Lesson 16: Duties of Agent Stakes for Welfare Operations

Objective

Members of agent stake operating committees will better understand their roles in providing guidance and support to Church welfare operations.

(Note: For more information on welfare operations, see Church Welfare Operations.”)

Materials for This Lesson

A copy of “Duties of Agent Stakes for Welfare Operations” (accompanying this lesson) for each participant

A copy of “Sample Agenda: Agent Stake Operating Committee Meeting” (accompanying this lesson) for each participant

Church Welfare Resources: For Use in the United States and Canada (34475)

Policy Statement from the Church Handbook of Instructions

Invite a participant to read the following statement:

The Area Presidency or a member of the Presidency of the Seventy assigns an agent stake to each welfare operation (storehouse, cannery, employment center, production project, or Deseret Industries) with paid or volunteer managers. When a stake is assigned to oversee a Church welfare operation, the stake president organizes an agent stake operating committee composed of himself, the stake bishops’ welfare council chairman, the stake Relief Society president, the manager of the operation, and other specialists as needed. The stake president is the chairman of this committee, which should meet frequently (at least quarterly) to provide priesthood guidance and support to the operation by: (1) ensuring that the operation serves needy members appropriately, (2) arranging for the needed volunteer labor for the operation, (3) assisting with the maintenance of the operation’s physical facilities, and (4) representing the operation in regional welfare committee meetings and coordinating council meetings. (See Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1: Stake Presidencies and Bishoprics [2006], 9).

Ask the participants the following questions:

• What does it mean to “provide priesthood guidance and support to the operation”? (Answers may include: ensuring that the operation serves needy members appropriately, arranging for the needed volunteer labor for the operation, and representing the operation in regional welfare committee meetings and coordinating council meetings.)

• How can the agent stake operating committee make sure that the operation serves needy members appropriately?

Key Points

Help participants understand the following points, and discuss them as needed:

1. The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that the Saints should be organized to regulate and establish the affairs of a storehouse for the poor of His Church (see D&C 78:3).

2. Church welfare operations are part of the storehouse established to care for the poor and needy. These operations may have either paid or volunteer managers.

Invite participants to share an experience in which a member of their ward or stake benefited from the services of a Church welfare operation. (Remind participants not to disclose confidential information.)

3. The agent stake operating committee should meet at least semiannually, but preferably quarterly or more often as needed. The committee is responsible to:

• Ensure that the operation is serving needy members appropriately.

• Arrange for needed volunteer labor.

• Assist with facility maintenance.

• Represent the operation in regional welfare meetings and coordinating council meetings.

Give a copy of “Duties of Agent Stakes for Welfare Operations” (accompanying this lesson) to each participant, and review with participants the specific duties of the agent stake.

If desired, give a copy of Sample Agenda: Agent Stake Operating Committee Meeting” (accompanying this lesson) to each participant, and review with participants the items that should be discussed during a committee meeting.

4. The stake bishops’ welfare council chairman, who serves on the operating committee, should regularly discuss the welfare operation’s management and services during stake bishops’ welfare council meetings (see Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 1, 63). As a member of the regional welfare committee, he should regularly discuss the welfare operation’s management and services with other bishops serving on the regional welfare committee. He shares with the agent stake operating committee the input received from the bishops regarding the operation.

5. The stake Relief Society president, who serves on the operating committee, should regularly discuss the welfare operation’s management and services during stake Relief Society presidency meetings and stake Relief Society leadership meetings. She provides the Relief Society’s input regarding the operation during agent stake operating committee meetings. As a member of the regional welfare committee, she should regularly discuss the welfare operation’s management and services with other stake Relief Society presidents serving on the regional welfare committee. She shares with the agent stake operating committee the input received of from the stake Relief Society presidents regarding the operation.

6. Many welfare operations have equipment and machinery that can cause injury if improperly used. The agent stake operating committee should ensure the safety of those who work in or patronize the operation.

As needed, explain the following points:

7. A stake may be assigned to support a welfare production project. The stake president calls and organizes a project committee. The committee reports to the stake president and is composed of the following members:

• A chairman

• A financial clerk

• A coordinator of volunteer labor

• Other specialists as needed to ensure efficiency and financial success of the project

8. An agent stake is not assigned to LDS Family Services agencies. Each agency has an advisory board chaired by a local stake president who is appointed by the LDS Family Services board of trustees with concurrence of the Area Presidency or a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. The chairman of the stake bishops’ welfare council and the stake Relief Society president are members of the advisory board.

Practice

Arrange for participants to visit and tour their assigned welfare operation to become better acquainted with the services and products it provides.

Bear testimony that the work they do as members of the agent stake operating committee helps their assigned Church welfare operation be an effective resource in helping members become self-reliant, caring for the poor and needy, and encouraging service to others.

Duties of Agent Stakes for Welfare Operations

Ensure that the operation is serving needy members appropriately. The agent stake president and the operating committee become familiar with all the activities performed within the operation through reports from the manager of the welfare operation and visits to the welfare operation regularly. They should be alert to the quality of service provided and ensure that those who are served go away edified and helped. In operating committee meetings, they regularly review the following:

• Operational performance. The committee receives reports and discusses ways it may assist the operation in meeting its established production, services and fiscal goals and assignments.

• Customer satisfaction and accessibility. The committee discusses customer satisfaction, to include ease of locating and using services by those in need and those providing volunteer labor, as reported in conversations with those being served by the operation.

• Operating budget requests. The committee should review the annual budget request the operation manager submits to Church headquarters and to the area office (where applicable) and provide input and priesthood oversight.

• Feedback from priesthood and Relief Society leaders. The committee members should share feedback received from coordinating councils, the regional welfare committee, and other leaders whose members are served by the operation.

Arrange for needed volunteer labor. The agent stake operating committee helps to arrange and coordinate the volunteer labor that the operation needs as estimated by the manager of the operation. The committee submits a request for volunteer labor through the agent stake president to the regional welfare committee or area welfare manager. The regional welfare specialist or area welfare manager assists in balancing the assignments among stakes in the welfare region. Once a stake accepts an assignment, the agent stake helps to coordinate and monitor fulfillment of assignments. Sources of volunteer labor in a welfare operation may include those called as full-time or Church-service missionaries and those asked to assist as temporary or one-time volunteers. If Church-service missionary coordinators have been called, the agent stake should cooperate with them in arranging volunteer labor.

Assist with the maintenance of the operation’s physical facilities. Members of the agent stake operating committee should visit the welfare operation regularly and help assess safety and maintenance needs, including care of the grounds. Facility upkeep provides many work opportunities for those who are receiving welfare assistance. The facility should be clean, orderly, and free of safety hazards.

Represent the operation in regional welfare committee meetings and coordinating council meetings. The agent stake president represents his assigned welfare operation at regional welfare committee meetings and coordinating council meetings. During these meetings the agent stake president may discuss and invite feedback on the available programs, services, and products of the operation; new programs, services, and products as they become available; the performance, effectiveness, and quality of the operation in serving the poor and needy; the approval and fulfillment of volunteer labor assignments among stakes; and the coordination of the services of the welfare operation in response to emergencies in the welfare region or coordinating council.