What do you do in PEC?

[tubaloth]

So I'm the ward clerk.  I take the minutes that we pretty much don't do anything with.  (I have been sending out a summary email on mondays,  kind of like what needs to happen over the week). 

 

But is my ward the only ward that seems to do the same thing in PEC as  Ward Council? 

 

I get that Ward Council has other people in the meeting,  but our ward we talk about the same thing in both meetings.    Who needs help, and who are the missionaries visiting. 

 

Looking at the handbook it says 

 

 

The PEC meets regularly to consider priesthood matters. Generally, the PEC need not consider matters that will be discussed by the ward council. However, it may be beneficial for the PEC to preview some matters that will be on the ward council’s agenda. For convenience, the PEC could meet just before the ward council meeting.

 

 

What are priesthood matters?   I can see us talking about Home Teaching (hows it going, how to improve it).   I can see we talk about Young Men and how they are progressing?     From what I can see the PEC meeting shouldn't even take more than a half an hour.   (If its done right).     It even suggest having it before Ward Council.  Does anybody do that?    Our ward does every other week? PEC  WC, PEC, WC.  

 

 

Any idea on what should be talked about in PEC  vs Ward Council?

Thanks 

[notquiteperfect]

PEC is for more private matters (ie who needs welfare assistance, employment, etc).  Since the missionaries, YW and Primary Pres (for example) can't do much in regards to that, there's no point in discussing it in Wd Council which they attend.

[Palerider]

I did things different in PEC... We would have it once or twice a month and we met at Missionaries apartment or a member of PEC's home. We then teamed up and went out and visited less active members. We had to be back by a certain time and then we reported and went home. Once a quarter we would ask members of a PEC to bring a snack or some type of food and we would eat while meeting. Never met at church for this meeting.

[spamlds]

The handbook gives sample agendas for what should be covered in the meetings, but it's basically up to the bishop to direct the PEC and ward council meetings as he sees fit.  Both meetings allow the quorums and auxiliaries to organize their efforts to serve the members, plan activities, etc.   Every ward and branch is different.  

 

I've spent over 12 years in bishoprics as a counselor, counselor in two branch presidencies, a branch president, and two times as a ward executive secretary. The meetings we held were different depending on the bishop or president.  In one branch, the president was the chief operating officer of a Fortune 500 company.  Those meetings ran like a high-level executive would run a meeting.  The agenda and minutes were most definitely used every week.  I learned a lot from him.  

 

In other wards, the meetings have tended to be more personal and less structured.  In our ward now, the Relief Society president is invited to attend PEC.  The only real difference on the agenda is that the PEC focuses more on young men, perspective elders, and home teaching with more emphasis.  

 

As a clerk or executive secretary, the job is to make sure that the administrative requirements of the Church don't get in the way of the leadership's efforts to touch others' lives.  We try to take the burden off the bishop and his counselors so they don't get bogged down with paperwork, budgets, etc.  Some bishops like to micromanage things. Others are hands-off about the administrative side of it.  Record-keeping is particularly important.  We recently had to re-ordain a brother who was previously ordained in another unit a few years ago.  The ward where he was ordained failed to record the ordinance on his records and the ordination had to be re-done.  Just keeping track of things like who has been set apart to callings and getting those things entered into the MLS system is incredibly important.  The clerks have such an important job!  

[MarginOfError]

When I was the clerk, I tried to get the bishop to eliminate PEC.  We never discussed anything in PEC that wouldn't have benefitted from the involvement of the rest of the Ward Council.  I include in that discussion Home Teaching; it doesn't make sense to me to divorce home teaching from visiting teaching.  I have found that the women in our councils often have great ideas for who would be good home teachers for someone in need.

 

The only topic that has held any influence for me as an argument for having PEC was to discuss the development of young men, prospective elders (and perhaps prospective high priests).  My immediate response to that is, however, when is the bishopric meeting with the young women presidency and relief society presidency to discuss the needs of the young women and new convert/reactivated women?

 

So, in my mind, I would either get rid of PEC or add another similar meeting for the development of the females.

[Palerider]

When I was the clerk, I tried to get the bishop to eliminate PEC.  We never discussed anything in PEC that wouldn't have benefitted from the involvement of the rest of the Ward Council.  I include in that discussion Home Teaching; it doesn't make sense to me to divorce home teaching from visiting teaching.  I have found that the women in our councils often have great ideas for who would be good home teachers for someone in need.

 

The only topic that has held any influence for me as an argument for having PEC was to discuss the development of young men, prospective elders (and perhaps prospective high priests).  My immediate response to that is, however, when is the bishopric meeting with the young women presidency and relief society presidency to discuss the needs of the young women and new convert/reactivated women?

