Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

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Bradlie
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Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#1

Post by Bradlie »

I'm on the Stake High Council. When I started my calling, I got electronic information via e-mail from the Stake Clerk, Stake Executive Secretary, members of the Stake Presidency, other Stake Auxiliary leaders, etc. In our various meetings, we reference the myriad of documentation distributed, and it seems like we are always making modifications to documents, which causes version control nightmares, and we spend too much time talking about who has the latest version of a certain document, and if they can send it to the group in e-mail, etc. etc.

3 Questions:
Does lds.org already have a section where stake and or wards can post files that only certain callings could get access to? If not, is such a concept in beta, or under development? And if not, what is the churches policy on using Google Sites, Dropbox, etc. to create on-line file repositories, so we don't spend time on file administration, and can focus more time on ministration? I have a Google Site ready to go, but don't want to "publish" and train the Stake Leaders if the Church already has something being developed, or wants us to continue to play the version control game.
jdlessley
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#2

Post by jdlessley »

Bradlie wrote:Does lds.org already have a section where stake and or wards can post files that only certain callings could get access to?
No.
Bradlie wrote:If not, is such a concept in beta, or under development?
This is unknown. The Church seldom notifies the community of development effort plans or schedules.
Bradlie wrote:And if not, what is the churches policy on using Google Sites, Dropbox, etc. to create on-line file repositories, so we don't spend time on file administration, and can focus more time on ministration?
See Handbook 2, 21.1.22. There are two important directions in that section. First, "Stake and ward Web sites may be created only by using the official Church Internet resources. Stakes and wards are not authorized to create other Web sites or blogs or otherwise have a Church-sponsored presence on the Internet."

Second, "Individual members may create Web sites or blogs or make use of other appropriate Internet resources in their Church callings... ." There are guidelines that must be followed in the Members’ Use of the Internet in Church Callings section of 21.1.22. In my opinion, the guidance provided in the Members' Use of the Internet in Church Callings section would permit what you are trying to accomplish. However, note that there have been numerous discussions in the LDSTech Forum regarding privacy information, confidential information, and sensitive information of Church members stored on sites not controlled by the Church. The biggest issue with storing that information is security. The appropriateness of what you propose would best be discussed with your stake president. He can then make the decision whether to approve this.

Any direction provided in this forum is the opinion of the posters, including my own.
JD Lessley
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RossEvans
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#3

Post by RossEvans »

In addition to the handbook references, there is a set of training slides from the Presiding Bishopric in 2011. See especially Slide 14, which recognizes that Google Docs and other shared Internet services are used by some leaders to help with their callings.

Whether your suggested content in Google Docs is disallowed would seem to depend on how your stake president interprets the phrase "confidential Church information."
wilsondave
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#4

Post by wilsondave »

It would be a fantastic help to have a standard set of forms and spreadsheets that are shareable amongst specific ward callings available on the ward site.
We use Google docs for speadsheets showing each Sunday speaking topics and speakers assigned.
Another for Hymns for each Sunday and also Templates for various leadership meetings agendas.
That would be a good start.
busman
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#5

Post by busman »

I have discovered that various lists and spreadsheets containing names, phone numbers, and email addresses of our ward and stake leaders is posted in Google Docs. Because the Church has no control over it's storage or access but does used Google Gmail for ldsmail, I am confused as to what is sufficiently secure and what is not. I know that certain communication is not done via email for security reasons. I also know that many stakes use email extensively for leader communication.

Other than the general statements in HB2, 21.1.122, what is safe to do and what is not?
jdlessley
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#6

Post by jdlessley »

busman wrote:Other than the general statements in HB2, 21.1.122, what is safe to do and what is not?
Handbook 2, 21.1.122, does not exist. Perhaps your reference was to Handbook 2, 21.1.22?

We have been having discussions similar to this thread's topic on the LDSTech Forum for over six years. There are varying opinions and interpretation of Church policies and guidance. You mentioned member names, phone numbers, and email addresses being together in a document (Google Docs). Handbook 2, 21.1.15, provides guidance on the use and distribution of directories. The data congregated together in those Google Docs you mentioned, in my interpretation of the Handbook, constitutes a directory.
busman wrote:I am confused as to what is sufficiently secure and what is not.
I am not surprised. There is no guidance, of which I am aware, addressing security of documents on systems outside the control of the Church. But there is guidance concerning membership data derived from Church records found in Handbook 1. It has been quite a while since I have had access to Handbook 1 so I cannot provide a complete reference.

Depending on country privacy laws, the type of information and how it must be handled varies. In the U.S. there is a term related to privacy called personally identifiable information (PII). PII includes a persons address, telephone number, and e-mail address when not publicly available. The linking of a persons name with other PII requires protection of this information. What level of protection is required also varies depending on the nature of the information included in the PII. The discussions about the level of security provided by such services as Google Docs has been quite lively in some of other threads.

That brings me to a concern. You mentioned that you "discovered ... various lists and spreadsheets containing names, phone numbers, and email addresses of our ward and stake leaders is posted in Google Docs." How did you discover these documents existed? Are they publicly accessible? When information about Church members derived from Church records is posted insecurely then there is definitely a problem.
JD Lessley
Have you tried finding your answer on the ChurchofJesusChrist.org Help Center or Tech Wiki?
lajackson
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Re: Stake or Ward Leadership File Sharing

#7

Post by lajackson »

Handbook 1:13.8 and 1:13.9 provide principles and guidance on the confidentiality and management of records.
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