What happens in ward councils? What do they talk about and why?
Who is in these meetings?

I keep hearing about them and realized I know nothing about them.

Ward Councils are early meetings before church that includes all the presidencies, bishopric, and other church leaders (ward mission leader).

They sit down and discuss/plan church wide matters such as upcoming events, building maintenance, and those that are in need of assistance.

Usually the program is as follows:

Opening prayer
song
devotional/spiritual thought
reports (going around the table and allowing each to report on their callings)
closing prayer

However... in some cases ward council can turn into a huge gossip fest where everyone just talks about other members of the ward behind their back. It is up to the bishop to keep everyone in line to make sure that does not happen.

I used to have to attend Ward Council. In my experience, it's either the bishop or his councillors who lead the gossip fest. If you are "formerly active" you will be on the agenda week after week and not in a good way.

Got that right!

I really couldn't stomach them. It was to the point where each "divinely inspired" leader gave their two bits about why so-and-so wasn't attending. Each speculated more and more into gossip. Then last month's gossip became the "truth" for the following month's meeting.

I finally had enough as the lowly membership clerk and I was tired of recording the minutes; a worthless report that was "busy work". I stood up and asked if anyone had called the "alleged in-active" that had missed about 6 Sundays. The resounding answer was No!

I told them that the time would be better spent if we dealt with real information then idle speculation. I got an earful of "Hmph's".

After clicking on the link and reading what it's for, I can't help but wonder if it ever serves it's purpose to "help members" my HTs and VTs never come over, what could they be reporting? I don't know, I am so disillusioned with the church right now...

I think most everyone here is similarly disillusioned.

I had to go a few times when I was in a presidency and our president was out of town.

There are mundane things discussed, like the ward Christmas party or how to get better home teaching numbers.

But there's also a lot of gossip.

We left the church a couple of months ago and I know from a friend who attends that we have been the topic of conversation more than once.

I hate knowing that people are talking about me. It gives me the creeps.

Possibly the worst part is that, in their efcort to "help" people as they suppose, they often blurt out stuff that is confidential and damaging. A bishop might open the floor on how to help sister Cbtistisnsen's husband and his "struggle" with pornography. So now her husband's "struggle" has just been multiplied by the number of those present. And I would contend that this is something that the bishop didn't need to know in the first place, because he may just be a medical equipment salesman, or something.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2017 08:30AM by cludgie.