Still confused about gathering limits?

29 August 2020

TO: Bishops, Branch Presidents and Stake Leaders

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

It appears there is still some confusion as to what are the guidelines for gatherings in our stake.

I’m confident I’m the source of some of that confusion. Please forgive me. I’ll try to sort out some things in this email.

Church’s Extra-Cautious Guidelines

Part of the confusion, I”m sure, is that the Church and the State of Oregon have different guidelines. In fact, everyone (federal, state, county, Church, temple, etc.) it seems has a set of “Phases” and guidelines and none of them are aligned.

Number one, the Brethren want us to always keep within state/local government guidelines. That’s typically not a problem because the Church asks us to be extra-conservative and  cautious in staying within those government guidelines.

For instance, even though the state’s faith gathering limit—with social distancing—right now is 50 people, the Area Presidency’s guidance is even more restrictive due to concerns of what they call “optics”—what it looks like to neighbors and passersby. As example:

1) We are not to use church buildings for any gatherings other than sacrament meetings (right now restricted to those on the program and operating the webcasting; eventually there will be limited attendance by members);

2) While the buildings can be used for an occasional interview, setting apart, baptismal service, presidency meeting (all of which are well within the 50 gathering limit), the Area Presidency is asking us to still hold most of these meetings via Zoom or other video conferencing and not the buildings;

3) While we are being encouraged to gather the youth for in-person activities, we are asked NOT to use the church buildings for these gatherings, but to meet in homes or in parks or other outdoor venues (this, of course, will likely change as winter approaches);

4) While most, if not all, of our youth activities would be well within the 50-person gathering limit, the Area Presidency continues to hear bishops expressing how difficult it is to get the youth to comply with social distancing guidelines (wearing masks, physical distancing, etc.) so they’re asking us to give emphasis to teaching quorum and class presidencies on how to strengthen the youth for whom they have stewardship through individual ministering or even groups as small as 2 to 4 people—and not the big gatherings.

As you can see, the Church is being far more conservative than state and local governments with guidelines for our gatherings. I’m sure that has caused some confusion.

What about social gatherings?

There is a question about one other state limit: social gatherings. The state has a gathering limit of 10 people for social gatherings.

• When members gather on their own for a study group or FHE, that would be a social gathering—with a limit of 10 people indoors, according to the state.

• When we gather in an “official” meeting or activity under the direction of stake or ward leaders, that is a faith gathering—then the limit is 50 people indoors and outdoors.

No Enforcement

When we have guidelines with numbers attached to them, it naturally creates pressure or a worry that we’ll be turned in if we’re unintentionally slightly over the limit.

This past week, I had a wonderful phone visit with with Maria Waters, the Faith Community Liaison for the Oregon Health Authority, which works directly under the governor. I took notes as quickly as possible and then drafted them into the attached document. There’s nothing new there, but it will give you additional information and context as to the “spirit” of what the OHA is trying to accomplish and what they expect of churches.

Please review it and feel free to ask me any additional questions.

I felt one of the most important nuggets I gleaned from our conversation is that the OHA does not work with the police, they are not trying to “catch” churches. There are no OHA agents or authorities dropping in on churches and counting attendance. They do respond to neighbors and others who contact them with concerns about what may appear to be infractions of the gathering limits.

Maria said they do follow up on complaints and contact the Church leaders Their first approach for addressing such issues is education. If that doesn’t resolve the matter, they will then consider enforcement (not clear exactly what they would do). But the most important thing is that they aren’t looking to crack down on churches, but educate them.

Bottom line

Hopefully you can see now why the Church is concerned about the “optics”—a lot of cars in the parking lot, a large group of youth playing on the lawn, etc.

The greater concern, of course, is not optics but preventing an outbreak among our members.We’re following extra-cautious guidelines not just to avoid the “optics,” but much more importantly to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak—to protect and keep our ward and branch members safe!

