Tech Forum Archive

Stake Family History Center Director

24 postsstarted by drepouille 7,451 viewsoriginal topic

drepouille
Senior Member
#1
LCR only allows me to record one Stake Family History Center Director. I have four FHCs in my stake, so I have four Family History Center Directors.

The chart of callings in Handbook 2 states all FHC directors are to be called by the stake. No longer are wards and branches permitted to call, sustain, and set apart FHC directors. So why am I limited to only one Stake Family History Center Director calling in LCR?
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#2
Ward clerks are also called by the stake, but that doesn't make them stake clerks.

You might want to look at the CDOL and see how your FHCs are organized. Do you have more than one as a child organization of the stake? (And not a child of a Ward?)
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
drepouille
Senior Member
#3
The stake FHC is a child of the stake, and the three "ward" FHCs are children of their respective wards. However, there is no such calling as "Ward Family History Director" so the three ward clerks have to guess which family history calling to use for their FHC directors. Most of them choose "Family History Leader", "Family History Consultant", or create a custom calling for their ward FHC directors.

It is perhaps irrelevant, since it is the CDOL that gives FHC directors their special privileges, and not LCR standard callings.

Thanks for having me check CDOL. It shows that the stake "Pays Bills for" one of the ward FHCs. I asked LUS to change that relationship, to make that ward FHC the same as the other ward FHCs. Again, this is perhaps irrelevant, since our FHCs really don't have any bills to pay any more. Their parent units supply paper, toner, etc.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#4
Actually, I'm wondering how that would work. Since FHCs are a unit, then wouldn't that be a calling in the unit rather than a stake calling? As such as "Stake Family History Center Director" would make as much sense as a "Stake Bishop".
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
drepouille
Senior Member
#5
I agree that "Stake Family History Center Director" is a misnomer. But that is the name of the only standard calling that exists for FHC directors.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#6
Trying to find more information isn't easy. Handbook 2 says "see the Administrative Guide for Family History". But I can't find it. The closest I come is the Operations guide, but it's written more for the Director than for the Stake leaders.

I'm halfway wondering if "Stake FHC Director" isn't the "director over all FHCs in the stake". Directors of individual FHCs are recorded in their own units, which I think is controlled by the Family History Department.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
drepouille
Senior Member
#7
For the years my wife was the "Stake FHC Director" (the director of the FHC located in the stake center), everyone somehow expected her to be "over" the other three FHC directors, and responsible for their training. However, there is no such hierarchy described in any manual. Rather, the stake presidency and the high councilor assigned to Family History and Temple Work are responsible to teach, to guide, and to council with the FHC directors in the stake.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
jonesrk
Church Employee
#8
I think that part of the problem comes from the MLS way of doing things. The callings really belong on the FHC, but MLS had no way to manage those callings. In MLS you didn't want the person to show up on the member without callings list, so you put them in somewhere. That really leads to duplicate callings.

What I think would be best to to move it to the model we have tried out in LCR with some of the recreational properties, where the stake that is assigned to be the agent stake can actually manage the callings on the rec property. The project manager for LCR is out until Monday, but I'm going to talk to him about extending that functionality to cover FHCs.
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#9
jonesrk wrote:What I think would be best to to move it to the model we have tried out in LCR with some of the recreational properties, where the stake that is assigned to be the agent stake can actually manage the callings on the rec property.
It certainly sounds like the right way to go.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
drepouille
Senior Member
#10
drepouille wrote:LCR only allows me to record one Stake Family History Center Director. I have four FHCs in my stake, so I have four Family History Center Directors.

The chart of callings in Handbook 2 states all FHC directors are to be called by the stake. No longer are wards and branches permitted to call, sustain, and set apart FHC directors. So why am I limited to only one Stake Family History Center Director calling in LCR?
I just received this e-mail in response to my call to the GSC:
Unfortunately there isn't a solution to the problem you are facing with the four family history centers. At this time, only one individual can hold the Director position and all others will remain as Assistants. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
johnshaw
Senior Member
#11
Dana,

I had this same issue in my previous stake, our 5 FHC's were all associated with the Stake (child), and the 'unit' designation is just not really applicable - We created non-standard naming so people figure out who was in charge of which centers. I'm not even certain if that would work anymore.

I hope what Ryan is looking at will work.
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#12
I'm not sure if it's changed, but I suspect the "keys to the kingdom (calling)" where granted based on data from the FamilySearch side rather than the Stake calling side. So this might be a case where custom callings are the way to go - for now.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
johnshaw
Senior Member
#13
That's correct, one of the onboarding procedures for a new director is to have them call the helpdesk and get setup.
“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom.”
― Thomas Paine, Common Sense
KathrynGZ
Member
#14
russellhltn wrote:Trying to find more information isn't easy. Handbook 2 says "see the Administrative Guide for Family History". But I can't find it. The closest I come is the Operations guide, but it's written more for the Director than for the Stake leaders.
While searching for this information myself, I ran across the answer. Leader Resources for Melchizedek Priesthood states, "A new online guide titled To Turn the Hearts: Leader’s Guide to Temple and Family History is available to help priesthood leaders learn their responsibilities in overseeing and coordinating family history efforts. This guide replaces the Administrative Guide for Family History referenced in Handbook 2: 5.4.7."

hth,
Kathryn
drepouille
Senior Member
#15
I just looked at the stake callings in the directory at lds.org. All four FHC directors in my stake are now listed as "Stake Temple and Family History Consultant".

