Best Practices Shared by Bishops - January 2016

·   Holding Ward Council meeting every Sunday, except for the first Sunday. On that day the bishopric members conduct one-on-one stewardship interviews with the quorum or auxiliary presidents (ward council members).

·   “Something that I feel is making a difference is showing a genuine love and compassion for the members of our ward whenever around them. This love and compassion, as much as possible, is taken into the homes of all our members, those who are less active, new to the ward, and those who actively participate. Not only showing that love and compassion, but helping them recognize it in their own lives and situations…helping them recognize the tender mercies of the Lord.”

·   “We are continuing to give Sunday School a few minutes in most Ward Council meetings to review teaching methods from Come Follow Me with the intention that all organizations adopt the techniques. I feel that the change desired will take years to get permanently established hence the continued focus.”

·   “I’d say we are focusing on people. It seems whenever we place someone’s name on an agenda or report, we place more focus on them as ward leadership and things start to happen. We reviewed our reactivation list at the end of the year that we had made the beginning of the prior year, and we were surprised how many on the list had come back (or moved :). I think consistent, persistent focus on individuals and families has made a difference in our ward.”

·   Weekly contact with the full-time missionaries by hosting them in the bishop’s home for dinner one night (usually Saturday) every week. Having a set time eliminates the need to schedule each week.

·   “I don't think that we do anything special but we work hard to be consistent in what we do.  We implement things we are asked to do and work hard to keep it moving. “

·   Hold ward council meetings often and regularly (weekly) so you can keep the meeting brief (an hour or less) and not overwhelm.

·   Use your ward clerk to capture all assignments in ward council meeting. Use your executive secretary to follow up on the assignments before the next meeting. The reports on assignments can then be written and distributed beforehand so the ward council meeting is not taken up with reports on previous assignments.

  Mount Hood Stake • January 2016

Teaching the Principle of Work for Welfare Assistance

Bishopric Training, January 26, 2016

“The real long-term objective of the welfare plan is the building of character in the members of the Church, givers and receivers, rescuing all that is finest down deep inside of them, and bringing to flower and fruitage the latent richness of the spirit, which after all is the mission and purpose and reason for being of this Church.”

— President J. Reuben Clark

DOCTRINE: Why welfare recipients are expected to work for assistance

·                   ·       “…how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served?” (Mosiah 5:13)

·       “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)

·        “Forget yourself and find someone who needs your service and you will discover the secret to a happy, fulfilled life.” - President Benson, April 1979 General Conference

INSTRUCTIONS: Work-for-assistance guidelines from Handbook 1, Section 5.2.3

·   “The bishop has a divine mandate to seek out and care for the poor (see D&C 84:112). It is not enough to assist only when asked. He should be aware of the temporal circumstances of needy ward members and ensure that those in need receive proper care. He encourages priesthood and Relief Society leaders, home teachers, and visiting teachers to help identify members who need assistance.”

·   “The bishop asks those who receive assistance to work to the extent of their ability for what they receive. He teaches the importance of work and gives meaningful work assignments. If members are reluctant to work, the bishop helps them understand that work assignments are given to bless them. When they work for assistance, they remain industrious, maintain self-respect, and increase their ability to be self-reliant."

·   "In some situations, providing welfare assistance may be contingent on members fulfilling simple assignments from the bishop, such as doing assigned work, looking for a job, and eliminating unnecessary expenses. However, some members who are widowed, orphaned, elderly, or disabled may be unable to fulfill assignments. The bishop provides compassionate care to these members based on their situations and capabilities."

ADMINISTRATION: Implementing the work-for-assistance guidelines

The bishop teaches that work for assistance helps the recipient: (1) to maintain self-respect and dignity; (2) to be industrious; and (3) to potentially improve the recipient’s ability to become self-reliant.

The bishop determines the level of work to be performed by those who receive assistance.

The ward council compiles and maintains a list of meaningful work opportunities.

• Receiving welfare assistance is not based on worthiness or level of church activity.
• Recipients can be expected to improve their spiritual development via church attendance, prayers, etc.
• The bishop may also require personal improvement, such as looking for a job or sound budgeting.

STAKE GUIDELINES: Additional counsel on implementing work-for-assistance guidelines

·     Welfare recipients should be taught that the bishop is unable to personally administer all of the welfare needs of the ward. Therefore, he may involve other ward leaders in: (1) administering welfare assistance; (2) monitoring the effective use of the assistance; and (3) providing mentors to work side-by-side with those receiving assistance to help them become self-reliant.

·     Bishops should first turn to members of the ward council, who have stewardship responsibility for the person to receive welfare assistance, for counsel and administrative oversight. Ward council members should be taught that they may further delegate this assignment to others in their respective organization, but still retain oversight and accountability to the bishop.

·     Bishops may want to consider identifying and using past bishops or senior couples as mentors to those receiving assistance with the objective of helping them become self-reliant over time.

Work-for-Assistance Opportunities

Able-Bodied Recipients

·      Bishops’ Storehouse

·      Deseret Industries

·      Temple grounds maintenance volunteer

·      Volunteer for civic and community organizations

·      Assist the elderly to start and maintain a garden

·      Assist other needy and elderly with landscaping, such as mowing, pruning, raking, etc.

·      Serve at the Oregon Food Bank, SnowCap, Zarephath Kitchen, Salvation Army, etc.

·      Deep clean the meetinghouse, such as the kitchen, restrooms, nursery toys, etc.

·      Regularly pick-up litter around the ward meetinghouse

·      Shovel snow or ice when needed

·      Regularly participate with other members fulfill weekly custodial assignments

·      Rearrange donations in the Deseret Industries pod

·      Help pick-up and deliver Bishops Storehouse food or give other assistance

Limited to Indoor Projects

·      Prepare stake and ward mailings

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Help clean the meetinghouse

Confined to Home, due to small children, caring for others, disabled, limited transportation, etc.

·      Make quilts to donate to the needy

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Make phone calls on behalf of ward leaders

·      Prepare stake and ward mailings

·      Crochet or knit hats, slippers and scarves (ward provides the yarn)

Elderly with Limited Capability

·      Regular phone calls to other shut-ins or those who need encouragement

·      Make visits with ward leaders to the elderly and/or those who are ill

·      Perform Family History Indexing

·      Help clean the meetinghouse

·      Help pick-up and deliver Bishops Storehouse food or give other assistance

Policy for canceling church meetings due to severe weather conditions

7 January 2016

Dear Mount Hood Stake Members,

On occasion, like this past Sunday, the weather is questionable enough for members to wonder if church meetings will be cancelled. In the future, please consider the following guidelines:

When there are questionable weather conditions, the Stake Presidency consults with the bishops to determine whether or not meetings are to be cancelled. We recognize there are many members in our stake, who are equipped to travel to church safely even when there is a fairly heavy snowfall. Therefore, Sunday meetings (or at least sacrament meeting) will almost always be held except in the most severe weather conditions.

However, personal safety always comes first. We ask members not to feel obligated to attend Sunday meetings, if they have any concerns about their own safety due to weather conditions. If you are unable to attend and have an obligation in church that day, please notify a ward leader as soon as possible.

When meetings are cancelled, due to severe weather conditions, stake and ward leaders will make every effort to notify all members quickly by phone, text or email so there is no confusion or undue risk.

In short, if you do not receive notification that meetings have been cancelled, assume our worship services (at least sacrament meeting) will be held. However, safety comes first and members are not to feel obligated to attend if they have any concerns about their own personal safety

Thank you for your desire to faithfully attend services on the Sabbath day.

The Stake Presidency