Thank you for all that you’re doing to help encourage compliance to the guidelines we’ve received. This will pass, as the Brethren consistently say, and we will return to a more normal life…some day. Thank you for your prayers that it might be soon.

President Lewis

Notifying of Area Presidency approval for a limited, in-person Seminary class

27 August 2020

Brothers Risenmay and Richards,

I am pleased to report that the proposal below, as recommended by you, has been approved by the North America West Area Presidency.

Thank you for caring so much for those youth who need this blessing of a limited in-person Seminary class. I’m confident the Area Presidency won’t want this "exception to the rule" to be widely known so please be prudent in telling others outside your ward.

I am copying this to Brother Ira Eldredge, the High Councilor who has responsibility for the facilities management in our stake, and ask that he instruct you both on how to limit exposure in the building and after-class cleaning and sanitizing procedures. Thank you both for taking the responsibility to ensure that the students and yourselves practice social distancing, including the wearing of masks, as directed by the Oregon Health Authority.

Congratulations and thank you again for caring enough to speak up.

President Lewis

PROPOSAL TO THE NA WEST AREA PRESIDENCY via Elder Lawrence Blunck, Area Seventy

Dear Brethren,

We have a growing ward in our stake located in Estacada, Oregon—a relatively remote community in the country 30 miles from Portland.

The Estacada Ward Seminary teachers, Tyler Risenmay and Jason Richards, are very close to their students. In fact, they both have children who attend Seminary.

Brothers Risenmay and Richards have made a special request for permission to provide in-person, early-morning Seminary for about 10 of the 14-15 students. All the other students prefer the virtual Seminary instruction, as planned.

As priesthood leaders, we have counseled together and feel this is a valid request. My second counselor, President Steven Christiansen, has been a school counselor at Estacada High School for many years. So he knows the youth in that school and ward very well. He confirmed that all 10 of the youth found virtual learning extremely challenging last spring and would benefit significantly from a small, in-person class. 

The plan is for these 10 students to attend early-morning Seminary in a meetinghouse classroom where they can be socially distanced (at least 6-feet apart). They will also be required to wear masks. The teachers are willing to accept responsibility that all who attend comply with state and church guidelines.

The two instructors are being trained on the Canvas software so they can provide adequate administrative support and instruction for both the in-person and online Seminary students.

Estacada Ward Bishop Andy Trujillo and the Stake Presidency are unanimous in supporting this recommendation, even though all of the students are part of the Estacada School District, which has decided to host school 100% virtually through October 30.

The current state guidelines allow for indoor, faith-based gatherings of up to 50 people provided they are socially distanced. That number will increase to 100 when we finally enter Phase 2.

Thank you very much for giving this your consideration.

Crismon Lewis

President, Mount Hood Oregon Stake

503-914-8689

Sharing about a special baptismal service

19 August 2020

TO: Stake Presidency, Bishops and Branch Presidents

Brethren,

I thought I’d share with you an experience that reminds us that “things are changing” in the world and in the Church. As you know, the doctrinal truths don't change, but policies and procedures can and do.

Point in case…

Recently Vivienne and I attended the baptism of our 8-year-old grandson in Vancouver. 

Only 10 persons were allowed to attend in-person…our daughter, her husband, their 5 children (including the 8-year-old), two grandparents (us) and one close cousin. There were at least 50 people (including another grandparent witnessing from Utah) were watching the proceedings—from Washington to Virginia—via Zoom.

Also witnessing via Zoom was their bishop.

Because we were all family and had been together before, we didn’t have to wear masks (that was nice).

Because it was now a family service, our daughter conducted the meeting. Her husband baptized their son and I assisted our son-in-law in confirming their son afterwards.

The mother (our daughter) and our 9-year-old, recently baptized, grandson served as witnesses at the font while the bishop witnessed via Zoom.

After the meeting, with the entire family participating, the 8-year-old was able to look at the laptop screen and see ALL the people who had attended virtually and thank them for attending. 

