First Calling


Celica
 Share

Recommended Posts

yes I believe that they are. Being a VT supervisor is a calling just like any others. I've never done it but I know from a lot of experience as being a visiting teacher that you want to make sure that you give clear instructions to the other sisters about who they are to report to when they have completed their visiting teaching.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The thing our VT supervisor did that I really appreciated is a list of visiting teacher and their routes. They used to give out the entire sheet in RS everytime it changes. Now, they have it on the RS blog so that we can access it through the internet. I like it because I can check who I'm visiting and who is visiting me.

Also, a very important thing is to make sure you remember the sisters working in Primary and YW in the announcements.

Our VT supervisor organizes a once-a-month VT get-together at some restaurant. That is, she sends out an announcement once a month to say, "We are meeting at (some restaurant or park or something) on (some day towards the end of the month) at (some time) for our VT get-together". This gives an opporunity for those who has not done their VT during the month and those who hasn't been called by their VT to attend, meet with their sisters, and get the VT message.

Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't think that they are. I am a VT Supervisor, and I have not been set apart.

VTeachers are not set apart either. Always thought they should be, same with HT. Perhaps if they were, that would help get the teaching done.

What I do is send an email to all the VT who have email address's with a pdf attachment of the VT Message from lds.org. A Restoration of All Things - Liahona Feb. 2011

Plus I make sure they have my land line (local call), cell number (long distance) and my email address. I let them know that I will be checking back the last week of the month.

My RS Pres likes my reminder. She reports to me :), as does her secretary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home and visiting teachers do no get set apart. They are not callings, but only assignments. Visiting teacher supervisor or coordinator are actual callings, and you should be set apart for them. If you have not yet been, talk to your bishop, ward clerk, or the counselor who extended the calling to you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Home and visiting teachers do no get set apart. They are not callings, but only assignments. Visiting teacher supervisor or coordinator are actual callings, and you should be set apart for them. If you have not yet been, talk to your bishop, ward clerk, or the counselor who extended the calling to you.

My understanding is that VT Supervisor is under Relief Society, therefore, if your previous calling is a Relief Society worker (teacher, mini-group leader, etc.) then you don't need to get set apart again for VT Supervisor.

It's like in Primary, if you were set apart as a Primary teacher then you get called as a Nursery teacher, you're not going to get set apart again because you already are.

Make sense?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding is that VT Supervisor is under Relief Society, therefore, if your previous calling is a Relief Society worker (teacher, mini-group leader, etc.) then you don't need to get set apart again for VT Supervisor.

It's like in Primary, if you were set apart as a Primary teacher then you get called as a Nursery teacher, you're not going to get set apart again because you already are.

Make sense?

Okay, everybody brace yourself, for the all-policy-knowing MOE is going to get all-arrogant and tell you how it is :D

Home and visiting teachers are not set apart. These are assignments that are made. In the case of home teachers, brethren are simply expected to be home teachers. Visiting teaching is not expected of the sisters in the same way (we have no basis for it in the Doctrine and Covenants). However, it has proven to be very effective in keeping abreast of the needs of the women in the ward and is highly encouraged for that reason. Sisters are not expected to be visiting teachers, but may be asked at the discretion of the Relief Society presidency under the supervision of the Bishop. As a culture, we've come to expect that women will be visiting teachers unless their circumstances prevent them from being able to do so.

The Church Handbook of Instructions says, "Members who are called to most Church positions should be set apart before they begin serving." Keeping that in mind, I've received instruction from stake leaders that we shouldn't prevent people from acting in their callings if they have not been set apart. They have indicated that the sustaining vote is sufficient for them to act in their responsibility. My interpretation of the counsel is that we shouldn't allow administrative hang ups to prevent the members from engaging in the work of salvation. At the same time, we shouldn't be brushing off settings apart just because they aren't 'strictly necessary.' Bishoprics should strive to set apart as many people as possible, as it provides an opportunity to give the individual divine counsel and instruction as they set out to do the Lord's work. Settings apart should be done as soon as is reasonable after the sustaining.

Whether or not a person needs to be sustained and set apart to a new calling within an organization is at the discretion of the bishopric. What I offer here is my interpretation, but it certainly isn't the only interpretation.

