Ward Clerk - Contact duties

[cchang]

Is it the Ward Clerk's responsibility to contact members if there are any discrepancies in the member's records? For example if a Priesthood holder comes up to you and says a member has moved to another location within the Ward. Does the Clerk try to contact that member for their new address or should the EQ Presidency be reaching out to them for the address so that they are also aware of the change? My guess in this situation it is the Clerk. But then is it the Clerk's responsibility to review the entire Ward directory for up to date information? How have others make sure the Ward directory is up to date? I know there is a 9 step process to retrieve updated address and contact info and so does this process fall entirely on the Clerk?

[eblood66]

It is the clerk's responsibility to keep the records accurate but in my view responsibility for obtaining accurate information (especially about addresses and moves) belongs to the entire ward council and even with the ministering brethren and sisters. In my experience it's usually more effective in multiple ways to have ward leaders and/or MBs/MSs try to make actual contact. Contacting someone just to check records can be off-putting but contacting them to check on how they are doing can both find out information and possibly open other doors.

Of course, there are other ways to try to update addresses. For example, if the ward budget allows a Christmas card can be sent to all members with return address correction requested to find out who may have moved and possibly get forwarding addresses. That kind of thing is usually handled jointly by a clerk and the bishop or a counselor.