Member requests name removal but won't write a letter?

Hi,

We have several members on our records who have joined another church, and each time members show up they're told that they've joined another church and would like to have their name removed. Each time they're informed that they need to write a letter to the bishop, but they never do.

What is the correct procedure here? I couldn't find any specific information in Handbook 1. In LCR it has a spot that requires uploading a document from the member - should we just upload a note stating that the member refuses to write a letter but continues to request name removal? Or is there some other approach that we should take?

HB1: 6.14

Also see "Documents Required at Church Headquarters for Confidential Actions or Applications" at the end of Section 6.

I believe you're taking the correct action. You inform them of the requirements and wait until they act on it.

We have a few like that here. In the bible belt, where going to church constitutes joining that church in many faiths, we have some who have not been active for over 20 years and don't see the need to write a letter to cancel their membership where they "canceled" their membership (in their mind) by not attending. With the bishop's permission, I mark their record Private-leadership-only to reduce inadvertent contact (since some become belligerent when contacted by members) and we just wait them out. In some cases, there are members who continue to keep neighborly contact where they can.

In the kindest way possible, we try to inform them that they will remain on the church rolls as a member until they write the letter so they shouldn't be surprised if members reach out to them from time to time. In one case, the husband asked for his membership to be canceled in front of his nonmember spouse during a visit from the bishopric. Then he contacted the bishop privately and said he wanted to remain a member of the church but needs to keep peace in their marriage so we marked his record private.

davesudweeks wrote:With the bishop's permission, I mark their record Private-leadership-only to reduce inadvertent contact (since some become belligerent when contacted by members) and we just wait them out.

I did that as well. Within a few weeks, EQ/HP leaders asked why home teachers could no longer see their assigned families in LDS Tools or in the Directory. I explained that since those families had requested no contact from church members, changing their privacy settings was an effort to comply with their wishes.

I am the Assistant Membership Clerk . I am having a difficult time finding the appropriate steps to remove records for a family in the ward. The family wants their record removed completely from the Church and will not complete a form stating as such. In addition, they are threatening lawsuit if we don't remove their records. So what steps do you recommend that would not involve participation on their part?
Marking Private-leadership-only will not work for this particular family.
If somehow we can talk the family to submit a letter to Bishop stating to remove record, what are the next steps for the Bishop once he has the signed letter to complete the record removal request?
thanks in advance.
Jamie (jgc6942@gmail.com)

jgcastle wrote:I am the Assistant Membership Clerk . I am having a difficult time finding the appropriate steps to remove records for a family in the ward. The family wants their record removed completely from the Church and will not complete a form stating as such. In addition, they are threatening lawsuit if we don't remove their records. So what steps do you recommend that would not involve participation on their part?
Marking Private-leadership-only will not work for this particular family.
If somehow we can talk the family to submit a letter to Bishop stating to remove record, what are the next steps for the Bishop once he has the signed letter to complete the record removal request?

See Handbook 1 Section 6.14. Pay particular attention to the 9th paragraph in this case.

eblood66 wrote:

jgcastle wrote:The family wants their record removed completely from the Church and will not complete a form stating as such. In addition, they are threatening lawsuit if we don't remove their records.

See Handbook 1 Section 6.14. Pay particular attention to the 9th paragraph in this case.

Good advice.

I don't think there's a formal form as much as the request has to be in writing and signed. (Handbook 1 6:14, paragraph 1) I'd think a simple letter should be sufficient. I'd note that to bring a lawsuit, I'm certain they'll have to write and sign a whole bunch of forms. Put it in writing now or put it in writing later - their call.

I would make sure the bishop has the Handbook reference, and then I would let the bishop take care of it. A situation like this is not one that clerks normally take care of themselves.