Frankly, it was a sweet, sweet experience for grandpa. plus it was a wonderful reminder that things are different in today’s world…and it’s wonderful to see how the Church can adapt.

Thought you’d enjoy, too.

Grandpa Lewis

Soon thereafter, I posted this email:

Hmmm…on second thought.

Maybe I should clarify. I’m sure the bishop, who can now preside at the baptismal service via Zoom, approved of our daughter conducting the service where only family members were in attendance in person.

But the Handbook in 18.7.2 reads: "When a baptismal service for 8-year-old children who are members of record involves only one ward, a member of the bishopric plans and conducts it.” There’s no indication he can delegate this role to anyone outside the bishopric.

Guidance for convert baptismal services reads: "Under the direction of the bishopric, the ward mission leader (if one is called) or the member of the elders quorum presidency who leads missionary work in the ward plans and conducts baptismal services for converts."

So, it appears there’s not a lot of leeway in who is authorized to conduct a baptismal service.

Thanks for doing what the Handbook says and not what my family did :)

PrL

Why I am recommending that we prepare to resume in-person sacrament meetings

12 August 2020

Steven and Everyone,

Thank you for your feedback. I have updated the proposed plan as per your suggestions with additional changes in an attempt to reflect answers to your concerns.

I’ll try to answer your questions in this email, as well.

As for the motivation…

In my opinion, there are two ways nations are responding to the pandemic.

We’ve all admired the countries that went into tough lock-downs and, it appears, brought the Covid-19 under control or even eradicated it.

America wasn’t so fortunate…wise…determined…caring...responsive to experts…whatever (pick your reason).

After 3-4 months in lock down, Americans decided they couldn’t beat the virus so they’ve decided to live with it…until a solution is found (vaccine, faster/cheaper testing, effective contact tracing, etc.).

The traffic on the highways and at airports tells us that Americans are already back to living…taking individual precautions (face masks, social distancing, etc.) and living with the risk.

So I personally feel we need to begin preparing leaders and members on how to minimize the risk so those who desire can return to church. And those who don’t want to return yet do not feel pressure to do so.

To me, this is just the beginning of more “plagues” to come (D&C 84:97). We now have the opportunity to learn together how to deal with them as a church…and not run or hide from them.

No, there is no groundswell of requests from stake members or bishops asking that we begin in-person meetings. I simply feel we need to begin learning how to safely return to church meetings and activities, as was taught us in the May 19, 2020 letter from the Brethren.

My intent is not to mandate anything to anyone beyond asking the wards in September to return to their original sacrament meeting start times and to webcast from the chapel in September...as a preparatory step. Hopefully they will gain confidence to begin in-person meetings as early as October or whenever they feel comfortable in doing so. And then, when they feel they are ready, they can start administering the sacrament in their meetings. It will be their decision.

As I sat on the stand and watched our meeting unfold last Sunday, I could see how we really can make this work to bring us back together.

I confess I have been influenced by listening to family members in other parts (including in Eugene and Utah) who are back to in-person meetings. They say it feels so good to be back and find it well worth the inconvenience of the restrictions (masks, social distancing, etc.). 

I noticed that another group of temples, including the Medford Temple, have now been granted Phase 2 status. 

The Church is moving forward even in areas where the Covid numbers haven’t dropped dramatically. The Church is finding ways to make it work.

My hope is that I can convince leaders (including our presidency) and members that we can do this. We can learn how to gather the saints safely even during a pandemic…or whatever future plague awaits us around the corner.

I feel like the Lord wants our stake to gather as best and safely as possible. The attached plan is a road map. It doesn’t have to be the only map, but at least it gets us moving in the right direction.

I hope this helps. I appreciate your counsel and need your help as we walk this uncharted path together. 

