What to Expect in This New Calling

I was the ward clerk, once upon a time. I’m not sure on the technicalities, but it didn’t feel like I was part of the bishop. I was mostly in charge of taking care of all the secretarial and paperwork. I had to set up meetings, take notes, set up interviews… I was once in charge of tracking down all the inactives and do-not-contacts the Bishop hadn’t met yet. If they had moved without telling anyone, I was supposed to track down their new address.

It was a lot of work, but I’m glad I was spared most of the emotional stress placed upon the Bishop and his counsellors. Best of luck on your journey.

I was ward clerk many years ago when I was much more orthodox and believing. I had previously been in two bishoprics. I did not feel as though I was part of the bishopric during my stint as ward clerk, but that was partly because I didn’t go to bishopric meetings because the bishop at the time decided it was a good idea to have bishopric meeting at 6 am weekdays while kids were at seminary. The bishop and his counselors all had kids in seminary, I did not. I did make it known upfront that I would not be attending those meetings and this bishop was fine with it. My first time in the bishopric the clerk never attended anything and the other he didn’t attend bishopric but did come to ward council/welfare. I think a lot of how much the clerk is part of the bishopric and how much he is used depends greatly on the bishop. In my case I did very little. There were good, active assistant clerks who did all the finances and membership stuff and frankly I was a figurehead. FWIW, any clerk position is on my list of callings I won’t do now – no thinking about or taking time to talk with my wife or pray about it, just plain flat out no on the spot. It’s not my “cup of tea” so to speak.

In my current position I get to see what the stake clerk and ES do, and from what I see these guys really are a part of the stake presidency. I have seen them consulted on callings and they give input in high council and stake council just like anybody else. The clerk assigns high counselors to do business (usually asking for volunteers, but he is in charge of getting it done and we let him know when it’s done) and the ES assigns high council speakers among other things. I will say my SP is a master at delegating. If he or one of his councilors don’t have to do it, they don’t – even if they’re sitting on the stand and there’s stake business, the HC does it (except at SC, of course).

So, to answer your question, the clerk attends all the meetings the bishop attends, supervises the asst. clerks (and fills in as necessary, especially financial), and does whatever other meeting related stuff the bishop wants. The clerk is responsible for monthly reports (like financial) but good assistants are probably taking care of those.

So, to answer your question, the clerk attends all the meetings the bishop attends, supervises the asst. clerks (and fills in as necessary, especially financial), and does whatever other meeting related stuff the bishop wants. The clerk is responsible for monthly reports (like financial) but good assistants are probably taking care of those.

This is what I suspect after talking about it to others in the ward. We do have an Executive Secretary to make appointments for the bishop and I think we either have or there was talk about a financial clerk.

The financial part is the biggest part IMO. It is better with online tithing these days, but there are still plenty of people who hand in the envelopes, and that needs to be counted, entered into the computer, and deposited each Sunday. It takes two to count (a bishopric member helps) and nowadays two have to go to the bank. And come tithing settlement time there are lots of things to do with printing off statements, etc. Most membership stuff can wait or be done on a day other than Sunday.

Thanks DJ. I’m not really comfortable knowing about others tithing status or financial relationship at church but I’ll treat it accordingly and do what I need to.

I mentioned I was concerned about the time involved but was told it will all work out and I would have many blessings poured on me. Don’t think I buy that any more, I’ve had plenty of blessings denied due to callings taking me away from my personnel time.

DW and I had a bad experience where DW was pregnant and was asked to be primary president. We were concerned that DW typically suffers from post partum depression after childbirth. We were assured that the blessings would pour forth and that the counselors would carry the burden while DW was out of commission. Our baby was stillborn and DW and I entered the darkest part of our lives – it nearly broke us. We both stopped going to church for a long time.

Lessons:

1) I had thought that if I let the bishop know my concerns and the call was still extended then that was what God wanted. “Give him all the information so that he can make an informed/inspired decision”. I now feel that by sharing the concerns but not being firm, I was inviting the bishop to talk DW and I into the calling. Nobody knows better than me and my family what my personal situation is. I need to take ownership for family decisions and not give this responsibility to others. I will make mistakes, but they will be MY mistakes.

2) I strongly believe that we were not blessed as a result of DW serving as PP (I do recognize that there are some ways to look at anything including hardship as a blessing in a “that which does not kill me makes me stronger” sort of way. That is not my view point.). I believe that the bishop had no right to make promises in God’s behalf. However in making those promises, he was really just doing what everybody at church does. He probably did not even see it as a personal promise but rather a statement of fact as in Mosiah 2.

23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever

The bishop in my case probably could not fathom that God would not “immediately bless” us for our service. I can see bishop through a charitable lens and hope that others will view my unintended errors in the same way.

OMGosh Roy, that’s hard to fathom. I am not as eloquent with descriptions but #2 really expresses my thoughts. Some good things to learn from your reply, thanks.