Roles and Responsibilities
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The following roles and responsibilities may assist priesthood leaders who are organizing teams and relief efforts, adapting them to local needs. A single person may hold multiple roles simultaneously.
Disaster recovery efforts require constant adaptation. As long as local priesthood keys have been activated, it is not necessary to strictly organize teams by ward, branch, or stake. Members may organize themselves according to correct principles, to meet the needs on the ground.
Priesthood Leaders. Stake presidents and bishops hold the keys to direct the stake’s and ward’s efforts to prepare for and respond to emergencies, in counsel with the stake and ward councils (See Handbook 1, 1.3; 2.4; See also, Handbook 2, 6.2.1“The bishop directs welfare work in the ward. He has a divine mandate to seek out and care for the poor (see D&C 84:112). His goal is to help members help themselves and become self-reliant. The bishop’s counselors, the Relief Society president, the high priests group leader, the elders quorum president, and other members of the ward council assist the bishop in fulfilling these responsibilities.” (LDS.org); 6.3.1“The stake president oversees welfare work in the stake. More information on his welfare responsibilities is provided in Handbook 1, 5.1.” (LDS.org); D&C 107:68“the office of a bishop is in administering all temporal things” (LDS.org)). Seventies may be assigned by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to coordinate relief efforts among multiple stakes affected by a regional disaster. Other church leaders such as auxiliary presidents and their counselors, recovery leaders and team leaders, receive delegated authority to perform relief activities. (See Handbook 2, 2.1.1“Priesthood keys are the authority God has given to priesthood leaders to direct, control, and govern the use of His priesthood on earth. …Seventies act by assignment and by the delegation of authority from the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Area Presidents are assigned to administer areas under the authorization of the First Presidency and the Twelve. …The President of the Church delegates priesthood keys to other priesthood leaders so they can preside in their areas of responsibility. Priesthood keys are bestowed on presidents of temples, missions, stakes, and districts; bishops; branch presidents; and quorum presidents. This presiding authority is valid only for the designated responsibilities and within the geographic jurisdiction of each leader’s calling. When priesthood leaders are released from their callings, they no longer hold the associated keys. Counselors to priesthood leaders do not receive keys. They are set apart and function in their callings by assignment and delegated authority. All ward and stake auxiliary organizations operate under the direction of the bishop or stake president, who holds the keys to preside. Auxiliary presidents and their counselors do not receive keys. They receive delegated authority to function in their callings.” (LDS.org)).
Ward and Stake Councils. The Lord’s church is governed through councils. (See Handbook 2, 4.1“The Lord’s Church is governed through councils at the general, area, stake, and ward levels. These councils are fundamental to the order of the Church. Under the keys of priesthood leadership at each level, leaders counsel together for the benefit of individuals and families. Council members also plan the work of the Church pertaining to their assignments. Effective councils invite full expression from council members and unify their efforts in responding to individual, family, and organizational needs.” (LDS.org)). The ward and stake councils develop and maintain simple written plans for the ward and stake to respond to emergencies. They coordinate this plan with similar plans in the stake and community. (See Handbook 1, 5.1.3; 5.2.11; See also, Handbook 2, 6.2.2“Council members consider spiritual and temporal welfare matters as follows: …They compile and maintain a list of ward members whose skills might be useful in responding to short-term, long-term, or disaster-caused needs. They develop and maintain a simple written plan for the ward to respond to emergencies (see Handbook 1, 5.2.11). They coordinate this plan with similar plans in the stake and community.” (LDS.org); 6.3.2“In stake council meetings, leaders consider spiritual and temporal welfare matters as follows: …They develop and maintain a simple written plan for the stake to respond to emergencies (see Handbook 1, 5.1.3). This plan should be coordinated with similar plans of other stakes in the coordinating council and with plans in the community. …When assigned by a member of the Presidency of the Seventy or the Area Presidency, they provide leadership and support for a welfare operation.” (LDS.org); 18.3.7.4“The stake council meets two to four times a year as needed. The agenda may include the following items: …Develop and maintain a simple written plan for the stake to respond to emergencies.” (LDS.org)). Ward and stake councils prayerfully counsel with the Lord to receive guidance on how to serve and what level of community service constitutes an acceptable offering to the Lord (See D&C 4:2“Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.” (LDS.org); Mosiah 4:26-27“And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you—that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God—I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants. And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.” (LDS.org); D&C 126:1-3“…My servant Brigham, it is no more required at your hand to leave your family as in times past, for your offering is acceptable to me. I have seen your labor and toil in journeyings for my name. I therefore command you to send my word abroad, and take especial care of your family from this time, henceforth and forever. Amen.” (LDS.org)).
Area Welfare Specialists/ VOAD Representatives. The Church participates in Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), a coalition of disaster recovery organizations. The area welfare specialist/ VOAD representative assists stake presidents and the area seventy to coordinate relief efforts with visiting stakes and other responding agencies to maximize effectiveness and minimize duplication of efforts. Depending on the nature and severity of the disaster, a representative from church headquarters may also be sent to assist local priesthood leaders.
Recovery Leaders. The stake president appoints a recovery leader and delegates the daily operations of recovery operations to him or her. The recovery leader should be a respected man or woman with excellent organizational and communication skills. A recovery leader who has existing relationships with the stake presidency, stake council, bishops, ward leaders, and community leaders will be most effective.
Public Affairs Representatives. Public affairs representatives can help open communities that need help by developing relationships with city county managers, and law enforcement officials. Public affairs representatives should be careful to not over-promise church resources or commit the Church to any action, except at the express request of the stake president.
Team Leaders. Team Leaders lead field volunteers to assist survivors. They must make good judgments to use time and resources wisely, preserve the safety of volunteers, protect property, and serve the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of survivors in accordance with church leaders’ priorities. Team Leaders may prioritize work, refuse to fulfil a work request if it does not align with church leaders’ priorities, split up or combine teams, request assistance from other teams, and creatively solve problems in the field.
Volunteers. To preserve the safety of survivors and the good name of the Church, volunteers who wear the Mormon Helping Hands yellow vests must be known and trusted by church leaders and members. While Mormon Helping Hands volunteers need not be members of the Church, church leaders should avoid soliciting large numbers of spontaneous volunteers from the community.
The purpose of disaster recovery efforts is to restore the hope of survivors by ministering to their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs; and to give service. (See Handbook 2, 6.1“The purposes of Church welfare are to help members become self-reliant, to care for the poor and needy, and to give service.” (LDS.org); D&C 81:5“Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you; succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (LDS.org)). Opportunities to serve include listening and ministering to survivors, field work, parking and logistics, first aid, assessing needs, child care, communications, remote 2-1-1 phone center volunteers, etc.
Read More…
- Principles of Disaster Recovery
- Typical Resources and Responses
- For Leaders
- Checklist for Stake Presidents
- Checklist for Bishops
- Draft Letter From Stake Presidents to Visiting Stake Presidents (.docx)
- Draft Letter From Stake Presidents to Members and Ward Leaders (.docx)
Other Policies
- Guidelines for Use of Meetinghouses as Emergency Shelters (.doc)
- Donations, Solicitations and Offers (.docx)
- Proselytizing
- Liability, Risk, and Insurance
- Age Requirements
- How to Get Work Orders
- Spiritual and Emotional Well-Being