Are Husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

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Michael_Newman
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Are Husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

#1

Post by Michael_Newman »

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Are husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

If so, I am looking for a doctrine or handbook or official policy link.

The only search result I found was a non-policy Ensign article which contained the disclaimer "Questions of general gospel interest answered for guidance, not as official statements of Church policy." Link: 1983 Ensign "Ask a Question" article
russellhltn
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Re: Are Husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

#2

Post by russellhltn »

As best as I can find: "maybe".

Handbook 2: 19.1.1 "Although service in Church callings requires sacrifice, it should not compromise a member’s ability to fulfill family and employment responsibilities (see 17.2.1). Before calling a married person to an assignment that requires a significant time commitment, Church leaders consider the effect of the calling on the marriage and family."

17.2.1 "One family circumstance to consider is the Church calling(s) held by a member’s husband or wife. Individual families should not be overburdened with Church responsibilities."

Obviously, to do that, the leader may want to discuss the family situation with the spouse before extending a calling.

19.2 "The leader may invite the spouse of a married person to be present and give support when the calling is extended."
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eblood66
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Re: Are Husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

#3

Post by eblood66 »

Even if that article was policy it would have been superseded by the current handbook. Handbook 2 Section 19.2 outlines how callings should be extended. Section 19.1.1 gives some general guidelines including the instruction that parents should be consulted before extending callings to youth. If there were a requirement to consult the husband it should show up in one of those two sections.

It does say that a spouse may be included in the meeting to extend the call. But that applies equally when either the husband or wife is extended a calling and it isn't mandatory.

I have known men who were very adamant that they should be consulted before their wife is extended a calling but I know of no current basis for doing so. In fact, strictly speaking the handbook says that only those who need to know (like an organization president) should know about the calling before it is extended. So personally I think that practice is contrary to the handbook.
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Michael_Newman
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Re: Are Husbands to be consulted before their wives are offered a calling to a ward position?

#4

Post by Michael_Newman »

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I have been taught by example over the last 36 years, but not recently, that Ward leaders consult a husband before their wife is even offered a calling to a ward position. But recently, at least in two bishoprics, I have witnessed where the husband was not consulted, where the wife was pulled aside privately during her relief society block class, extended a calling, and then the next Sunday the husband listens to the calling during the official call and sustaining portion of the sacrament.
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