Are Individual LDS Wards Free to Develop their Own Individual Mission and Vision Statements?

[Navidad]

Certainly there are LDS wards in communities all over the world - rich, poor, diverse, rural, urban, historic, new, and on and on. Does the Church leadership allow or encourage each to develop, perhaps through their ward council their own unique mission and vision given the specific circumstances of the specific ward? If so, is their a format or procedure for doing so? Would someone higher up than a stake president have to approve it? Thanks for reading and responding.

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Navidad said:

Certainly there are LDS wards in communities all over the world - rich, poor, diverse, rural, urban, historic, new, and on and on. Does the Church leadership allow or encourage each to develop, perhaps through their ward council their own unique mission and vision given the specific circumstances of the specific ward? If so, is their a format or procedure for doing so? Would someone higher up than a stake president have to approve it? Thanks for reading and responding.

Each ward is supposed to make ward goals for the new year, and those would probably be centered on the ward's "specific circumstances".  The goals are supposed to be turned into the stake but I don't believe the stake critiques them.  

[rpn]

They are supposed to do that (and share it with the ward in ward conferences and remind at other times).

[InCognitus]

7 hours ago, Navidad said:

Certainly there are LDS wards in communities all over the world - rich, poor, diverse, rural, urban, historic, new, and on and on. Does the Church leadership allow or encourage each to develop, perhaps through their ward council their own unique mission and vision given the specific circumstances of the specific ward? If so, is their a format or procedure for doing so? Would someone higher up than a stake president have to approve it? Thanks for reading and responding.

These are the guidelines for doing the Ward Mission Plan (in a video):   

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-07-0210-the-ward-mission-plan?lang=eng

 

[Hamba Tuhan]

1 minute ago, InCognitus said:

These are the guidelines for doing the Ward Mission Plan (in a video):   

There should also be a ward temple and family history plan.

[mfbukowski]

23 hours ago, Navidad said:

Certainly there are LDS wards in communities all over the world - rich, poor, diverse, rural, urban, historic, new, and on and on. Does the Church leadership allow or encourage each to develop, perhaps through their ward council their own unique mission and vision given the specific circumstances of the specific ward? If so, is their a format or procedure for doing so? Would someone higher up than a stake president have to approve it? Thanks for reading and responding.

"Are Individual LDS Wards Free to Develop their Own Individual Mission and Vision Statements?"

Vision, no. The church has ONE VISION and one MISSION

Within that mission and vision there is wide flexibility on how to achieve that.

That is a very fine distinction.

A ward does not make a "vision statement" for the church.

The ward "tactics" in fulfilling the church's mission is usually up to the bishop, and an informal confirmation by the Stake President.

"Hey President! How you doin'? We were thinking about having English lessons on Wednesday nights- any problems with that?"

We actually have that going! (ESL )

Edited January 30, 2023 by mfbukowski

[Rain]

23 hours ago, Navidad said:

Certainly there are LDS wards in communities all over the world - rich, poor, diverse, rural, urban, historic, new, and on and on. Does the Church leadership allow or encourage each to develop, perhaps through their ward council their own unique mission and vision given the specific circumstances of the specific ward? If so, is their a format or procedure for doing so? Would someone higher up than a stake president have to approve it? Thanks for reading and responding.

Like the video Incognitus shows wards should be making plans. Rather than a vision statement the plan is how they will help the members do missionary work.  

I really wish that the video showed examples of plans. I'm sure that they want wards to do what works for them and don't want wards just to do what the examples say, but without examples I find that often the "plan" wards and stakes make are "baptize 3 people" or "each familiy will invite the missionaries to visit a friend".  

One problem with the 2 I mentioned is those are actually wishes not goals. A goal is something you make for yourself. A wish is something you make for others.  Each family inviting the missionaries is not a goal unless each family actually makes it their goal.  Until they do, putting it in the ward plan is just a wish of the ward leaders. The same holds true for the baptisms.

The other problem is setting a wish for baptisms in not a plan.  Examples on things that could be on a plan might be "have a table in the foyer with Book of Mormons that members can give to their friends", "have a family history fair and encourage members to bring people" or "we, the leaders will visit all the part member families in the ward".

