Ward Technology Specialist

In the most recent handbook updates there are references to Ward Technology Specialist that report to the Ward Executive Secretary. I'm a bit dumbfounded by the whole thing.

Is this just an assistant technology Specialist? What's the deal with reporting to the ExecSec rather than the STS? Is there an official LCR/CDOL position for this?

Mostly I just see this being confusing between wards and stakes and roles. I'm particularly concerned that Ward budget will be used inappropriately as wards just so whatever they want without the kind of policy and training the stake tech group supervise.

Good question, John. I assume you are referring to 33.10, which contradicts what we've been told before. (Last bullet of this PDF, for example.)

Interesting. It sounds like the stake-level assistant technology specialist is gone and replaced with the new ward one. I do wonder what rights they'll have in TM.

With the exception of webcasting, they seem to be more focused on helping members navigate the technology.

russellhltn wrote:Interesting. It sounds like the stake-level assistant technology specialist is gone and replaced with the new ward one. I do wonder what rights they'll have in TM.

With the exception of webcasting, they seem to be more focused on helping members navigate the technology.

I don't really understand it because assistant TS already provided this function if used. My fear is we announced it and haven't accounted for it in any kind of training/policy updates/positions in LCR. Also, it's now out of the clerk area and into the ExecSec area? How in the world is the ExecSec someone focused on those items? It would make more sense to have them report through the SS Presidency IMHO if they aren't overseen by the stake. So now we have 2 competing technology groups in wards/branches and stakes/districts because they have completely different reporting structures. This is a recipe for disaster, but I can tell you that after being unable to focus my role and have a team supporting ward needs because of leadership numbness to it, I'll be requesting to be released if wards are now in charge of technology, I'm a glorified Webcast button pusher and fireside projector putter-upper? I don't think so....

Also, the updated the section under 'Bishopric' and they've gone out of their way to say that the ExecSec data is updated in this section because the ExecSec is in the Bishopric (both the newsroom summary and the letter in the OCL go out of their way to call out the ExecSec no matter that the Clerk is also talked about in there) But they didn't include it in the newly updated responsibilities section for the ExecSec, but it's in the ancillary section under 'Technology'. It just feels unfinished or it feels like a 20 year ExecSec wrote the language according to their own experiences or something.

It's like a backdoor into a responsibility that isn't listed in the responsibility section for the ExecSec? Something's off.

Has anyone figured this out? I was called a couple months ago as a Ward Tech Specialist, which I knew was a custom calling. With the handbook update it would be nice if there was a standard calling that gives access.

Looks like we got their answer today



Changes to Technology Specialist Callings

Recent changes in the General Handbook, 33.10 allow stake presidencies and bishoprics to call one or more technology specialists to serve at the stake and ward level. Men, women, and youth may fill these callings.

Ward Technology Specialist
-->Ward technology specialists should receive support and training from stake technology specialists.

Stake Technology Specialists
-->Two stake callings have been renamed. The stake or district assistant clerk—technology specialist (STS) and the assistant technology specialist (ATS) will now both be known as technology specialists (TS).
-->Technology specialists who are called by the stake have access to manage the following tools in order to support meetinghouses used by multiple wards or branches:

tm.ChurchofJesusChrist.org
meet.ChurchofJesusChrist.org
webcast.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

To me it appears the most significant change is that changing the requirement from being an assistant stake clerk allows a woman to function in the TS role where before they only had the opportunity to be an ATS, young men and young women as well.

Can a Ward Technology Specialist setup and run a Church webcast session? Up till now only Stake Tech's could.

johwil01 wrote:Can a Ward Technology Specialist setup and run a Church webcast session? Up till now only Stake Tech's could.

Good question. Someone will have to test and find out. Note that the church has been discouraging use of the Church webcast for sacrament meetings and encouraging us to use Zoom Webinar instead. As such, I'm not sure as they'd put in the work to change the Church Webcast portal.

The announcement said that "Technology specialists who are called by the stake have access to manage the following tools . . ." I do not believe anything is changing at the ward level.