Tech Forum

With the new schedule, do RS Secretaries need to take attendance only on the Sundays that we have Relief Society (or Elder's Quorum,) or should they try to get a count on Sunday School weeks as well?
My thinking is that it should only be on the weeks we have RS or EQ, but I would love to get a more definite answer.

habutler wrote:With the new schedule, do RS Secretaries need to take attendance only on the Sundays that we have Relief Society (or Elder's Quorum,) or should they try to get a count on Sunday School weeks as well?
My thinking is that it should only be on the weeks we have RS or EQ, but I would love to get a more definite answer.

The quarterly report ask for the number who attended one Sunday RS, YW or Primary meeting during that last month of the quarter (for women) or Sunday priesthood or Primary meeting (for men). So unless they change the quarterly report, attendance in Sunday School doesn't count. So at least as far as the quarterly report goes, you don't need to get attendance on those weeks. Of course, it's possible that the RS or EQ Presidency would like to know whether any of their members who missed their meeting attended Sunday School. But it seems like that could be provided to them by the Sunday School presidency from their attendance rolls if requested.

I got that question yesterday as well. I simply answered that the rolls are for the organization's use only. I as ward clerk don't really have a use for the rolls.

Many years ago, the rolls were useful, because we had to calculate average attendance based upon the number of marks on the roll for each week. I prefer the wording of the quarterly report now. It essentially asks for the number of ward members who attended at least once during the last month of the quarter. I think that is a simpler and more meaningful measure of activity level in the ward. We don't count visitors or non-members.

drepouille wrote:It essentially asks for the number of ward members who attended at least once during the last month of the quarter.

It's not possible to properly answer that question unless someone is taking roll.

Although, with the new schedule, it's a question of if they've attended one of 2 meetings instead of one of 4-5 meetings.

When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll, is called up yon-der,
When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there.

I made a spreadsheet attendance roll from those who are always attend. It is one time a little more work but you can use that for years.
"Only those for whom the ward or
branch has a membership record are to be counted as attending." is written in the top of the attendance roll.

Just a quick question. Is the question in the report worded "...all people (or those or some other non-identifying word) attending..." or is it "...all Ward Members attending..." This could make a big difference to some Wards. We 'snowbird' and the Ward in the Palm Springs area we attend often mention how much they like all of us attending as it really helps their Ward Budget for the rest of the year. (And we don't mind going down there either.)

waynecooke wrote:Just a quick question. Is the question in the report worded "...all people (or those or some other non-identifying word) attending..." or is it "...all Ward Members attending..." This could make a big difference to some Wards. We 'snowbird' and the Ward in the Palm Springs area we attend often mention how much they like all of us attending as it really helps their Ward Budget for the rest of the year. (And we don't mind going down there either.)

For sacrament, it's the number attending. For everything else, it's ward members.

For quorum, class, and Primary attendance, count each person who attended at least once during the last month of the quarter. Count only those who appear on the ward rolls, not visitors. Those who are unable to attend priesthood or Sunday Relief Society meetings because of a Church assignment are to be recorded as attending (including full-time missionaries serving from the ward).

Please note that we do not receive budget funds based upon adult attendance in Sunday School, Elders Quorum, or Relief Society meetings. For Sacrament Meeting attendance, we count every warm body, regardless of their membership status.

waynecooke wrote:Just a quick question. Is the question in the report worded "...all people (or those or some other non-identifying word) attending..." or is it "...all Ward Members attending..." This could make a big difference to some Wards. We 'snowbird' and the Ward in the Palm Springs area we attend often mention how much they like all of us attending as it really helps their Ward Budget for the rest of the year. (And we don't mind going down there either.)

I believe the only statistic that counts for budget allocation is the aveage Sacrament meeting attendance in the 4 'counting' months (March, June, Sept, Dec.). All present are counted including visitors and infants.

For all other attendance statistics it's only official members of the Ward. Visitors are not counted even if they regularly attend.