The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Sunday the creation of two new wards and significant changes to ward boundaries affecting all of its members in the Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville area.

Following the announcement of the changes, nearly 1,500 members present at the meeting voted unanimously in support of the changes.

“As we move forward, let’s continue to reach out to others in a spirit of love and friendship –both to church members and to the community at large,” said Bothell stake president Steven R. Fox.

Like all congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, church members of the Bothell Washington Stake are organized geographically and members attend worship services near their home. These local congregations, or wards, are led by a bishop who earns his own living and receives no pay for his service in the church.

Several wards make up a stake, and the Bothell Stake encompasses the congregations within the Northshore School District. The stake leader, like a bishop, is not paid for his Church service, and is referred to as a stake president.

At the Sunday meeting, presided over by Fox, local church members learned of the reorganization within stake boundaries. These changes included name changes to all existing wards and boundary changes of existing wards to accommodate the creation of two new wards.

Prior to the announcement, the Bothell Stake was comprised of six wards. While the geographical boundaries of the Bothell Stake have not changed in nearly a decade, Church membership within the stake has grown to more than 3,600 members and just over 1,700 households. The announced changes will place church membership at between 400 and 500 members per ward. Church membership growth has come through existing church members moving into the stake and local missionary efforts.

The community is invited to Sunday worship services at any of the three meetinghouses in the Bothell, Kenmore and Woodinville area.