Religion is Personnel

[DrumNFeather]

Do you guys ever have any trouble staffing certain positions in your ward?

[Moliere]

Do you guys ever have any trouble staffing certain positions in your ward?

Toughest positions to staff are (in order):

Scoutmaster
Cub scout den leader
Nursery leader
Relief Society President
YM/YW leaders

[DrumNFeather]

Toughest positions to staff are (in order):

Scoutmaster
Cub scout den leader
Nursery leader
Relief Society President
YM/YW leaders

What about WML?

[Moliere]

What about WML?

Honestly, I have no idea. It seems our WML only changes with a new bishopric so they stay in for a long time. Maybe that means it's tough to fill, but I don't know. It's seems that the method for calling a WML is to call the weirdest (both socially and physically) orthodox member in the ward.

I've never been a bishop but I've seen bishoprics struggle big time to fill the other positions with quality people so maybe a bishop (or LA Ute) can chime in.

[BYUMizzou]

Toughest positions to staff are (in order):

Scoutmaster
Cub scout den leader
Nursery leader
Relief Society President
YM/YW leaders

Our toughest positions to fill are in the primary. Why? Because the reliable people get called to EQ/HP/YM/YW/RS, then primary is left with whoever is left over. In a smaller ward, this amounts to people who may or may not show up, and if they don't show up, they won't call a substitute. Normally, the Primary presidency spends the first 15 minutes of primary running around trying to draft someone to fill in for an absent teacher at the last minute.

I'm over Primary, so I get all the blowback, which sucks.

[creekster]

our ward has for a long time over several bishops put YW/YM first priority and then Primary as second priorty. EQ, HPG and RS get what's left.

[Indy Coug]

Our toughest positions to fill are in the primary. Why? Because the reliable people get called to EQ/HP/YM/YW/RS, then primary is left with whoever is left over. In a smaller ward, this amounts to people who may or may not show up, and if they don't show up, they won't call a substitute. Normally, the Primary presidency spends the first 15 minutes of primary running around trying to draft someone to fill in for an absent teacher at the last minute.

I'm over Primary, so I get all the blowback, which sucks.

To a large extent this true.

[smokymountainrain]

our ward has for a long time over several bishops put YW/YM first priority and then Primary as second priorty. EQ, HPG and RS get what's left.

That's what our ward has typically done as well, with the exception of the EQ president and the HPGL.

[creekster]

That's what our ward has typically done as well, with the exception of the EQ president and the HPGL.

Yes, I suppose we have the same exception.

[Moliere]

Our toughest positions to fill are in the primary. Why? Because the reliable people get called to EQ/HP/YM/YW/RS, then primary is left with whoever is left over. In a smaller ward, this amounts to people who may or may not show up, and if they don't show up, they won't call a substitute. Normally, the Primary presidency spends the first 15 minutes of primary running around trying to draft someone to fill in for an absent teacher at the last minute.

I'm over Primary, so I get all the blowback, which sucks.

But primary callings are easy to fill. People don't say "no" as often to primary callings because they require less prep time (or no prep time), you don't have to go to EQ/HP, and you don't activities or responsibility during the week. Sure people don't show up sometimes, but few people say "no" to that calling.

I forgot to add one more calling that sucks to fill. Early Morning seminary teacher. That's a tough calling and scares many away.

[BYUMizzou]

But primary callings are easy to fill. People don't say "no" as often to primary callings because they require less prep time (or no prep time), you don't have to go to EQ/HP, and you don't activities or responsibility during the week. Sure people don't show up sometimes, but few people say "no" to that calling.

I forgot to add one more calling that sucks to fill. Early Morning seminary teacher. That's a tough calling and scares many away.

We haven't had much luck finding people willing to accept primary positions because there's little responsibility. A lot of people in our ward look down at primary and simply don't want to serve there. They view it as a calling that causes isolation and being cut off from the rest of the adult members of the ward. They feel like primary is beneath them.

As far as early morning seminary goes, we have 4 different school districts in our ward, all on different schedules. It's not feasible to do one early morning seminary (different start times for different school districts/one district is on a 4 day school week/majority of the kids would have to drive 30 miles each way regardless of where it was held), so we have 3 different early morning seminary classes for the ward, plus a home study group. Stake policy is that a seminary teacher cannot hold any other calling, no matter how small. Early morning seminary puts a big hole in our talent pool of reliable members.

[smokymountainrain]

We haven't had much luck finding people willing to accept primary positions because there's little responsibility. A lot of people in our ward look down at primary and simply don't want to serve there. They view it as a calling that causes isolation and being cut off from the rest of the adult members of the ward. They feel like primary is beneath them.

This makes me feel fortunate to live in an older ward where people tend not to give a shit about a calling perhaps being "beneath" them. We have three former bishops and four former RS presidents serving in the primary right now and they all love it. They've been there, done that. In fact, my three year old's primary teacher - one of the former bishops - told me how much he loves it and that if he ever get's released "will go inactive until I get another primary calling".

[Jacob]

But primary callings are easy to fill. People don't say "no" as often to primary callings because they require less prep time (or no prep time), you don't have to go to EQ/HP, and you don't activities or responsibility during the week. Sure people don't show up sometimes, but few people say "no" to that calling.

I forgot to add one more calling that sucks to fill. Early Morning seminary teacher. That's a tough calling and scares many away.

It this true. Primary has always been the calling I'd be most likely to refuse, and the only one I've told the bishop that I don't want.

[TripletDaddy]

I'm in Primerica and I would prefer to be released. It isnt my fave calling by a longshot. You never talk to adults, some of the kids have behavior issues but are too small to understand how to correct them, and the subject matter is even more repetitive than adult classes.

The toughest part about it is that you can't ditch the class. As a member of the EQ, I could leave whenever I wanted step out to get a drink or take an important call. I also could pass on Sunday School every Sunday for the past 11 years when I needed to do that. But if you don't show for Prime Time, nobody is there to sit with your kids.

[Moliere]

It this true. Primary has always been the calling I'd be most likely to refuse, and the only one I've told the bishop that I don't want.

Interesting. After holding callings that require organization, coordination, planning, weekly activities during the week, Sunday meetings outside the 3-hour block, etc. I'd request a calling in primary. Maybe it's just my ward, but we don't seem to have any issues staffing primary.