Encouraging Members to Use Unit Websites

[seangates]

Right. I guess that is what I mean.

[daddy-o-p40]

Ted, Get your Membership Clerk involved. Members are supposed to receive copies of their IOS' annually as part of the Annual Record Review. A lot of wards include the IOS records with the tithing settlement reports which get mailed to members homes.

[kristacook-p40]

We need to continually ask ourselves what we are trying to accomplish. For example, whatever new features we think might be neat on the unit websites should be tied to something we are trying to accomplish. There are a lot of things that COULD be done, but should they? What will they accomplish? What goal or objective would be accomplished by allowing people a forum on a unit web site? You can tie the short biographies idea of a previous poster to the goal of everyone in the ward knowing each other better. Another concern is the negative fallout something might have -- like criticizing church leaders. A forum for specific leaders to discuss problems online may be an excellent tool.

I read an article the other day about a new site/activity about "twittering" -- see http://twitter.com/ . What a monumental waste of time. What on earth does it accomplish? Yes, it can be done, but should it?

When I am asked to speak in church and given a topic, I usually ask what the leadership wants accomplished. For example, "Speak on baptism." Okay, do you want the people informed, inspired, chastised etc? What sort of action do you want to result from my talk? Do you want people to take their baptismal covenants more seriously? Do you want people to remember what the sacrament is for? Do you want all the investigators to finally commit? What do you want the results from my talk to be? Everything the web sites offer should help achieve some sort of goal or objective. We need to keep asking ourselves what those goals and objectives are.

[edwardlalone]

No one has mentioned Home Teachers taking the necessary information (confirmation date etc.) to people during their monthly visits so people can log-in and register easily.

I don't think it appropriate to give Home Teacher's access to confirmation dates and membership numbers. I am not sure what the policy of the Church is on this but I would hope that Ward Clerks have been trained to keep this information private and to release it only to the Bishopric and the member.

Edward Lalone

[WelchTC]

I don't think it appropriate to give Home Teacher's access to confirmation dates and membership numbers. I am not sure what the policy of the Church is on this but I would hope that Ward Clerks have been trained to keep this information private and to release it only to the Bishopric and the member.

Edward Lalone

Here is an example of why I'm working on a clearly defined policy. I don't think that in the past we thought of all of the ways someone may use the data (for good or evil purposes) and so an issue like this comes up and people wonder what they can or cannot do. I'll find out but I'm about 98% positive that the we should not share confirmation #'s or membership #'s to others besides leadership and the actual individuals.

Tom

[russellhltn]

Here is an example of why I'm working on a clearly defined policy. ... I'll find out but I'm about 98% positive that the we should not share confirmation #'s or membership #'s to others besides leadership and the actual individuals.

In the past, sharing that information wouldn't have meant much to anyone. It's the fact it's now the key to logging in to website resources gives it the ability to be misused. In other words, what I'm saying is that "things change". It may be better to phrase the policy in terms of intent rather then strictly going by "what is and isn't" so that the policy is still workable when future changes come.

[WelchTC]

In the past, sharing that information wouldn't have meant much to anyone. It's the fact it's now the key to logging in to website resources gives it the ability to be misused. In other words, what I'm saying is that "things change". It may be better to phrase the policy in terms of intent rather then strictly going by "what is and isn't" so that the policy is still workable when future changes come.

I agree with you 100%. However you still need some very clear rules because most people who violate church policies do not have a bad intent but are just trying to do the very best they can in their jobs.

Tom

[edwardlalone]

Here is an example of why I'm working on a clearly defined policy. I don't think that in the past we thought of all of the ways someone may use the data (for good or evil purposes) and so an issue like this comes up and people wonder what they can or cannot do. I'll find out but I'm about 98% positive that the we should not share confirmation #'s or membership #'s to others besides leadership and the actual individuals.

Tom

This is an issue that has to do with privacy as there is a lot that can be done with a person's membership number and confirmation date including ordering church materials over the internet, ordering a copy of a person's patriarchal blessing and logging into the Church's websites. Depending on whose confirmation number and date it is there may be access to sensitive information as some members have access to the missionary referral system, the Leadership system, and other Church applications and this is likely to increase over time. By itself the confirmation date has very little meaning and it is only when coupled with the membership number that it seems to pose a problem to privacy and by extension more sacred things which would not be appropriate to discuss here. I am glad to hear that membership #'s and confirmation dates are generally protected.

[scion-p40]

I would like to see guest logins made available to church members. This would be helpful in the following situations:
- A YSA who sometimes attends a YSA ward and sometimes a family ward. Because records can only reside in one ward, the YSA members cannot login to see the calendar and ward/stake lists unless the YSA and family wards are in the same stake.
- Single adult members are often in the same situation as YSA members.
- Multilingual individuals (or students of another language) who would like to attend meetings/activities from time to time, such as ASL students attending a deaf ward.
- Individuals who reside in more than one place, such as snowbirds, or folks whose business or pleasure travel causes them to have multiple "home" wards.

It seems to me that a member of the bishopric or their designee should be able to allow for this. I have no idea how to implement it from a tech standpoint, but would use it if available to me.

[jlarso5]

Those with scouting callings would be able to access the calendar under a guest login as well as we have a few in our ward who are not members.