Despite the examples I've shared after our stake presidency made their mission plan last year my husband (who heard about it in high council) decided the steps we would take if making the plan would go along with the idea of "do everything we can to help others feel loved." 

[Navidad]

Interesting, I wasn't thinking of mission statement in the context of missionary work, but beyond that. Of course missionary work (proselytizing) will be a core part of a mission statement. That seems inevitable. I guess I was thinking beyond making converts. Thanks for your replies.

[mfbukowski]

56 minutes ago, Navidad said:

Interesting, I wasn't thinking of mission statement in the context of missionary work, but beyond that. Of course missionary work (proselytizing) will be a core part of a mission statement. That seems inevitable. I guess I was thinking beyond making converts. Thanks for your replies.

God's mission statement is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of mankind.

That seems big enough 

 

[Navidad]

15 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

God's mission statement is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of mankind.

That seems big enough 

 

I agree. I think however that churches have a mission that goes beyond the conversion of souls to the healing of souls in this present dispensation. Acknowledging and working hard to heal wounds for both individuals and communities comes to mind. Take care.

[Danzo]

Here is the mission statement we have been working on four our branch translated into english

We invite all to choose faith in Jesus Christ

Share Hope

Practice charity

We will invite our families, Neighbors and Friends to Learn with us in our homes, make and renew covenants with us in our chapels and in the temple and live these principles with us so that we can all live with joy in this life and in the life to come. 

 

[Scott Lloyd]

This is from the Church’s general handbook:

“The Work of Salvation and Exaltation

“We come unto Christ and assist in God’s work by:
    “Living the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    “Caring for those in need.

    “Inviting all to receive the gospel.

    “Uniting families for eternity.”

It occurs to me that, instead of composing their own “mission statements,” individual units in the Church of Jesus Christ could scarcely do better than embracing and diligently pursuing these four divinely appointed responsibilities. 
 

 

[Calm]

4 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

occurs to me that, instead of composing their own “mission statements,” individual units in the Church of Jesus Christ could scarcely do better than embracing and diligently pursuing these four divinely appointed responsibilities. 
 

A past ward approached our yearly mission by taking these four responsibilities and having something more specific for each one that supported them as four goals for the ward.  I thought that was a good way to do it.  

[Scott Lloyd]

On 2/5/2023 at 5:19 PM, Calm said:

A past ward approached our yearly mission by taking these four responsibilities and having something more specific for each one that supported them as four goals for the ward.  I thought that was a good way to do it.  

I wouldn’t have a problem with that approach per se. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Scott Lloyd

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Scott Lloyd said:

I wouldn’t have a problem with that approach. 

How does your ward approach the yearly required goals?

[Scott Lloyd]

9 hours ago, bluebell said:

How does your ward approach the yearly required goals?

It strikes me that pretty much everything done in our ward is more or less consistent with one or more of the four divinely appointed objectives. I’m content with that. 
 

I’m unclear, though, on what you mean by “yearly required goals.” I don’t think I’ve seen anything of that nature with a Church-wide scope. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Scott Lloyd

[mfbukowski]

9 hours ago, bluebell said:

How does your ward approach the yearly required goals?

In my stake, it would be nice to know that we even have such a plan any more; we are still rebuilding after covid.

We are too busy struggling for survival to have goals?

Not a good path!

[bluebell]

5 hours ago, mfbukowski said:

In my stake, it would be nice to know that we even have such a plan any more; we are still rebuilding after covid.

We are too busy struggling for survival to have goals?

Not a good path!

I’m my experience most ward members have no idea what the organizational goals are (or ward goals) in their ward. They are typically made by the presidencies and/or ward council members but never shared with anyone but the stake, and never really talked about after they are turned in. 

[bluebell]

5 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

It strikes me that pretty much everything done in our ward is more or less consistent with one or more of the four divinely appointed objectives. I’m content with that. 
 

I’m unclear, though, on what you mean by “yearly required goals.” I don’t think I’ve seen anything of that nature with a Church-wide scope. 

