Did ALL Members Review Their IOS?

In MLS, in the Membership Audit, one of the last questions asked is: "During the last year, all members of the ward had the opportunity of review their Individual Ordinance Summary (IOS) for accuracy"?

Opportunity
1: a favorable juncture of circumstances <the halt provided an opportunity for rest and refreshment>
2: a good chance for advancement or progress



The question is what is specific the action or circumstances that is sufficient to be considered "opportunity" in this context? It may be nothing more then an announcement over the pulpit that members should review the IOS with the clerk and to stop by and ask to see it.

RussellHltn wrote:It may be nothing more then an announcement over the pulpit that members should review the IOS with the clerk and to stop by and ask to see it.

That's only an opportunity to those present.

The clerk's office is open and full of clerks several hours almost every Sunday. That seems like "opportunity". Maybe the answer is always "yes" for every ward. Hum, then I still have the same question.... What is the point of the question, or what is it really asking?

The opportunity itself is present to all members, even if they are not there to hear the announcement. I assume the question is there to make sure the wards keep an "open door" policy of some kind with respect to the IOS.

Maybe time to dig into the manuals, since I wouldn't expect an audit question to be the source of anything new.

RussellHltn wrote:Maybe time to dig into the manuals, since I wouldn't expect an audit question to be the source of anything new.

Handbook 1, Section 13.6 says it even more strongly than "opportunity" -- it simply says that a clerk or bishopric member reviews the IOS with members each year. Not "gives an opportunity" but actually "reviews." I'm not commenting on the challenges that statement presents, but as RussellHltn surmised, the audit is simply following up on a pretty clear instruction already given in the Handbook.

ckmcdonald wrote:In MLS, in the Membership Audit, one of the last questions asked is: "During the last year, all members of the ward had the opportunity of review their Individual Ordinance Summary (IOS) for accuracy"?

Given it says "all members", I suspect very few if any Wards could answer this question "yes". What is the point of the question, or what is it really asking?

Well, I've always been instructed that tithing settlement is an opportunity to review the IOS with the member and make any adjustments, as suggested in Handbook 1, 13.6 All members are invited to participate in tithing settlement, and the invitation is frequently reissued up until the last week of December. So, yeah, I'd say that all members have had the opportunity, just as each member has had the opportunity to participate in tithing settlement. We've never turned anyone away from either, as far as I know.

It was my first membership audit. I simply read the question and answered it honestly. "No". Because I answered "no" I was rewarded with an audit exception on the report... that then asked me "Who will correct this?". Being brutally honest again, I answered "No one, this isn't feasible".

Our Bishop signed the report without comment, but I got a little+ chastisement from the Stake!

We do as a ward rigorously provide IOS review to all who attend tithing settlement. We gather corrections/omissions and make needed updates. But, 50+% of the ward doesn't attend settlement. At least 30% aren't even aware settlement is occurring or maybe even know what settlement is or that they have an IOS. Additionally, there are probably a few who are being intimidated away from an IOS review because they choose not to attend settlement.

If I answer "yes" or "no" to this question it's a misrepresentation of the truth, at best. Which means it's not a yes/no question. Because there are little guidelines as to what level of effort is acceptable, it's not even a good essay question.

I used to be a ward finance clerk and I would distribute the IOS forms throughout the ward by including them with the YTD donation summary, which is usually distributed around the first part of November. Included are one of two letters from the Bishop that are similar, just worded slightly different depending on whether the member had made any contributions that year or not.

Both letters invite the member to participate in tithing settlement and have brief instructions on how to register to use the ward website tools. The letters also invite the members to review their enclosed IOS and report any discrepancies.

We distribute as many envelopes as we can by hand before Sacrament Meeting and between meetings, then mail the rest.

I'm no longer serving in that capacity, but I would think that would satisfy the audit question.

Mikerowaved wrote:I used to be a ward finance clerk and I would distribute the IOS forms throughout the ward by including them with the YTD donation summary, which is usually distributed around the first part of November. Included are one of two letters from the Bishop that are similar, just worded slightly different depending on whether the member had made any contributions that year or not.

Both letters invite the member to participate in tithing settlement and have brief instructions on how to register to use the ward website tools. The letters also invite the members to review their enclosed IOS and report any discrepancies.

We distribute as many envelopes as we can by hand before Sacrament Meeting and between meetings, then mail the rest.

I'm no longer serving in that capacity, but I would think that would satisfy the audit question.

This is a fair amount of work and expense (envelopes/stamps/paper) but this method is appealing to me. It seems to me to satisfy (maybe overly) the intent of the audit, in my limited understanding. Just curious, did you mail them to DNC's as well?

It's that time of year again... I believe I'll propose a plan similar to this to our Bishop. In the past we've only done IOS reviews with settlement attenders. Ironically, it's likely the non-attenders that are more in need of IOS review. I'd refrain from sending them to DNC's.

Having done something like this, I'd feel a little better about answering "yes" to the audit question.

Another tool would be to have the bishopric members take the IOS with them when the visit less active members. Reviewing the summary for accuracy would be a wonderful way for leaders to turn the members' minds and hearts back to the time they received these ordinances and entered into the associated covenants.

Mikerowaved wrote:I used to be a ward finance clerk and I would distribute the IOS forms throughout the ward by including them with the YTD donation summary, which is usually distributed around the first part of November. Included are one of two letters from the Bishop that are similar, just worded slightly different depending on whether the member had made any contributions that year or not.

Both letters invite the member to participate in tithing settlement and have brief instructions on how to register to use the ward website tools. The letters also invite the members to review their enclosed IOS and report any discrepancies.

We distribute as many envelopes as we can by hand before Sacrament Meeting and between meetings, then mail the rest.

I'm no longer serving in that capacity, but I would think that would satisfy the audit question.

I've done this a couple of times in the past, but each time we had letters come back, because the recipient had moved without a forwarding address. So I guess strictly speaking, it would still be a "NO."

ckmcdonald wrote:Just curious, did you mail them to DNC's as well?

We include the DNC's as well. If anyone wants to complain, they have the Bishop's return address... A side benefit is we often receive address change/move out information for those who currently desire no home teachers, etc. (if you have the "Address Correction Requested" note on your envelopes). There is sometimes a small charge for the address correction, but we feel it's worth it if we find someone has moved out without our knowledge.

Mikerowaved wrote:I used to be a ward finance clerk and I would distribute the IOS forms throughout the ward by including them with the YTD donation summary, which is usually distributed around the first part of November. Included are one of two letters from the Bishop that are similar, just worded slightly different depending on whether the member had made any contributions that year or not.

Both letters invite the member to participate in tithing settlement and have brief instructions on how to register to use the ward website tools. The letters also invite the members to review their enclosed IOS and report any discrepancies.

We distribute as many envelopes as we can by hand before Sacrament Meeting and between meetings, then mail the rest.

I'm no longer serving in that capacity, but I would think that would satisfy the audit question.

While more work/expense, it really gives your ward the opportunity to "magnify" your efforts... and it serves as a much better "invitation" to tithing settlement from the bishop than just inviting those who attend sundays from the pulpit! Any returned letters give the added benefit of correcting any move-outs or address changes you didn't know about. And, EVERY member will then receive an IOS, and can review this at tithing settlement with leaders.

I've done it, and it is work. But "important" work.