Melchizedek Priesthood Ordination & Certificate

Discussions around using and interfacing with the Church MLS program.
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cottrells
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Melchizedek Priesthood Ordination & Certificate

#1

Post by cottrells »

The recording of Melchizedek Priesthood ordinations and issuing of certificates for such is a responsibility of stake clerks under the direction of the stake president. However the way that MLS is currently set-up stake clerks can not update membership records directly and can only use the system to print certificates of ordinances that have previously been recorded.

Are there plans to change the software so that it will allow clerks to follow church policy rather than adjust to work arounds?
russellhltn
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#2

Post by russellhltn »

I would agree with this. On one hand, it's the Ward's responsibility for the records. On the other, it's the temple that updates the records for things like the Endowment. So it would seem reasonable to allow the stake to update the MPH ordination for members of the stake.
JamesAnderson
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Melchizedek Priesthood Ordination Certificates

#3

Post by JamesAnderson »

Are you possibly having issues that might have been from porting the member data from MIS to MLS?

Possible scenario. A member is recommended, sustained, and ordained to the office of high priest. He is also set apart as an assistant to the group leader. This happens while we are using about the next to last version of MIS.

That person is working with the group leader a year later, and MLS 2.4 has just been deployed. The group leader and secretary is working on home teaching and finds the group member is still listed as an elder.

Two weeks later by the way, the group member got the ordination certificate, after the stake was alerted to the missing information.
wa7jos
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Missing ordinances

#4

Post by wa7jos »

This is exactly the scenario that causes the problem. The Stake is responsible for performing the ordinance, but at present, only the ward can update the record. It is all too easy for someone to drop the ball and fail to close the loop. The ordinance takes place, but since the Stake can't enter the data, they must rely on some workaround to get word back to the ward. Perhaps the High Councilor is assigned to convey that information. If it doesn't get put in writing and hand carried back to the ward clerk, there is a high probability that it "never happened."

What is being asked for here is the ability of the Stake MLS system to submit the record change for that MP ordination, in much the same fashion that temples submit endowments or missions submit converts. With the ordinance entered, MLS could then print the certificate. When the record is updated, that would flow back to the ward and stake.
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cottrells
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#5

Post by cottrells »

JamesAnderson wrote:Are you possibly having issues that might have been from porting the member data from MIS to MLS?
Thanks James for explaining what you thought the problem is, but no we are not having issues because of porting from MIS to MLS. We never had MIS to begin with. We went straight from manual records to MLS.
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cottrells
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#6

Post by cottrells »

wa7jos wrote:This is exactly the scenario that causes the problem. The Stake is responsible for performing the ordinance, but at present, only the ward can update the record. It is all too easy for someone to drop the ball and fail to close the loop. The ordinance takes place, but since the Stake can't enter the data, they must rely on some workaround to get word back to the ward. Perhaps the High Councilor is assigned to convey that information. If it doesn't get put in writing and hand carried back to the ward clerk, there is a high probability that it "never happened."


In most instances the ordination will happen directly after Stake Conference or at General Priesthood, and as stake clerk I can be there in person, but it is frustrating that I can't straight away update the record and easily produce a certificate from MLS. I send the yellow copy of the recommend to the ward but so many times we need to chase them to do the update.
wa7jos wrote:What is being asked for here is the ability of the Stake MLS system to submit the record change for that MP ordination, in much the same fashion that temples submit endowments or missions submit converts. With the ordinance entered, MLS could then print the certificate. When the record is updated, that would flow back to the ward and stake.
If that is possible (as outlined above) it would be gratefully appreciated.
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#7

Post by JamesAnderson »

A little more detail.

Obviously your situation of going from paper to MLS was not quite the same as what I knew about.

The second matter was the stake and ward communicating. Yes, much of this happens at stake priesthood meeting or stake conference, but let's say that it happened between times.

Like when they need a new assistant to the group leader and the other assistant was called into another position where the person needed to be a high priest and they needed to get someone and that person being called to the position was not yet a HP and they needed to ordain and set apart the new HP group leader assistant right away to continue the leadership fully constituted. Assume stake conference won't be for another six weeks, and stake priesthood took place ten weeks before that, and you can see where things can get lost in the shuffle.

Usually the sustainings are presented by HC members going to all the wards, then they do the ordination and sustaining soon after.
space-p40
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#8

Post by space-p40 »

I'm a an assistant ward clerk over membership, and do 98% of the updating membership records.
There is NO communication from the Stake back to me.

What i do is to attend all the Melchizedek P.H. ordinations and get the necessary info,
and then update MLS that day.

It typically takes the Stake 3 to 4 months to deliver an Ordination Certificate....

The solution? :rolleyes:
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mkmurray
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Not here, please

#9

Post by mkmurray »

space wrote:The solution? :rolleyes:
The solution is for you and your local leadership to decide.

These forums are not designed to be a place to decide/discuss/debate Church policy, that is what the handbook is for. The intent here is only to discuss Church technology. Thank you.
Eric Werny-p40
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Stake Responsibity

#10

Post by Eric Werny-p40 »

Your need to have your Bishop bring this up during his PPI with the Stake President, and you need to do a personal follow-up with the Stake Clerk.

We had a similar problem here, but didn't have wait quite as long. Since we have three Ward clerks in the same office, we were able to gang up on the stake clerk, in a loving way :).

Your Bishop is the key. He is the one responsible for your Ward.

Good Luck!!

Regards,

Eric
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