Handbook 2: Administering the Church (2010)
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Handbook 2 Administering the Church 2010 Handbook 2 Administering the Church 2010 Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Salt Lake City, Utah © 2010 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America English approval: 8/09 Contents Introduction ......................... v 12. Sunday School ...................... 95 1. Families and the Church in God’s Plan . 1 13. Activities .......................... 101 2. Priesthood Principles ................. 7 14. Music ............................. 113 3. Leadership in the Church 15. Stake Organization ................. 119 of Jesus Christ ...................... 11 16. Single Members .................... 123 4. The Ward Council ................... 15 17. Uniformity and Adaptation ........... 131 5. The Work of Salvation in the 18. Meetings in the Church ............. 137 Ward and Stake ..................... 21 19. Callings in the Church .............. 155 6. Welfare Principles and Leadership ..... 33 20. Priesthood Ordinances and 7. Melchizedek Priesthood .............. 39 Blessings ......................... 167 8. Aaronic Priesthood .................. 49 21. Selected Church Policies and 9. Relief Society ....................... 63 Guidelines ........................ 179 10. Young Women ...................... 75 Appendix: List of Items Referenced ... 199 11. Primary ............................ 87 Index ............................. 201 Introduction Introduction The Lord admonished, “Let every man learn number 1 refers to a section of the chapter, and his duty, and to act in the office in which he is the number 2 refers to a subsection. appointed, in all diligence” (D&C 107:99). Chapter Section Subsection Church leaders seek personal revelation to help them learn and fulfill the duties of their Thee bishopb and his counselors help prospec- callings. tivee full-timefu missionaries, including sisters and couples,cou prepare to serve missions. Studying the scriptures and the teachings of latter-day prophets will help leaders understand 5.1.2 Ward Council and fulfill their duties. The Lord has admonished leaders to treasure up in their minds continually Member missionary work is most effec- the words of God so they will be receptive to the tive when ward council members are fully en- influence of the Spirit (see D&C 84:85). gaged in the missionary effort. In quorums and auxiliaries Leaders also learn their duties by studying the instructions in Church handbooks. These Updates and Supplements instructions can facilitate revelation if they are to Instructions used to provide an understanding of principles, Occasionally the information in these hand- policies, and procedures to apply while seeking books will be updated or supplemented through the guidance of the Spirit. letters, notices, and other communication from the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve, and Handbooks for Church Leaders Presiding Bishopric. When this occurs, leaders should note the changes in their copies of the The Church provides two handbooks for lead- handbooks. Leaders should keep handbooks and ers: these supplementary materials together. Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops. This handbook outlines the general responsibilities of stake presidents and bishops and provides Questions about Instructions detailed information about policies and proce- Leaders who have questions about informa- dures. tion in the handbooks or about issues that are not Handbook 2: Administering the Church. This addressed should direct the questions to their handbook is a guide for members of ward and immediate presiding authority. stake councils. The first two chapters present the doctrinal foundation of the work of the Church: Application in Branches, Districts, the salvation of individuals and the sealing and exaltation of families through the power of the and Missions priesthood. The other chapters provide instruc- For administrative purposes, the terms bishop tions for administering priesthood quorums and bishopric in the handbooks refer also to and auxiliaries. They also present principles and branch presidents and branch presidencies. The guidelines that apply to multiple organizations terms stake president and stake presidency refer also in the ward. to district presidents and district presidencies. The headings and subheadings in these However, the offices of bishop and branch presi- handbooks are numbered to make topics easy to dent are not equivalent in authority and respon- locate or reference. Rather than refer to a page sibility. Nor are the offices of stake president and or group of pages, leaders may refer to a topic by district president. The bishop is an office in the its number. For example, in a discussion about priesthood, and ordination is authorized only by member missionary work, a bishop might ask the First Presidency. Stake presidents are called ward council members to turn to 5.1.2 in Hand- by General Authorities and Area Seventies. book 2. The number 5 refers to the chapter, the