CONDUCTING
– MORE REMINDERS
I will share with you a few more of my experiences
conducting meetings and what I learned about church protocol. The parents-in-law of a member of the Seventy
lived in the Holden Ward when I served in the Stake Presidency. He frequently visited the ward with his wife. Sitting in the congregation, he did not
preside, but on one occasion, even though I was not conducting the service, he
visited with me after the service to correct some mistakes in church protocol. An ordination had taken place during the
service without a member of the Bishopric standing in the circle.
On another occasion several years ago at a
Stake Priesthood Meeting in my home stake the Fillmore Utah Stake, the Stake
Mission Leader (no longer a calling) explained that women should perform the
priesthood ordinance of anointing and healing of the sick in the absence of a
priesthood member. I watched our wise
Stake President to see what he would do.
He did nothing and the meeting ended.
A few years later, as a Bishop, I asked him why he let it go. He explained something important to me. “All priesthood leaders in that congregation
understood the gospel and knew what was right.
He felt at the time it was not necessary to embarrass the man in front
of everyone by correcting him over the pulpit.”
On another occasion as a Bishop, I conducted a
funeral service for one of the pioneer members of our ward. I thought I had everything under control and
on schedule when one of the speakers, a family member, invited all members of
the family to come to the pulpit to share their feelings. Thirty minutes later the speaker was still
going strong with invites. I interrupted
and asked the speaker to close. The
speaker said OK but then continued the process for another 30 minutes before
sitting down. This happened on top of
all the other speakers, music and messages.
A young boy died in a tragic accident in my
ward. He was a member of a part member, mostly
inactive family. As their Bishop, I
explained to the family that video recording is not allowed in the chapel. During the funeral, I noticed a member of the
extended family filming the service.
So what did I learn about standard church
protocol?
Services
in General:
A member of the bishopric always stands in
priesthood ordinances to correct if necessary.
Correct doctrine as the need arises
at the pulpit but as the spirit dictates.
Read several names and callings
with a single release and sustaining statement.
While doing this, read at the pulpit the release and sustaining wording
out of the handbook, to eliminate clumsy talk.
Do not summarize all the talks
at end of meeting. This is not
appropriate.
Photography and video
recordings are not allowed in the chapel. (Handbook 2, 8.4.15) This applies to all services but funerals are
typically where the problem comes up.
·
If people ask to film, kindly
explain why we do not do that in our chapels.
·
If you see filming or photos
being made in the congregation, do not embarrass them and if appropriate teach
them later
Audiovisual Materials: (Handbook 2, 17.1.15)
·
This is not allowed in
Sacrament Service or Stake Conference.
·
It may be used in chapel in
other meetings.
Funerals:
Meet with the family,
plan the service and find out expectations.
If the Church is providing financial help, stay involved in and be conservative
with casket and funeral home choices.
·
Emphasize the need to stay on
schedule during the viewing, family prayer, funeral, grave dedication,
etc. People will travel long distance or
take time from work to be there and will have other commitments. Explain to the family that you will try to
respect that as you conduct.
·
More than 3 speakers will probably
put the service overtime.
·
You should support reasonable
family requests while planning the service.
It is, however, a church service in the chapel, so church standards
outlined in the handbook must be met.
Alternatively, the family can rent a hall elsewhere for the funeral.
Invite all speakers.
You are responsible for the whole
service, never turn planning over to someone else or one of the speakers.
Assign a clear time segment for each
participant.
·
If speakers go overtime or
invite other family members to extemporaneously come to the pulpit to share, you
are in trouble; the meeting is about to go overtime. Kindly interrupt and explain such sharing is
better done in a family gathering later in the day when there is time for the family
to visit. Be gracious and kind and do
your best.
Stay on time for all
services including the: viewing, family prayer, funeral, grave dedication, etc.
Funeral Duration
– 1 hour, never longer than 1 ½ hour.
Comments by Bishop
at end of funeral are only necessary if the gospel was not preached by another
speaker. Don’t be vain, people did not
come to hear you.
Doctrine:
45 The
elders are to conduct the meetings as
they are led by
the Holy Ghost, according to the commandments and revelations of God. (DC
20:45)
8 And
now, behold, I give unto you a commandment,
that when ye are assembled together
ye shall instruct and edify each
other, that ye may know how to
act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and
commandments, which I have given.
9 And
thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by
that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all
holiness before me— (DC 43:8-9)
President Robinson
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