How is the new Handbook's Approach to Social Activities working?

[Guest mormonmusic]

Just wondered it's going in your respective wards regarding social activities. As everyone may know, the new Handbook is purported to put responsibilty for planning and executing social activities on the Ward Council, who can assign it if they wish. Social Activities Chairpeople are not called, I understand.

What has happened in your wards with respect to social activities? Are things better, worse, or the same in terms of:

a) Frequency of activities

b) Quality of Activities

c) Attendance at activities

I'm curious.

[MarginOfError]

The frequency, quality, and attendance at our activities has been unaffected. It's been working well, with a few kinks in the system that we're trying to work out (mostly with my inability to get budget numbers to people coordinating the activities).

But, admittedly, we got lucky. Our activities committee had already put the 2011 activities on the calendar before being disbanded. I would strongly recommend that wards convene a temporary committee in September or October (not necessarily ward council members) to make a plan of activities, and schedule them, for the ward council to work with. That way, the dates are on the calendar and the ward council just has to get things moving.

[Mahonri]

Activities? what activities?

[Guest mormonmusic]

Ours have fallen off the map. We had a really good social activities person and even then we struggled a bit prior to the change in the CHI. The activities were well-organized, but underfunded and eventually, attendance dropped off. The last activity was a train wreck -- a chili cook-off. The only people who showed up were the Bishopric who organized it.

Hopefully this isn't typical of other wards; ours lacks commitment so just about any program has quality issues, I'm afraid.

[rameumptom]

The concept behind the change is this:

First, to allow the Ward Council to discuss the merits of an activity, in regards to the needs of the membership. In this manner, someone doesn't just throw up activities that only help their own little group or clique.

Second, it allows the Ward Council to consider priesthood purpose, budget, and if the activity will strengthen or weaken families.

Third, there's nothing wrong with the various organizations (MP, RS, etc) to stage their own activities or to sponsor one. The value in discussing them in the Ward Council ensures each of these stays working within the goals of the ward, and to avoid duplication of effort, etc.

[UrbanFool]

So... the men get to decide everything and the women get to pull it off?

[Guest]

The concept behind the change is this:

First, to allow the Ward Council to discuss the merits of an activity, in regards to the needs of the membership. In this manner, someone doesn't just throw up activities that only help their own little group or clique.

Second, it allows the Ward Council to consider priesthood purpose, budget, and if the activity will strengthen or weaken families.

Third, there's nothing wrong with the various organizations (MP, RS, etc) to stage their own activities or to sponsor one. The value in discussing them in the Ward Council ensures each of these stays working within the goals of the ward, and to avoid duplication of effort, etc.

I don't understand why there is a need to get rid of the Activities committee. The Activities Committee did all of the above. The Activities Committee was part of the Ward Council so all Activities get vetted by the council taking into consideration purpose, budget, and impact on families. That was the main purpose of the calling. And, the activities committee gets involved in all the auxiliary activities so that their activities are organized in such a manner as to avoid duplication, scheduling conflicts, non-cliquey, and advances the purposes of the ward as a whole. The Activities committee also organized stuff with the Stake activities. And the Activities committee also interacts with external activities - like City-sponsored activities.

That's what we lost when the activities committee got disbanded. Because, just last month, the Stake Boy Scouts held a Merit Badge Fair and only 2 scouts showed up... in the entire stake. Because, nobody in the wards made any announcements to anybody about it except for some of the scout leaders to their scouts - so the auxiliaries scheduled some stuff that conflicted with it. And so confusion ensued.

We did a better job with the Easter activity - but the quality of the event was lower because nobody wanted to spend anything from their budgets for it and the auxiliary presidencies was not too excited to add one more thing on their to-do lists when it is already overflowing as it is. I mean - last year, the activities committee spent quite a bit of time filling out all the eggs (we have eggs we recycle year after year) - this year, we only had half the eggs we had in previous Easters because the group assigned to fill the eggs didn't have the time to do it. I mean, last year we cut out strips of paper with scripture verses on it to put in the eggs among other stuff - like tiny bubble stuff and silly bands... that was how dedicated we were to those eggs! :) This year, we had a piece of candy in each egg.

Does it matter? As an activities chairperson in my previous calling, yes, it matters. These activities are the times when ward members feel comfortable inviting their non-member friends over. Nobody wants to invite their friends to a boring activity.

Edited April 27, 2011 by anatess

[Wingnut]

So... the men get to decide everything and the women get to pull it off?

There are three women on the Ward Council -- Primary President, Relief Society President, and Young Women President.

[Wingnut]

I don't understand why there is a need to get rid of the Activities committee. The Activities Committee did all of the above. The Activities Committee was part of the Ward Council so all Activities get vetted by the council taking into consideration purpose, budget, and impact on families. That was the main purpose of the calling. And, the activities committee gets involved in all the auxiliary activities so that their activities are organized in such a manner as to avoid duplication, scheduling conflicts, non-cliquey, and advances the purposes of the ward as a whole. The Activities committee also organized stuff with the Stake activities. And the Activities committee also interacts with external activities - like City-sponsored activities.

That's how an ideal Activities Committee acted, but realistically, it's not how most were. In my ward, for example, until November, many of the activities were chosen and conducted based on the personal preferences and tastes of the activities chairperson, who, while certainly capable, didn't have a particularly wide appeal. I also know that she had a problem with drastic and unnecessary overspending.

(Also, I think the Activities Committee Chairperson(s) could be invited to Ward Council if the bishop was so inclined, but were not actually an official part of the Council. The Great and Mighty Arbiter of the Handbooks -- also known as MOE -- can correct me if I'm wrong.)

[Guest]

That's how an ideal Activities Committee acted, but realistically, it's not how most were. In my ward, for example, until November, many of the activities were chosen and conducted based on the personal preferences and tastes of the activities chairperson, who, while certainly capable, didn't have a particularly wide appeal. I also know that she had a problem with drastic and unnecessary overspending.

(Also, I think the Activities Committee Chairperson(s) could be invited to Ward Council if the bishop was so inclined, but were not actually an official part of the Council. The Great and Mighty Arbiter of the Handbooks -- also known as MOE -- can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Failure of a person to perform and magnify the calling doesn't necessarily mean the calling is useless.

And I'm pretty sure the Activities Committee is part of Ward Council - because, that was the bane of my existence for the 4 years I held the calling - having to attend the 7AM meetings every month!

And there was no way I could have overspent. The ward clerk tells me every Valentine's Day (my first activity of the year) - you have $300 to spend for the entire year. THREE HUNDRED BUCKS! That's at least 6 activities with food and stuff for an entire ward. Yeah, I had to work miracles 6 times a year. Amazingly - the last year I held the calling (2 years ago), we were able to get a live band for the Ward Valentine's Dance, 2 bounce houses for Easter, 2 ponies for July 4th, 10 fair booths for Halloween, and an entire stage/lights/sound system for Christmas in Concert... and uniforms for the Men's inter-Stake Basketball Tournament... all for free.

Edited April 27, 2011 by anatess

[Wingnut]

Failure of a person to perform and magnify the calling doesn't necessarily mean the calling is useless.

I didn't say that it was.

[Guest]

I didn't say that it was.

No, you didn't. I was just trying to say that my question on why it was necessary to disband the Activities Committee is still not answered.