Crismon

Invitation to participants for Walters Hill Ward sacrament for change in bishopric

7 August 2020

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You are invited to participate in the Walters Hill Ward in-person sacrament meeting this Sunday, Aug 9, at 10:30 am at the stake center. You will have a designated seat on the stand.

Due to prescribed limitations of in-person meetings, we regret you will not be able to invite your families to join you in this meeting. An exception has been granted to the outgoing and incoming bishops. 

The meeting will be webcast to all ward members and, for those involved in the setting apart afterwards, you are invited to arrange for a live stream of the setting apart to those of your choosing. All settings apart will be conducted in the chapel overflow shortly after the close of the sacrament meeting.

Only those seated on the stand and Brothers Mueller (technology support) and Eldredge (High Councilor over facilities) are receiving this email. Will each of you please share this information with those you’ve been authorized to invite?

Please take note of the following guidelines for this in-person meeting:

• Families attending are to sit together and away from others in the chapel;

• Everyone inside the building must always wear a face covering (mouth and nose) except when speaking at the pulpit;

• Please do not hug or shake hands with those outside your family;

• All who speak at the pulpit are asked to use a disinfectant wipe (to be provided) to wipe down the microphone and pulpit surface after each use;

• Due to social distancing requirements, children unable to remain seated are asked not to attend;

• Those older than 60 years of age attend at their own risk;

• If needed, use only the restrooms closest to the chapel (women’s off the north hall, men’s off the south hall);

• In order to limit in-person exposure, those connected to the current bishopric please enter and exit through the ward-side doors; those in the new bishopric enter and exit through the stake-side doors;

• To minimize the number of vehicles in the parking lot, please carpool wherever possible;

• The sacrament will not be administered in this meeting, so please arrange for the sacrament to be administered at home.

The program, including those conducting, prayers, music and speakers, have been assigned by the stake presidency.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact President Lewis at 503-914-8689.

We look forward to joining with you for this very special sacrament meeting.

The Stake Presidency

Trying to avoid misunderstandings in assignment with my first counselor

31 July 2020

Paul,

Thank you so much for explaining what happened and for not holding ill will toward your aging, forgetful stake president.

I’ll certainly try to do better in explaining myself and not make assignments without establishing some dialogue and accountability.

What would help me greatly, inasmuch as I’m not always writing down the assignments I make, is if after a meeting…and you’ve been given an assignment that will take some pondering and maybe even research (not a simple go-and-do assignment)  that you email me with something like: “As I understand it, you’ve assigned me to do such and such. This is the direction I plan to take in fulfilling this assignment. Is this the direction you want me to take?” 

That would help me greatly and also hopefully eliminate the misunderstandings I’ve been creating lately.

I appreciate so much your desire to lift my load and move forward the work in your most important area of responsibility.

Gratefully,

Crismon

No problem President.  There are no ill feelings on my part whatsoever.  I am just trying to understand better my assignments and fulfill them in helping our stake leaders support and train ward leaders.  We can certainly wait on this training.  

My primary concern is that when you give me an assignment(we were discussing what topics to train HCs on this upcoming Sunday and in the future months), I understood  you directly gave me a charge to come up with a topic for this Sunday.  To help me better fulfill this assignment it would help me immensely if you would be specific in what training you are thinking about at the time, if you do have something in mind, i. e. Ministering interviews.  That would help me focus my attention on what you feel most important and suggest training around that topic.  Or, if you have a topic already and want to draw from the recent leadership training video let me know that and I am happy to follow that direction.  I know there are many times you receive inspiration or subsequently feel strongly about a topic after you have already given assignment and I understand that.  However, as specific as you can be with your direction and what you are hoping the training will cover would assist me in my endeavors so I can be on the same page as you.  Thanks President!

Paul

Paul,

I can see now I changed course here on you. My apologies. It was a horrible oversight on my part. 

In my mind, the welfare element of the assignment was to focus on how can we help EQ/RS presidents (or presidencies) help the bishops find ways for welfare recipients to serve. That is a major missing element in our welfare assistance. 