Has the Stake FHC Director calling been deleted or renamed?
Dana Repouille, Plattsmouth, Nebraska
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#16
drepouille wrote:I just looked at the stake callings in the directory at lds.org. All four FHC directors in my stake are now listed as "Stake Temple and Family History Consultant".
I'm seeing the same.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
jokamura
Member
#17
https://www.lds.org/church/news/church- ... s?lang=eng

As of February 9, all family history callings have changed. Read the First Presidency's letter from the link on the changes.
"Accept what you can't change, and change what you can't accept, but know the difference between the two."
russellhltn
Community Administrator
#18
“To simplify our efforts in finding names and taking them to the temple—going forward, all family history consultants, center directors, and indexing directors at all levels will now be called temple and family history consultants,” Elder Cook announced.
Have you searched the Help Center? Try doing a Google search and adding "site:churchofjesuschrist.org/help" to the search criteria.

So we can better help you, please edit your Profile to include your general location.
faithsf
New Member
#19
So isn't the stake family history center director now called the stake family history center lead consultant? I used to be one of the stake family history center directors in the Westland Michigan Stake. After I was released they changed the stake family history center into becoming a ward family history center.
pete.arnett
Member
#20
Standard Callings for Stake Temple Family History Center Staff
o Stake Temple and Family History Consultant--Family History Center (was the director)
o Stake Temple and Family History Consultant (all other callings)
Thanks,
:cool:Your Fellow Member,
Pete Arnett
Sunny South Florida, USA
chrisgrant
Member
#21
pete.arnett wrote:Standard Callings for Stake Temple Family History Center Staff
o Stake Temple and Family History Consultant--Family History Center (was the director)
o Stake Temple and Family History Consultant (all other callings)
In another thread, I was told by CDOL Developer Ryan Jones that "The Family History Center allows multiple callings of 'Temple and Family History Consultant--Family History Center'".
mikebgloss
New Member
#22
I would like to know how these changes came about. I have been a Stake (Temple & ?) Family History Centre Director for 8 years and no one has informed me that this calling has been discontinued. I think that by lack of knowledge or ignorance on the part of the staff who rewrote the organisational chart for Stakes that some parts have been altered or omitted unintentionally. I am open to being told that the changes came from the top organisations in the church. I still believe that the current changes have missed the point

I believe that there is a disconnect at the top of the chain of command in the Stake organisations, as it presently stands.

The High Councillor (1 or more) Directs and supervises the Temple and Family History work in the Stake. He supervises all FHC Directors, and all Stake consultants.

The Family History Centre Operations manual still shows that the centres are Directed by the FHC Director. Is this to be rewritten also. The staff are called as Ward Consultants and assigned as Stake T & Fh Consultants to serve in the FHC's. They are trained in Temple and Family History by the Stake T & FH Consultant Leader, and the Director.

There should be a Stake T & FH Consultant Leader, who is a Senior T & F H Consultant who is called to organise, supervise and train other Stake T & F H Consultants. He (!) needs to be a priesthood holder so that he can also meet with the High Councilman, and Elders Quorum representatives, in training meetings.

Tell me I am wrong and I'll accept it.

Director FHC
Wawick Perth WA Australia
scgallafent
Church Employee
#23
On February 9, 2017, a notice was sent from the Family History Department to stake and district presidents, bishops, and branch presidents. That notice outlined changes to family history callings that were approved by the First Presidency. Here are some relevant points from that notice:
  • All family history callings are now called "temple and family history consultants."
  • Some temple and family history consultants may be assigned as lead temple and family history consultants. There is no listed requirement that these be priesthood holders.
  • Some temple and family history consultants may be given secondary assignments for stake family history center operations.
  • These changes supersede the former stake family history center director calling.
A member of your stake presidency or bishopric can provide you with a copy of the notice.
sbradshaw
Community Moderators
#24
scgallafent wrote:
  • Some temple and family history consultants may be assigned as lead temple and family history consultants. There is no listed requirement that these be priesthood holders.
.
Things have evolved since the February 9, 2017 letter. Based on an October 6, 2018 letter, an February 28, 2019 leadership training, and the April 2019 updates to Handbook 2, "Ward Temple and Family History Consultant—Lead" (which could be filled by men or women, and multiple people could hold the calling) no longer exists, and has been replaced by "Ward Temple and Family History Leader" (which is filled by an elders quorum counselor, or another Melchizedek priesthood holder under the direction of the elders quorum presidency). In other words, things have changed quickly and we're all trying to catch up. :)
Samuel Bradshaw • If you desire to serve God, you are called to the work.