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