Has the "Assistant Ward Mission Leader" calling been deprecated?

While the calling still exists in LCR, there’s no mention of it in the current handbook. In the old handbook 2 (attached screenshot), it talks about it, and when searching Google or the churches website, it comes up with old/esoteric references to it. Preach my gospel says something similar to the old handbook. I’ve also attached a screenshot of that.

The thing that brought this up is that we have an assistant ward mission leader, and he is convinced that he was released when the prior ward mission leader was released, and wants to be recalled.

From General Handbook 30.6: "Releasing Members from Callings"

When a president or bishop is released, his or her counselors are released automatically. Others in the organization, such as clerks, secretaries, and teachers, are not released automatically.

From Handbook 2 (2010): 19.5 "Releasing Members from Church Callings"

When a president, bishop, or high priests group leader is released, the counselors or assistants are released automatically. Others who hold positions in the organization, such as clerks, secretaries, and teachers, are not released automatically

I'm not seeing anything where an assistant is automatically released.

Thanks for the update. Great information. I’d still be interested to know if the calling is going away.

Not every calling in LCR is specifically listed in the Handbook, but that doesn't mean that they are not official callings. As the online version of Preach My Gospel still references this position, and as it's in LCR, my guess is it's still going to stick around as a valid calling. It may have been removed from the new GHB in the spirit of Handbook simplification, there's a lot of info that used to be in HB2 that isn't around in the new GHB. Or it may have been overlooked!

It's not unusual for changes to be deployed piecemeal as each app is updated. Preach My Gospel is Version: 3/19. That's quite old (pre-Covid even) while the Handbook is 3/22.

The previous Handbook 1 and Handbook 2 gave broad guidance for large wards, with occasional adaptations for small wards and branches. The new General Handbook starts on the other side of the scale, giving broad guidance for small wards, with occasional adaptations for large wards. For example, see General Handbook section 13.2.2.1.

No mention of an assistant ward mission leader might simply be because the latest instructions aren't tailored to larger wards where an assistant could be helpful.

Alternatively, with more responsibility for missionary work being held by the elders quorum presidency, I could see it being an intentional change, to reduce structure that might make it tempting for a ward mission organization to operate independently from the elders quorum presidency.

I don't think there's any reason a bishop couldn't call an assistant if it was felt that it was needed. But if it's no longer a standard calling, then they won't have any access into LCR.

Which I guess raises the question - what access do they have now?

russellhltn wrote: Tue Jan 17, 2023 6:24 pm I don't think there's any reason a bishop couldn't call an assistant if it was felt that it was needed. But if it's no longer a standard calling, then they won't have any access into LCR.

Which I guess raises the question - what access do they have now?

Doesn't show up as a calling in the access list, so presumably, they don't have any access.