Send a Message to Everybody in the Stake or Ward

We'd like to send out a large announcement to everybody in the directory of a ward or a stake on certain occasions. One example would be for stake conference: tell everybody the schedule for stake temple night, stake priesthood meeting, adult meeting, youth meeting, etc.

I know that the calendar can send out emails for one calendar item, and I know that the Send Message feature can message groups of leaders or individuals. We could also do it manually exporting email addresses from MLS, but I'm looking for a feature on the website that will do all this for us automatically.

Any ideas?

ryanspencer wrote:I know that the Send Message feature can message groups of leaders or individuals.

Are you aware that the Send a Message feature can send to the whole ward or even the whole stake? That seems to be exactly what you are looking for.

The trick is that the permissions to send to this large group are very tightly restricted. To send to the whole stake, for example, you must be the stake clerk or a member of the stake presidency. To send to the whole ward, you must be the ward clerk or a member of the bishopric.

That sounds like it fits the bill. High Councilors/Stake Technology Specialists don't have the permissions, I assume?

ryanspencer wrote:That sounds like it fits the bill. High Councilors/Stake Technology Specialists don't have the permissions, I assume?

That's correct. I think there's only 4 people in the stake and 4 in the ward who can do this (I'm not certain about executive secretaries). But assistant clerks, high councilors, etc. cannot do it.

I am an assistant ward clerk and I just sent a message to the ward using "Send a Message." I am also an assistant stake clerk and in that calling I am limited to only the stake leaders, not the members. One good thing about all of this, I finally got the stake clerk to let me show him how to send a message to the stake. I have been doing this through LUWS until it was discontinued.

zaneclark wrote:I am an assistant ward clerk and I just sent a message to the ward using "Send a Message."

How did you do that? The "Send a Message" feature for an assistant ward clerk only has "leaders" under available groups as choices in Leader and Clerk Resources. There is no option for the entire ward. Didn't you meant you used "Email all Adults" from the Adults group under Ward Organization in the Directory?

I used Send a Message in Clerk Resources where I can choose from either Leaders or Members. I am also an assistant stake clerk and both ward and stake web administrator, but don't know if one of callings gives me this permission.

I am guessing that your ability to send to members is because of your stake position. I am an assistant ward clerk and can only use the send a message to leadership groups. Membership groups are not available.

zaneclark wrote:I used Send a Message in Clerk Resources where I can choose from either Leaders or Members. I am also an assistant stake clerk and both ward and stake web administrator, but don't know if one of callings gives me this permission.

Very strange. I hold the same positions and the only group that I can send Email to is "Leaders".

aebrown wrote:To send to the whole stake, for example, you must be the stake clerk or a member of the stake presidency.

Well that's just great. Don't tell my stake presidency I have that ability. The bishoprics and ward clerks in my stake are already tired of receiving e-mails from me. I remember when I used to try to send e-mail broadcasts from the LUWS. I received several dozen "undeliverable" messages, and a few complaints from members who didn't want to receive e-mail broadcasts on subjects they had no interest in.

My stake presidency believes I have a magic ability to touch every member of the stake. Experience has shown that most bishops do not pass messages from the stake presidency on to the members of their wards, or in many cases to their own counselors, clerks, and ward council.

Experience has taught us that same lesson. If you can't convey the entire message in a subject line of an email, the body of the message is read rarely, or distraction interrupts and the message is marked as read and not returned to.

If you send it to top leadership they don't always pass it on. If you send it to the entire ward council, everyone assumes everyone else reads it and the information isn't consumed.

In our stake, the mantra is, don't let important information go down one communication path. If it's vital we'll add it to Bishopric Training or have a quick (no longer than 30 min) conference call with Bishops.

This is difficult for all organizations now.

Our stake president has an interesting habit, especially when he is out of town. He simply forwards e-mails to the rest of the stake presidency without comment. Sometimes they require immediate action. We often look at each other and try to figure out among ourselves who is going to take the action item.
I am often asked to pass things on to the bishop(rics) simply because I am the guy who brings a laptop to all stake meetings.