I would appreciate training, maybe even use the HC to help create a list of service opportunities for welfare recipients. My hope is that we could show such a list to the bishops and assure them that the EQ/RS have been trained on how to oversee this part of the welfare procedure to give him confidence that as soon as he authorizes welfare assistance he assigns the recipient to work with the EQ / RS president to arrange for ways to serve as a way to show gratitude for the assistance received.

That is the focus I wanted you to take. Obviously I failed in communicating that. Please forgive me. 

I appreciate that you would like to instruct the HC / EQ on all the welfare principles and program, but I would like us to focus on just that one element for now—it’s the missing piece in our stake. 

I agree we want to help offload welfare from the bishop to the EQ. I would like to see us try to make this transition as a first step in EQ/RS offloading the welfare—to give bishops something they can actually DO to move in this direction.

Does that clarify the misunderstanding? Is that something you want to tackle this Sunday or give it some time to work on?

Again, my apologies for my poor communication.

Crismon

In response to a Facebook post by President Christiansen

22 July 2020

Dear (Name),

Thank you for expressing your feelings. 

Priesthood leaders do have to be careful, but I’m not inclined to censure anyone over their expressing a personal opinion. You and I both treasure freedom of speech and I want to honor that.

I don’t think anyone would construe President Christiansen’s HearHim message as a Church endorsement, but simply a personal opinion possibly in line with Elder Holland’s message at the last General Conference where he stated: "May we hope for schools where students are taught—not terrified they will be shot—and for the gift of personal dignity for every child of God, unmarred by any form of racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice.”

The HearHim “campaign” is all about members expressing personal feelings about how we’re inspired by many things in life that may flow from our God-given minds and hearts.

Feel free to forward this to the many you feel were offended by his post. On behalf of the stake presidency, please forgive us for the many offenses we unwittingly cause and mistakes we foolishly make.

Crismon

President Lewis,

I’m very sad that the most recent post on the “How do you hear Him” FB page featuring President Christiansen, who I love with all my heart, has him holding books on political/social racism theory, books which are rather offensive to myself and others in the stake. I thought this page was about the gospel, and our Savior, not personal opinions of this nature. Others may applaud those books, but I have to say I believe them to be really inappropriate for this focus, and with the platform that he has, I would have hoped for a more careful selection of “best books.” 

This isn’t just me, this is many. I thought you should know.

Sister (Name)

Technology recommendation to bishops for broadcasting sacrament meetings

16 July 2020

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

During my meeting last night I began to hear how other wards and branches in the Portland area are now holding virtual sacrament meetings. As suspected, nearly all are using Zoom. I kept hearing about Zoom Webinar.

So I did some checking.

First, in my opinion here are some of criteria of what we’re looking for in technology:

1. Unlimited minutes

2. Capacity of at least 100 log ins (I doubt anyone will need more than 100 simply because that’s 100 households)

3. Capability of members, who don’t have Internet at home, to call in and listen to the meeting over the phone (the phone number to call is always in the meeting invite along with the Zoom link; someone would need to call and give it to those who don’t have email)

4. Ability to make others a co-host so they can share their screen

5. Interactivity for 2nd hour classes and meetings (everyone can be seen and heard for full participation; they can turn their cameras on/off and can mute themselves)

6. Privacy for sacrament meeting (members can see and hear the presentation but cannot activate their video or audio)

7. Mute and unmute “panelists” (those on the sacrament meeting program)

I have investigated this, including speaking with Zoom reps. Zoom can fulfill all of the above criteria.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Each of you purchase the Zoom Pro plan (reg $14.99/mo), which I think most of you’ve already done by now

• Purchase what’s called the Webinar Add-On ($40/month)

Here’s why:

• The Zoom Pro gives you the basic plan that will accomplish Criteria 1-5 above;

• The Webinar Add-on gives you Criteria 6-7 so attendees cannot activate their own camera or speaker, like they can when in a Zoom Pro meeting, but you can activate the video and audio of “panelists."

