Welfare work wonderful way to reach people
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Welfare committees in wards and branches across the Church gather once or twice a month to identify and help meet their members' needs. Usually the committee — which includes the bishopric, unit priesthood leaders and the Relief Society president — identify folks in the ward who have, say, lost jobs or are preparing for surgery. Then they make assignments to help.
The value of the ward welfare committee in action has been especially evident over the past weeks in Southern California where wildfires destroyed the homes of 67 LDS families. Hundreds of others were temporarily displaced following evacuation orders in hot spots. Those countless assessments and assignments generated in ward welfare committees helped lighten the burden of LDS fire victims.
Welfare committees are "a wonderful way the Church tries to reach people," said Garry Flake, director of Church Emergency Response.
Bishop Wayne Kinser of the San Bernardino 3rd Ward, Highland California Stake, was driving home from a family retreat Oct. 25 when he learned his community was burning. As he approached San Bernardino County he was greeted by a towering black smoke plume rising from the San Bernardino hills.
"You just knew the fire was phenomenal," Bishop Kinser said.
Flames from the Old Fire gutted the homes of nine San Bernardino 3rd Ward families, including the residence of Bishop Kinser's first counselor. Almost a quarter of the ward was evacuated. The next morning the bishop's ward welfare committee gathered at the chapel for an emergency welfare committee meeting. The Highland stake presidency also attended.
The situation then was still fluid. Committee members did what they could to make contact with members of the ward, with mixed success. "The assessment process really took a couple of days," recalled Bishop Kinser.
Still, the committee moved forward, collecting the who, what and where elements of the fire: Who was affected, what was lost, and where people were staying. Members of priesthood quorums and the Relief Society all pulled their weight, Bishop Kinser said. Missionaries from the California San Bernardino Mission were also put at the disposal of Bishop Kinser and his fellow area priesthood leaders.
"I wouldn't say it worked perfectly, but we got through it," Bishop Kinser said.
Bishop Michael Robertson of the Granite Hills Ward, El Cajon California Stake, calls ward welfare committees "invaluable."
"The priesthood system works when the [committee] works together," he said.
Bishop Robertson sat down with his committee in the aftermath of the Cedar Fire to discuss ways to serve the 14 families from the ward who had lost their homes. It was a special meeting. The spirit was strong as folks from the various ward and stake organizations began the arduous task of planning and coordination.
The committee identified ways members could help fire victims, without undermining the pivotal integrity of self-reliance.
The ward welfare committee was there "as an added resource," he said.
E-mail: jswensen@desnews.com