References to wards and stakes usually apply also to branches, districts, and missions. v Introduction Contacting Church Headquarters or ◼ Stake Young Men, Relief Society, Young Women, the Assigned Administrative Office Primary, and Sunday School presidencies (3 copies each) Some chapters in this handbook include ◼ Bishopric or branch presidency (3 copies) instructions to contact Church headquarters or the assigned administrative office. The instruc- ◼ Ward or branch clerk (1 file copy) tion to contact Church headquarters applies ◼ Ward or branch executive secretary (1 copy) to priesthood leaders and clerks in the United ◼ High priests group leadership (3 copies) States and Canada. The instruction to contact the assigned administrative office applies to priest- ◼ Elders quorum presidency (3 copies) hood leaders and clerks outside the United States ◼ Ward Young Men, Relief Society, Young Women, and Canada. Primary, and Sunday School presidencies (3 copies each) Distribution ◼ Ward mission leader (1 copy) Handbook 2: Administering the Church should This handbook has been prepared solely for be distributed as follows: use by general and local Church officers to ad- minister the affairs of the Church. It should not ◼ General Authorities, Area Seventies, members be duplicated or given to any other persons. The of general auxiliary presidencies, Church de- distribution list includes a file copy to be kept in partment heads, directors of temporal affairs a secure place by each stake and ward clerk. He (1 copy each) may refer to it for information on finances and ◼ Mission presidency (3 copies) records and for information on supporting the ◼ Stake or district presidency (3 copies) stake president or bishop. ◼ Stake or district clerk (1 file copy) When Church officers who have a copy of this handbook are released, they give the copy ◼ Stake or district executive secretary (1 copy) promptly to their successors or to their presid- ◼ High council (12 copies) ing authority. vi 1. Families and the Church in God’s Plan 1.1 God the Father’s Plan for His Eternal Family . 2 1.3 Establishing Eternal Families ................3 1.1.1 The Premortal Family of God .............. 2 1.3.1 Husband and Wife ....................... 3 1.1.2 The Purpose of Mortality .................. 2 1.3.2 Parents and Children ..................... 4 1.1.3 The Atonement of Jesus Christ ............. 2 1.3.3 Unmarried Members of the Church ......... 4 1.1.4 The Role of Families in God’s Plan .......... 2 1.4 1.1.5 The Role of the Church .................... 2 The Home and the Church .................. 4 1.4.1 Strengthening the Home .................. 4 1. 1.2 Returning to the Father ..................... 2 1.4.2 Family Home Evening .................... 5 Church the and Families 1.2.1 The Gospel of Jesus Christ ................. 2 1.4.3 Strengthening Individuals ................. 5 in God’s Planin God’s 1.2.2 The Role of Church Leaders and Teachers . 3 1 1. Families and the Church in God’s Plan 1.1.4 The Role of Families in God’s Plan 1.1 God the Father’s Plan for His Eternal Family As part of our Heavenly Father’s plan, we were born into families. He established families 1.1.1 The Premortal Family of God to bring us happiness, to help us learn correct The family is ordained of God. It is the most principles in a loving atmosphere, and to prepare important unit in time and in eternity. Even be- us for eternal life. fore we were born on the earth, we were part of Parents have the vital responsibility to help a family. Each of us “is a beloved spirit son or their children prepare to return to Heavenly daughter of heavenly parents” with “a divine na- Father. Parents fulfill this responsibility by teach- ture and destiny” (“The Family: A Proclamation ing their children to follow Jesus Christ and live to the World,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 102). God is our His gospel. Heavenly Father, and we lived in His presence as part of His family in the premortal life. There 1.1.5 The Role of the Church we learned our first lessons and were prepared The Church provides the organization and for mortality (see D&C 138:56). means for teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to all of God’s children. It provides the priesthood 1.1.2 The Purpose of Mortality authority to administer the ordinances of salva- Because of God’s love for us, He prepared a tion and exaltation to all who are worthy and plan that included our coming to the earth, where willing to accept them. we would receive bodies and be tested so that we could progress and become more like Him. This plan is called “the plan of salvation” (Alma 1.2 Returning to the Father 24:14), “the great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), 1.2.1 The Gospel of Jesus Christ and “the plan of redemption” (Alma 12:25; see also verses 26–33). The plan of salvation is the fulness of the gos- pel. It includes the Creation, the Fall, the Atone- The purpose of God’s plan is to lead us to ment of Jesus Christ, and all the laws, ordinances, eternal life. God declared, “This is my work and and doctrines of the gospel.