How to buy:

1. I recommend you cancel your month-to-month Zoom Pro plan ($14.99/mo), if you already have

2. Then go to this link and purchase an annual subscription of the Zoom Pro license ($149.90 / year, which comes out to $12.49 / month; a 20% savings)

3. Also purchase the Zoom Webinar Add-on for $40 / month for a total of $189.90

Later your credit card also will be charged $40 per month for the Webinar Add-on, but you can cancel it any time.

Why do I recommend this?

• While I don’t believe we’ll be holding virtual sacrament meetings for a year (you can cancel the Webinar Add-on anytime), I think you’ll agree that virtual meetings are to here to stay. Some of you have already expressed a desire to conduct ward council meetings virtually in the future because it means leaders can participate even when traveling. So an annual license is not a high risk.

• The Zoom licenses that are tied to whomever sets up the account (i.e. purchases the plan), can be transferred fairly easily (in settings) to someone else if you are released, move, want someone else to initiate all video conferences. Note:  we are not allowed to share our log-in information with someone else.

• All of you have adequate budget funds to cover the above costs. This is good use of Church funds.

• We need to have confidence that we are using proven technology so we don’t have to worry about the technology, but focus on providing quality, inspirational meetings.

If you have a better plan or proposal, please feel free to reply to everyone so we can all learn together. I hope the above is helpful, especially for those who don’t have time to investigate this further.

President Lewis

P.S. One other excellent idea I heard last night was to play Tabernacle Choir music as prelude and postlude (10-15 min) so program participants can’t start chatting before and after sacrament meeting and disrupt the reverence of the meeting.

Guidelines to bishops as we near the start of virtual sacrament meetings

13 July 2020

Bishops and Branch Presidents,

Thank you for your continuing efforts to provide your ward or branch members a virtual sacrament meeting, some beginning this Sunday, July 19. You’re doing a wonderful job communicating with and preparing your membership for these upcoming meetings.

Some developments and reminders:

1. ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE LIVING ALONE: Many families will find their “home church” more enjoyable (with more reverence from children) than when they’re watching a sacrament meeting online. You may want to remind members, especially families, that this virtual meeting is optional. And then emphasize with leaders to continue to focus on making sure all members living alone can access the virtual sacrament meeting. These virtual sacrament meetings are especially for them. And then arrange for them to receive the sacrament before or after, if they welcome guests.

2. NEW GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES: You may have seen the news today that Oregon’s governor announced that beginning this Wednesday, July 15: (1) indoor social gatherings of more than 10 people are banned; and (2) everyone must wear masks outdoors if they are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from others.

While the indoor social gathering limit does NOT apply to churches (we’re still allowed the indoor limit of 25), please remember the example of our leaders to be “good global citizens” and keep gatherings, especially among youth groups, to as few as possible and instruct everyone to wear masks. Also, please make sure parents are aware of in-person youth gatherings and that they do not feel obligated to send their children.

3. SETTING UP THE ZOOM CALL: I’m not a Zoom expert, but I noticed when scheduling a Zoom meeting it gives you the option of turning off participants video (under the “Video” heading) and “Mute Participants upon entry” under the “Advanced Options.” (See attached screen shot) While everyone will still be able to view the Participants list, you’ll want to avoid having participants on video to eliminate the distraction it will cause during sacrament meeting. Of course, for the second hour meetings you’ll want all participants to be on both video and audio.

If you haven’t already, please feel free to use budget funds to purchase the video conferencing service you need to provide these virtual meetings for your ward or branch. 

4. MEETING SCHEDULE: Also attached is the most updated version of the Virtual Sacrament Meeting schedule in our stake. Please notify us of any changes.

5. WORK TOGETHER: As you begin hosting these meetings, please work together by sharing ideas and recommendations with the other bishops and branch presidents. The oft-used phrase “We’re in this together” certainly applies to us right now. Let’s help each other learn how to do this so it’s a blessing to the members of our stake.

