I\u2019ve been thinking about ward activity lately.\u00a0 There are wards with just a few people to draw from, and other wards where there are more members than callings.\u00a0 I really feel for the Bishop who has to juggle a certain number of members, attitudes, abilities, and strength.\u00a0 The Relief Society President can help with this load.<\/p>\n
I am talking about the use of committees within the ward.\u00a0 We joke about Mormon Committees, but there is a lot of good they can accomplish. I\u2019m hoping you\u2019ll find groups that like coming together.\u00a0 Groups can make people feel like they belong.<\/p>\n
Face it, the only reason some sisters come to Relief Society is because it is part of the Church schedule, not because there is a feeling of \u201cI am needed, or I need Relief Society\u201d.\u00a0 If the presidency doesn\u2019t act like a functioning \u201ccommittee\u201d, the sisters in the ward will feel completely lost, devalued, and ultimately find other places to belong, and find fulfillment.\u00a0 It is so helpful (and less stressful) to have goals, objectives, purpose, an assignment; some kind of direction.\u00a0 Presidencies should have them and offer them to all ward sisters.<\/p>\n
I have mentioned before that each presidency needs to sit down with the Bishop to find out what the needs are.\u00a0 Then, together, as a presidency, you can set reachable goals that can help ward families do what they need to be doing.\u00a0 To be really effective, this action could involve all of the sisters in the ward as you plan together, brainstorm ideas together, and get excited together.<\/p>\n
Then comes the fun part:\u00a0 Form committees.\u00a0 Put sisters together and give them the responsibility to carry out their part of the ultimate goal.\u00a0 They can be as creative as they want.\u00a0 They can plan their get togethers as often as they want (avoiding conflict with other committee plans of course), they can set up their own challenges, activities, and even decide when the goal has been reached.\u00a0 Then let them invite the ward to follow their course of suggested action.<\/p>\n
Here are some examples:<\/p>\n
1)\u00a0\u00a0 Let\u2019s say one of the Bishop\u2019s goals is an emphasis on Service.\u00a0 (Be sure to look at the post from RS-Community, Kaysville).\u00a0 The President can introduce the idea in Sunday Relief Society and see who is interested in heading this up, by show of hands.\u00a0 Write the sisters\u2019 names down and contact them (as a President, assigned Counselor, or a Presidency) during the week.\u00a0 (This gives a sense of importance to what they are about to undertake.)\u00a0 Let them organize themselves, form a plan of action, present it to the Presidency, then go for it.\u00a0 Communicate so everyone can be supportive.<\/p>\n
This committee could supply service projects throughout the year, or to be completed at home.\u00a0 They could find a nearby Care Center, Halfway House, Hospital, etc. to provide on-going service.\u00a0 They can create a list (with the help of the Priesthood) of ward members who need help, and match adults and youth to fulfill those needs.\u00a0 Whatever ideas they come up with, that committee is in charge of involving the ward in service.\u00a0 This is a goal that never ends, but should be regularly evaluated and monitored for optimum performance.<\/p>\n
2)\u00a0\u00a0 Maybe the Bishop would like to emphasize preparedness for all ward members.\u00a0 Again, the idea can be presented at a Sunday meeting.\u00a0 Maybe you won\u2019t get as many hands raised, and maybe the enthusiasm level is a little low for this one. The committee\u2019s main job would be to build consistent enthusiasm and motivation that might otherwise be forgotten during the year.\u00a0 A committee might want to assess the skills and equipment of the ward members.\u00a0 They can gather information, and coordinate training that cities and counties provide.\u00a0 This committee could offer a schedule of challenges, and personal evaluations, keeping families motivated to complete their own responsibility.<\/p>\n
3)\u00a0\u00a0 Bishops are usually worried about the activity level of the ward.\u00a0 Missionary work is ongoing and never ending.\u00a0 A Welcome Committee could be formed to visit new families\u2014in the name of the Bishopric and RS Presidency\u2014offering goodies, ward list, and friendship.\u00a0 A Visiting Teaching Committee could help track down all those people who are lost, or tend to get forgotten (every ward has some).\u00a0 A committee could be formed that visits people who are in the hospital, or who just had a baby, or those who can\u2019t come out to Relief Society meetings.<\/p>\n
A committee can help take the load off of presidents and Bishops, love and befriend people, help the ward be consistent in their progress, and involve so many more people in the ward.\u00a0 A group of people can cover much more ground than a single person.\u00a0 It\u2019s so much more fun to work together, than separately.\u00a0 A sister can be involved in any number of these committees, whether she has another calling, or not. Consistency, companionship, and collective involvement will make your ward family glow in the Spirit of the Lord.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I\u2019ve been thinking about ward activity lately.\u00a0 There are wards with just a few people to draw from, and other wards where there are more members than callings.\u00a0 I really feel for the Bishop who has to juggle a certain number of members, attitudes, abilities, and strength.\u00a0 The Relief Society President can help with this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[484],"tags":[394,44,151],"class_list":["post-2185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-relief-society-challenge-ideas","tag-committees","tag-enrichment","tag-relief-society-work"],"yoast_head":"\n