Caretakers/janitors

Yep, another beef I have — I’ve thought it many times. I detest cleaning as it is….I remember years ago when I was semi-active, someone just put our names on the list of cleaners one weekend without even asking me. I didn’t show up with my family to do it, and then the next Fifth Sunday combined RS and Priesthood meeting was devoted to ripping on the people who didn’t show up to do their cleaning assignment.

They didn’t even ask us if we wanted to do it, or if we were available. Just put us down as assigned to do it.

I resented it when it usually falls on the Same Ten People to do it. Next time I’ll send someone in our absence who needs the money, pay them, and deal with it. Or, I’ll call some of the people who never contribute and ask if they can take my place due to conflicting commitments. If they don’t show up, well, I tried.

However, I’ve since cleaned it regularly for the last few years. I have to discipline myself to do it, as I think about the huge financial donations I make, and wonder why I’m also expected to perform janitorial services.

There are spiritual reasons given for it, but frankly, I believe it’s simply meant to reduce expenses for the Church.

We are the second wealthiest faith community in America. We can’t pay for janitors? The tiny single non-denominational church here in town has a janitor. The membership cleaning gig has spread to temples and DI centers (probably institute buildings as well). Anyone mentioned ground caretakers? Has your chapel been painted recently? Are the free services of computer guru’s being used at Family History centers? Enough said.

We are the second wealthiest faith community in America. We can’t pay for janitors?

Here are the reasons I’ve heard of:

1. When members clean the chapel, they take better care of it.

2. It’s good for the members to sacrifice.

Well, we have such a big (and mobile) ward here, that many people wouldn’t notice the difference. And it has grown dirtier.

Sacrificing is one thing, but we aren’t all Abraham. When you have too much free labor, it becomes a form of slavery…

The tiny single non-denominational church here in town has a janitor. The membership cleaning gig has spread to temples and DI centers (probably institute buildings as well). Anyone mentioned ground caretakers? Has your chapel been painted recently? Are the free services of computer guru’s being used at Family History centers? Enough said.

I’d hope that the church isn’t penny pinching enough not to pay for gardeners in its temples – they have huge grounds.

Contrary to what some might think based on my comments in other finance related threads, I also don’t like doing away with meetinghouse janitors – especially in areas where it would be reasonable for one person to take care of multiple buildings. That’s not possible in my current area – where buildings generally are more than an hour away from each other.

My compromise would be to have people who are receiving fast offering assistance fill that role – but I still would prefer a regular custodian in the ideal world.

In my last ward (several years ago), we had old guy who loved being a janitor (2nd greatest love, temple service). True be told, for social reasons, he was unemployable for any other job. Because ward members practiced love toward him, the light of Christ showed through and he labored hard. In his way of thinking, extra unpaid hours or duties, just frosting on the cake, a gift to the Lord. When he was told his job had gone away, I was worried over his mental state. Months later, I saw his old van, unwashed, front window half filled with debris, parked in a storage area. He appeared to be living in it. I wish I could give this story a happy ending, but it is what it is.