Tech Forum

Hi,

My question is both an ethical as well as a technical question, hence posting in this forum.

The missionaries in our ward have created an excel list of members to track the missionary visits as well as notes from the visits and general reception. They have several who have slammed the door shut and told the missionaries they want nothing to do with the church and to never visit again. A large majority have been inactive for over 10 years.

Of 316 members, only about 120 attend regularly.

Obviously, the inclusion of the inactive & uninterested in the ward records negatively affects the overall statistics and reporting. Seeing as they haven't officially requested their name be removed from the church records...

• 1. can/should their records be removed from the ward considering they have stated that they have no interest in returning?
  1. a. Some have joined other churches but still have not requested name removal
     b. Some are over 18 but have never been baptized, no interest in being baptized. (side note: if a person with a record never gets baptized do their records ever disappear?)
  2. If they can/should be removed, how is this done? Just a "forced move"?

NOTE: I'm not advocating/questioning removal of all inactives records, only those who have expressly stated their lack of interest and refusal to meet with members or missionaries.

The handbook is pretty clear on these questions. See Handbook 1 sections 13.6 (first paragraph) and 13.6.2.

Section 13.6 indicates that the ward should have a record for each member living in the ward. There is no qualification based on activity. In addition, the help center gives a list of activities that must be tried for members who's location is not known before moving them to the 'address unknown' file. You cannot complete that list if you know the member's address. If you can't complete the list then you shouldn't move the record. Even if you do, CHQ will almost surely send it back. They make considerable effort to get records into the units where the member is residing.

Section 13.6.2 gives the policies on those who are over 18 and have not been baptized. If those policies have been followed then you can cancel the record in LCR by finding the Member Profile for the person and selecting Cancel Record from the Action button menu.

See also Handbook 1 Section 6.14 Removing Names from Church Membership Records

Awesome, thank you very much for pointing out those references.