Priesthood Ordination process

[johnshaw]

I think its funny you were looking for an actual process....

I am glad they are defining an actual process.

I have always found it intriguing that stakes that think through and establish an actual process usually get their Melchizedek Priesthood ordinances recorded on the membership records, and rarely have to scramble to update records later when temple ordinances and missions come along.

100% agree. I do quality and process improvement for a living. If you don't plan the process, a process plans you. Too often we forget the links and potential failures that can occur, especially when there are multiple data hand-offs where a simple miss breaks the chain. Simplification of the steps will always yield fewer errors. With all the handoff's that used to be required to get MP ordinations properly recorded, it's a testamant to all involved that we do as well as we do.

Man, I am so misunderstood... I just think it's funny that EVERY Stake/ward/branch has to define this process, then when a change in admin staff happens, another process is defined, and another and another, every ward, every stake......

I advocate implementing the workflow system built into the leader tools so this can happen exactly the same way in every stake. I am not advocating a random nothingness hoping that nobody creates a process.... In my mind this is needless wasted time and effort by already REALLY busy people, that could be helped by a centralized tool...

[lajackson]

Man, I am so misunderstood... I just think it's funny that EVERY Stake/ward/branch has to define this process, then when a change in admin staff happens, another process is defined, and another and another, every ward, every stake......

I advocate implementing the workflow system built into the leader tools so this can happen exactly the same way in every stake.

But which way? Our stake has three processes, depending on who is present, where the ordination takes place, when it takes place (in relation to the meeting at which the ordination is sustained), and how soon the membership record needs to be updated and the certificate completed.

Perhaps we should define one workflow process as primary with two exceptions when needed. Oh, wait. We do. Except that the three process are used roughly 50%, 25%, and 25% of the time, depending on the need and circumstances.

[russellhltn]

I just think it's funny that EVERY Stake/ward/branch has to define this process, then when a change in admin staff happens, another process is defined, and another and another, every ward, every stake......

The church doesn't define every single procedure. It's up to the unit leader. That way it can take into account the situation with the unit (geographical separation) and individual talents, locations and situations. If the church was to define a single way of doing it, we'd probably end up hearing a bunch of complaints about how that doesn't work well in their unit.

[ptharp]

We had a couple of new high councilors called in our stake and our stake president wanted to go over the ordination process. He wanted me to create a workflow so he could have everyone be able to reference the steps. This may not be how your stake does it, but it may be helpful in putting together your own plan.

[aebrown]

We had a couple of new high councilors called in our stake and our stake president wanted to go over the ordination process. He wanted me to create a workflow so he could have everyone be able to reference the steps. This may not be how your stake does it, but it may be helpful in putting together your own plan.

Thanks for sharing that flowchart. A couple of comments:

• It might be worth noting that stake conference is not the only option for sustaining MP ordinations; it can also be done at stake general priesthood meeting.
• The ordination must be sustained before it can take place; in the "special circumstances" you mention, it still must be sustained in the ward's sacrament meeting (and later ratified at a stake conference or general priesthood meeting).
• I'm not sure why you have a step for giving a copy of the form to the ward clerk. We certainly don't do that in our stake, and I don't see why it would be necessary or even helpful. The ordinance has been recorded at the stake level, and that update will appear in the ward MLS (along with a notification of that update).
• There are a couple of typos and one arrow pointing the wrong direction.

[Biggles]

[

aebrown

I'm not sure why you have a step for giving a copy of the form to the ward clerk. We certainly don't do that in our stake, and I don't see why it would be necessary or even helpful. The ordinance has been recorded at the stake level, and that update will appear in the ward MLS (along with a notification of that update

I am probably wrong (bad memory), but isn't it only fairly recently that both Ward & Stake have been able to record MP ordinations? I believe it was only the Ward that were able to do it in the past, which is why they would have been given the form.

[russellhltn]

I am probably wrong (bad memory), but isn't it only fairly recently that both Ward & Stake have been able to record MP ordinations? I believe it was only the Ward that were able to do it in the past, which is why they would have been given the form.

True, but that's no reason to continue to follow an inefficient process when we now have a better alternative.

[Biggles]

But isn't it also true, that by giving the Ward Clerk the form, it acts a double check that the Ordinance has actually been recorded?

[russellhltn]

But isn't it also true, that by giving the Ward Clerk the form, it acts a double check that the Ordinance has actually been recorded?

Only if the Ward Clerk raises an issue if he hasn't seen it after a certain amount of time, or if that form is a trigger for something else. But the flow doesn't show that the WC does anything with the form.

So, as documented - no, I can't see how it does.

[Biggles]

I don't disagree with what you are saying, however I do find it's better to have too much information, then none at all!

We are all human and subject to forget items, certainly if times are busy. For me word of mouth isn't necessarily the best way to make sure something is done. If it is in some documented form, that is far better than relying on memory, especially after a period of time.