed this ordinance. While others, like the LDS church historically performed this ordinance, such as during the
Mormon Reformation, but no longer do. •
Sacrament/'''
Lord's Supper''': An ordinance in which participants eat bread and drink wine, water, or unfermented grape juice in remembrance of the body and blood of
Jesus Christ. It is similar to the
Eucharist in the
Catholic Church, or communion in
Protestant denominations. Normally, the sacrament is provided either every Sunday, on the first Sunday of each month, as part of the regular meeting, or other additional special occasions. Strictly speaking, this is a non-saving ordinance because a person could be exalted without ever having participated in the sacrament. However, individuals who have been baptized are expected to regularly participate in the sacrament. •
Setting apart: An ordinance where a person is formally chosen and blessed to carry out a specific
calling or responsibility in the church. Once a person has accepted the responsibility of holding a calling and has been "Sustained" by the members of the church for that position, one or more priesthood holders "set apart" the person to serve in that calling, usually accomplish by giving the person a priesthood blessing by the laying on of hands. •
Shaking the dust from the feet: A cursing ordinance in which a priesthood holder leaves a curse instead of a blessing, by casting off the dust of their feet "against them as a testimony, and cleansing your feet by the wayside." It was most often used against those who rejected the teachings of the church, or who failed to provide missionaries, with food, money, or shelter. Since the early-20th century, the practice has been rare. • Ritual of the
law of adoption: An ordinance practiced mainly between 1846 and 1894 in which priesthood men were sealed in a father–son relationship to other men who were not part of nor even distantly
related to their immediate
nuclear family. There is no surviving evidence that the "law of adoption" sealing practice was taught by Joseph Smith or his contemporaries prior to
Smith's death in 1844. However, adoptions appeared on the records of the
Nauvoo Temple in 1846, and scholars generally assume that the practice was instituted by
Brigham Young. Following an address on 8 April 1894 by
Wilford Woodruff, the practice of the law of adoption ceased in the LDS Church. However, some denominations, such as the
Restoration Church of Jesus Christ. (commonly referred to as the "Gay Mormon Church"), continue to perform the ritual of the law of adoption. •
Second anointing: An ordinance performed for a sealed couple, sealing them up to eternal life, and anointing them as kings and queens, priests, and priestesses. In the LDS Church it is also called the
fulness of the priesthood, and is a rare, but currently practiced ordinance for live participants, and (less commonly) vicariously for deceased individuals, though, it is usually only given in absolute secrecy to a small number of members after a lifetime of service. The ordinance is also still performed by many
Mormon fundamentalist groups. ==See also==