Every stake i’ve been in has required each ward in the stake to present goals for that ward at the beginning of the new year.

And I’ve spoken with enough members in other places to know that it’s not unusual (but maybe it’s not church-wide).

But most wards never actually share their goals with anyone else outside of ward council, so most of the time most members of the ward don’t even know the ward or organizational goals exist.

*But to Bring this all back to your original post, the ward and organizational goals are always developed around the fourfold mission of the church, in my experience.  That much is a given. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by bluebell

[Navidad]

Would a goal of "building bridges" to the community that did not involve proselytizing be something that might be considered, especially where damaged relationships exist? If so, would that be a ward, stake or area task, one that might be coordinated from SLC?

[bluebell]

27 minutes ago, Navidad said:

Would a goal of "building bridges" to the community that did not involve proselytizing be something that might be considered, especially where damaged relationships exist? If so, would that be a ward, stake or area task, one that might be coordinated from SLC?

I think so, and it could be either at the ward or stake level.  Since it’s a local thing, I don’t see any reason it would need to be coordinated by Salt Lake City.

[Scott Lloyd]

11 hours ago, bluebell said:

Every stake i’ve been in has required each ward in the stake to present goals for that ward at the beginning of the new year.

And I’ve spoken with enough members in other places to know that it’s not unusual (but maybe it’s not church-wide).

But most wards never actually share their goals with anyone else outside of ward council, so most of the time most members of the ward don’t even know the ward or organizational goals exist.

*But to Bring this all back to your original post, the ward and organizational goals are always developed around the fourfold mission of the church, in my experience.  That much is a given. 

Thanks. 
 

So not a Church-wide thing then. And where it does happen, it tends to be an in-house initiative among the ward council.
 

I was feeling rather flat footed when you asked me what our ward was doing about “yearly required goals” as though it were a ubiquitous institutional mandate. I was afraid I’d missed something obvious. 

Edited February 8, 2023 by Scott Lloyd

[Buckeye]

12 hours ago, bluebell said:

Every stake i’ve been in has required each ward in the stake to present goals for that ward at the beginning of the new year.

And I’ve spoken with enough members in other places to know that it’s not unusual (but maybe it’s not church-wide).

But most wards never actually share their goals with anyone else outside of ward council, so most of the time most members of the ward don’t even know the ward or organizational goals exist.

*But to Bring this all back to your original post, the ward and organizational goals are always developed around the fourfold mission of the church, in my experience.  That much is a given. 

Every ward I’ve lived in since leaving byu has had annual ward goals - Chicago, Ohio, Colorado. My wards growing up probably did too I just never paid attention.  Usually the goals track the church missions (now four-fold but previously three). I’d guess 25% of the years the bishopric has printed the goals and handed out copies to members, typically around ward conference. Usually the metrics are not tracked well except maybe baptisms. 

[JustAnAustralian]

The Pacific Area has a "focus", with associated indicators. https://pacific.churchofjesuschrist.org/pacificareafocus Wards are meant to do a 5th Sunday on this each year.

In addition though, our stake has an overall set of indicators (some trackable, some not as easily trackable) to try and strengthen, which are made known to the members, and we try and get them to participate.

The Stake asks wards to create a mission plan and a temple & family history plan.

As far as goals/visions/etc I know of stakes that have/had them for things like: Increasing YSA numbers to the level where a YSA ward could be created, increasing overall participation to show that a temple could be supported (multi-stake effort), etc. Essentially things that involve the membership actually getting involved, and it's been discussed with the membership.

The big difference I see if how much effort gets put in to the success of these goals/visions/foci is actually getting the membership involved (which leadership isn't always the best at).

[bluebell]

2 hours ago, Scott Lloyd said:

Thanks. 
 

So not a Church-wide thing then. And where it does happen, it tends to be an in-house initiative among the ward council.
 

I was feeling rather flat footed when you asked me what our ward was doing about “yearly required goals” as though it were a ubiquitous institutional mandate. I was afraid I’d missed something obvious. 

From my experience it is a stake thing, that each ward in the stake has to do.