When a person is called as a primary teacher, we generally call them to a position such as "Primary Worker." We then take the liberty of assigning the primary worker to a class. If circumstances later prompt us to reassign the person to a different primary class, we choose not to do a sustaining and setting apart as they were called to work in primary and assigned to a class.

In most Relief Society callings, however, I would usually recommend a release, sustaining, and setting apart if the scope of the individual's responsibilities underwent a change. For instance, if I was going to ask a Relief Society teacher to be the new compassionate service leader, I would do a release, sustain, and setting apart.

On the other hand, if there were a sister serving as an assistant secretary in the Relief Society, and it was decided to call her as the secretary, I would recommend against a second sustaining as her responsibilities are pretty similar. Instead, I would recommend simply announcing the change. (Coincidentally, I generally recommend against over specification of callings. I normally would advise against calling an "assistant secretary" but instead call a secretary and assign her as an assistant).

Does that make it all as clear as mud?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, everybody brace yourself, for the all-policy-knowing MOE is going to get all-arrogant and tell you how it is :D

Home and visiting teachers are not set apart. These are assignments that are made. In the case of home teachers, brethren are simply expected to be home teachers. Visiting teaching is not expected of the sisters in the same way (we have no basis for it in the Doctrine and Covenants). However, it has proven to be very effective in keeping abreast of the needs of the women in the ward and is highly encouraged for that reason. Sisters are not expected to be visiting teachers, but may be asked at the discretion of the Relief Society presidency under the supervision of the Bishop. As a culture, we've come to expect that women will be visiting teachers unless their circumstances prevent them from being able to do so.

The Church Handbook of Instructions says, "Members who are called to most Church positions should be set apart before they begin serving." Keeping that in mind, I've received instruction from stake leaders that we shouldn't prevent people from acting in their callings if they have not been set apart. They have indicated that the sustaining vote is sufficient for them to act in their responsibility. My interpretation of the counsel is that we shouldn't allow administrative hang ups to prevent the members from engaging in the work of salvation. At the same time, we shouldn't be brushing off settings apart just because they aren't 'strictly necessary.' Bishoprics should strive to set apart as many people as possible, as it provides an opportunity to give the individual divine counsel and instruction as they set out to do the Lord's work. Settings apart should be done as soon as is reasonable after the sustaining.

Whether or not a person needs to be sustained and set apart to a new calling within an organization is at the discretion of the bishopric. What I offer here is my interpretation, but it certainly isn't the only interpretation.

When a person is called as a primary teacher, we generally call them to a position such as "Primary Worker." We then take the liberty of assigning the primary worker to a class. If circumstances later prompt us to reassign the person to a different primary class, we choose not to do a sustaining and setting apart as they were called to work in primary and assigned to a class.

In most Relief Society callings, however, I would usually recommend a release, sustaining, and setting apart if the scope of the individual's responsibilities underwent a change. For instance, if I was going to ask a Relief Society teacher to be the new compassionate service leader, I would do a release, sustain, and setting apart.

On the other hand, if there were a sister serving as an assistant secretary in the Relief Society, and it was decided to call her as the secretary, I would recommend against a second sustaining as her responsibilities are pretty similar. Instead, I would recommend simply announcing the change. (Coincidentally, I generally recommend against over specification of callings. I normally would advise against calling an "assistant secretary" but instead call a secretary and assign her as an assistant).

Does that make it all as clear as mud?

Yep all clear... except, I was called as a Primary Worker - taught a class. Then got called as the Song leader. A member of the bishopric offered me the calling, but I wasn't set apart because, according to him, I was already set apart to work in Primary. I thought that my "responsibilities underwent a change"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep all clear... except, I was called as a Primary Worker - taught a class. Then got called as the Song leader. A member of the bishopric offered me the calling, but I wasn't set apart because, according to him, I was already set apart to work in Primary. I thought that my "responsibilities underwent a change"?

Like I said, it's under the discretion of the bishopric. Personally, I would have done a sustaining and setting apart. But it isn't the kind of thing I lose sleep over.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the tips! So I take it I will be set apart since this is my frist calling....

You will be set apart because it is a calling. There are callings (need setting apart) and assignments (no setting apart). You will know which is which because they will tell you when they ask you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share