I hope the above is helpful. Thank you again for moving forward on this new direction of holding virtual meetings.

President Lewis

503-914-8689

Helpful suggestions to bishops preparing to begin virtual sacrament meetings

30 June 2020

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

Thank you for moving forward on the request that we hold weekly virtual sacrament meetings beginning in July.

Here are a few notes that may be of help:

1. ORGANIZED: For those who logged into the Kenmore, WA virtual meeting last Sunday, you noticed that they had some challenges: (1) technical problems using a YouTube recording of Primary children singing in their homes, (2) silly chatter between two people on the program before the meeting started, and (3) a late entrance by the bishop’s counselor so the meeting got started late.

Hopefully we can learn from these miscues and exercise a bit more planning and testing beforehand.

2. TESTIMONIES: You may have begun wondering what to do on the first Fast Sunday, Aug. 2, and how to handle testimony bearing. Here are some thoughts (I welcome you sharing other ideas so we can share with everyone):

• Video conferencing should allow participants to “raise their hand” virtually so the member of the bishopric conducting can call on those who desire to bear their testimony;

• The bishopric member conducting may want to call on some members in advance to share their testimony and switch to them as you would to those assigned to give talks;

• Bishopric members and maybe a ward council member or two bear testimony as ward leaders and then close the meeting encouraging everyone to conduct a family testimony meeting in the home (those living alone could be encouraged to write their testimony and share it with a family member via email or social media).

3. TECHNOLOGY: One of the most important aspects of choosing and operating a video conferencing platform is that attendees cannot be seen and are muted when they join the meeting. Some wards offer a “linger longer” sharing a second link where members can jump on after the sacrament meeting and interface with other ward members using sight and sound.

4. BROADCAST FROM THE CHURCH: I believe most wards have their sacrament meeting so everyone is at home. It gets a little trickier technology-wise, but it’s being done. However, I was so impressed by a recommendation from the Sandy River Ward Council, who asked for permission to broadcast the entire program from the Relief Society room, that we actually drafted a proposal to allow all the units in our stake and submitted it to the Area Presidency. The proposal has been approved and so now all units in our stake can use this format, if you want and as long as you comply with social distancing and sanitizing guidelines.

See the attached document for details on the Sandy River proposal.

If more than one ward in each building wants to use this approach, please coordinate start times so there’s time in between meetings to sanitize. Feel free to call Bishop Kato if you have any questions.

Finally...

5. FOLLOW GUIDELINES: No matter how you conduct your virtual sacrament meetings, please remember to follow these guidelines as stated in the June 11 document:

a) Do not show the administration of the sacrament;

b) Do not record the sacrament meeting;

c) Do not invite or share the link for your sacrament meeting to anyone outside your ward/branch boundaries (if members share the link, we can’t stop them…but don’t encourage it, please);

d) If you choose to broadcast from your ward building, make sure only those on the program are invited and that social distancing is always applied (everyone wearing masks unless speaking or praying over the pulpit).

I hope this is helpful. Feel free to ask any questions.

President Lewis and the Stake Presidency

P.S. When finally scheduled, will you please share with the stake presidency the date and time you plan to begin holding virtual sacrament meetings and other organization meetings? And would you also share the link for your sacrament meeting each time with Presidents Lewis, Hansen and Christiansen and your assigned High Councilor?

PP.SS.

Two more things regarding virtual sacrament meetings…

1. Thank you for your efforts to identify your members, especially those living alone, who are not able to receive the sacrament meeting broadcasts and find a solution for them.

2. Please remember to communicate to your ward or branch members that they are not to feel obligated to attend the online meetings. If they prefer their “home church” they certainly may continue. That’s why you’re going to make sure all attendees are muted and not visible when they log on to sacrament meeting so there’s no hint that you’re taking roll. 