 

So, in my mind, I would either get rid of PEC or add another similar meeting for the development of the females.

Which is why once or twice a month we got together and I had the PEC go out and visit people. We had some really nice visits and experiences.

[The Folk Prophet]

From Introduction to Handbook 2 and Related Principles by Quentin L. Cook

 

Some bishops have asked if there is a clear distinction between what should be addressed in PEC meetings and what should be discussed with the ward council. The general answer is set forth in sections 4.3 and 4.4. The PEC meets regularly to consider priesthood matters, such as quorum priesthood responsibilities, ordinances and blessings, callings and releases, certain temple and missionary items, and administering Church discipline. Generally, the PEC need not discuss matters that will be reviewed by the ward council. “However, it may be beneficial for the PEC to preview some matters that will be on the ward council’s agenda” (Handbook 2, 4.3). On the other hand, the ward council typically discusses matters that benefit from coordination and discussion and are of general concern for the ward as a whole.

 

Participation from all council members, especially the sisters, is essential if the revelatory potential is to be achieved. The bishop may determine that a decision is appropriate at the end of the ward council discussion, or he may feel inspired to make the decision at a subsequent bishopric or PEC meeting.

 

While a bright line of distinction between the two councils is not intended, three principal objectives may give bishops guidance in determining whether to utilize the PEC or ward council:

 

• First, decrease the burden on bishoprics.

• Second, increase delegation and revelation through councils.

• Third, avoid regimentation that interferes with inspiration.

 

We also pray that common sense and guidance from the Spirit will prevail.

Edited January 13, 2015 by The Folk Prophet

[RMGuy]

I was once in a ward where the bishop decided that we would have meetings when we needed to have meetings and not just because we were "supposed to meet."  I remember one quarter where we didn't meet at all.  There was nothing relevant to discuss.  I remember other quarters were we met several times to solve and resolve issues.  They were effective because we had something that needed done and accountability.  Sometimes meetings can feel like we are killing time because we are supposed to.  

 

Not recommending that this is the solution for all or even any wards, but I will say it made a big difference in what we actually got done in that ward for the positive.  

[mdfxdb]

So I'm the ward clerk.  I take the minutes that we pretty much don't do anything with.  (I have been sending out a summary email on mondays,  kind of like what needs to happen over the week). 

 

But is my ward the only ward that seems to do the same thing in PEC as  Ward Council? 

 

I get that Ward Council has other people in the meeting,  but our ward we talk about the same thing in both meetings.    Who needs help, and who are the missionaries visiting. 

 

Looking at the handbook it says 

 

 

 

What are priesthood matters?   I can see us talking about Home Teaching (hows it going, how to improve it).   I can see we talk about Young Men and how they are progressing?     From what I can see the PEC meeting shouldn't even take more than a half an hour.   (If its done right).     It even suggest having it before Ward Council.  Does anybody do that?    Our ward does every other week? PEC  WC, PEC, WC.  

 

 

Any idea on what should be talked about in PEC  vs Ward Council?

Thanks 

My ward has the same problem.  PEC is a repeat of Ward Council.  It's a complete waste of time.  My interpretation is what the handbook outlines as you have posted.  Ultimately you are stuck with what the Bishop decides to do.  If I were you I would point out the distinctions to the Bishop on a regular basis, and lobby for a change. 

[Vort]

I've been in and out of the ward council and PEC for years now -- currently out. My ward has either a ward council or a PEC almost every week, and it goes a full hour and sometimes 90 minutes. It's not wasted time, either; the leaders need every minute to cover the issues and coordinate the actions that are needed to help people out.

 

Every ward is different, of course. But I can't imagine how a ward can be run well with the ward council meeting only once a month. Even if everyone in the ward is filthy rich, people have problems. I belong to an outstanding ward, yet we have dire need of our weekly ward council/PEC meetings.

 

Huh. Maybe the fact that we have and effectively use those meetings is one reason why our ward is so outstanding...

[Palerider]

I was once in a ward where the bishop decided that we would have meetings when we needed to have meetings and not just because we were "supposed to meet."  I remember one quarter where we didn't meet at all.  There was nothing relevant to discuss.  I remember other quarters were we met several times to solve and resolve issues.  They were effective because we had something that needed done and accountability.  Sometimes meetings can feel like we are killing time because we are supposed to.  

 

Not recommending that this is the solution for all or even any wards, but I will say it made a big difference in what we actually got done in that ward for the positive.

I don't believe in having meetings because we are suppose to have one. Only meet if we have a need.

[askandanswer]

My experience is that both kinds of meetings are useful, and more so when held regularly, and in a planned and structured manner. However, its also my experience that both meetings could nearly always be shorter and better managed than they usually end up being, with no loss of quality.