If you decide to have a second-hour class immediately following sacrament meeting, I suggest you do it with a different link where all attendees are visible and with audio when they log in so they can interact with the instructor…and so there’s no hint that you’re trying to identify who attended the sacrament meeting.

Hopefully your video conferencing platform will give you a count of how many attend meetings so you can determine if you’re ward / branch even desires these virtual meetings or not.

Hope this helps!

Explaining to members why a delay in returning to meetings

17 June 2020

Dear Mount Hood Stake Members,

You may be wondering when will we return to meetings again?

We know this has been a trying time, especially for those living alone and those who find isolation extra challenging. We appreciate your patience and faith through all of this.

We are encouraged that the state government may soon allow gatherings for religious services of up to 250 people, provided there's social distancing. You may also may be hearing from family and friends in other areas where they are beginning to hold abbreviated sacrament meetings.

While the Church has issued guidelines for safely resuming meetings, due to the continuing risk of Covid-19 outbreaks in the northwest our Area Presidency has asked that all stakes in our area show extreme caution before we return to meetings.

Right now both government and Church guidelines prevent us from holding any in-person meetings in our three buildings, except for an occasional interview, setting apart or baptismal service. 

Among the obstacles that will delay re-opening will be the expectation that we: 

1) implement social distancing and safety measures in all meetings;

2) comply with all government and Church guidelines, including thorough sanitizing after each meeting; and

3) draft a Meeting Plan by each ward or branch that must be approved by the Area Presidency.

As a consequence, we don't anticipate holding in-person meetings until, at the earliest, August and possibly as late as September or October.

As you may be aware, the Church has already announced that General Conference, Oct. 3-4, will be conducted virtually as it was in April. Also stake conferences and leadership meetings have been suspended through the month of October.

In the meantime, we continue to receive wonderful reports on how:

• Families are embracing the Come, Follow Me home-study curriculum;

• Sacrament administered in homes has been an especially sweet experience;

• Ministering—true watch care—has become standard practice;

• Gospel learning and study in the home has been more enjoyable than ever;

• Leaders are going the extra mile to communicate and keep classes and quorums united.

We love you and thank you for your prayers, your patience and your faith as we all press forward on the covenant path. We look forward to a coming day when we can gather again.

Faithfully yours,

The Stake Presidency

Changing our policy on processing Melchizedek Priesthood ordinations

17 June 2020

Bishops and Branch Presidents…

Last week we were notified by President M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, that all stake conferences and leadership meetings up to Nov. 1 are now cancelled. There is a possibility we will be able to live stream stake conference, but for now we are not authorized to meet in-person.

As you already know, General Conference in October also will be held remotely as it was in April.

In light of these developments, we have decided as a stake presidency to no longer delay the conferral of the Melchizedek Priesthood to worthy candidates you feel to recommend. This applies to both young men, who recently graduated from high school, as well as prospective elders, whom you’ve been preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The steps for processing ordinations are:

1. Bishop or branch president conducts a thorough worthiness interview when you feel the candidate is ready.

2. If you find the candidate is worthy and desires to enter into this special covenant (D&C 84:33-42), complete and submit the online recommendation form.

3. A member of the stake presidency will then conduct an interview and make a recommendation to the stake presidency.

4. If found worthy and ready, the stake presidency will submit the recommendation for a sustaining vote by the Stake High Council during a regularly scheduled HC meeting.

5. Once sustained by the HC, a high councilor will be assigned to arrange for and oversee the ordination at the candidate’s home or other appropriate location.

The ordinations will be ratified at the first appropriate in-person stake meeting, 

We look to you to decide when a brother is ready to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Please submit the recommendation at least one week before a scheduled High Council meeting to give the stake presidency time to conduct an interview with the candidate and discuss as a presidency.

We look forward to receiving from you priesthood ordination recommendations of worthy and willing candidates.

Gratefully,

The Stake Presidency