Do These Things First

• Get LCR access. Go to lcr.churchofjesuschrist.org and confirm you can log in and see ward-level records. If access isn't there yet, ask the bishop — you need it before you can do anything else. This is your whole world.
• Meet with the bishop and executive secretary. ↗ text him Ask: "How do records flow in this ward?" Understand who tells you when an ordinance happens, how tithing counting works, and what the previous clerk's process looked like. Every ward does this slightly differently.
• Find where financial deposits and records are kept and who handles the physical counting. Tithing counting is done by the bishop with a witness — find out who that witness typically is and how the deposit gets to the bank afterward.
• Locate the previous clerk's files. Google Drive folder, a binder in the clerk's office, a box under a desk — or nothing at all. Know what you're inheriting before you assume things are handled.
• Get on the bishopric group text. You need to hear about things as they happen — baptisms, ordinations, families moving in or out. If there's no group text, ask the exec sec to add you to whatever channel the bishopric uses.
• Reach out to the stake clerk. ↗ text them Introduce yourself and ask if there's any outstanding work to catch up on. Stake clerks can see things at the stake level that you can't see yet. Start this relationship early.

What the Ward Clerk Actually Does

The ward clerk is the record-keeper of record. Everything that happens in the ward officially — baptisms, confirmations, endowments, sealings, membership moves, births, deaths, ordinances — you record it or ensure it's recorded. The record of the ward is your responsibility.

In practice, your work falls into four main areas:

• Membership records — who's in the ward, where they live, keeping the roster current
• Sacrament meeting attendance — entered weekly in LCR
• Financial reporting — donations recorded, budget tracked
• Ordinance records — every ordinance that happens must be recorded promptly

Leader & Clerk Resources — The Basics

Login at lcr.churchofjesuschrist.org with your Church account. As ward clerk you have broad access — use it carefully and keep it current.

Membership Records

Transferring records in when new members arrive, transferring them out when families move away, updating addresses, noting deceased members. Don't let records drift — a family that moved six months ago is still showing as active somewhere on someone's list. That creates phantom attendance, misleading ministering assignments, and real confusion. Staying current is an act of care.

Ordinance Records

Baptism, confirmation, Aaronic priesthood ordinations, Melchizedek priesthood ordinations, endowment, sealing. Each must be recorded promptly after it happens. The officiator confirms the details — name, date, who performed it, witnesses where required — and you enter it. Don't wait until the following week. Record it while the information is fresh.

Sacrament Attendance

Enter weekly after each Sunday. This is a two-minute task. Don't let it pile up — reconstructing months of attendance from memory is miserable and inaccurate. Enter it the same day or the next morning while the count is still reliable.

Financial Records

You don't typically handle tithing slips or counting — that's the bishop and a counselor. What you manage is the financial reports in LCR: ensuring data is entered correctly, pulling the monthly report for the bishop, and tracking ward budget expenditures. Know who handles the physical collection in your ward and how that information flows to you for entry.

Every Sunday

Record Them Fast

Every ordinance is a covenant. The record of that covenant matters — for the person, for their posterity, and for the Church's historical record. Get it right and get it in promptly. An ordinance that happened but isn't recorded is, officially, an ordinance in question.

Common Ordinances You'll Record

• Baptism and confirmation — both converts and 8-year-old children of record. Two separate entries: baptism and confirmation are distinct ordinances.
• Aaronic priesthood ordinations — deacon, teacher, priest. Often happens after a bishopric interview; the bishop or exec sec will notify you.
• Melchizedek priesthood ordinations — elder, high priest. Same process — officiator confirms the details, you record them.
• Temple endowment and sealing — coordinate with the stake clerk for these. Often recorded directly at the temple, but confirm your ward's and stake's process. Don't assume the temple handled it — verify.

How to Record

The officiator provides the information: the person's name, date the ordinance was performed, who performed it, and witnesses if required. You enter it in LCR. For children of record, some ordinances trigger automatically in the system — but you still confirm the entry is captured and accurate. Never assume a record exists until you've seen it yourself.

The Numbers Side of the Calling

You're not a CPA and you're not expected to be one. But you are the record keeper, and financial records are part of that responsibility.

Tithing and offerings: Members submit donation slips with envelopes. The bishop counts donations with a witness — that counting process does not involve you. What you do: ensure the deposit is made and recorded in LCR correctly. Know exactly how that handoff happens in your ward.

Monthly financial report: Prepare this for the bishop each month. LCR generates most of it — you pull the relevant figures together. This is a standard task and not complicated once you know where to look. Ask the stake clerk to walk you through it the first time.

Ward budget: The ward receives a budget allocation from the Church. Auxiliary presidents submit budget requests; the bishop approves. You track expenditures in LCR so the bishop always knows where the ward stands. If a budget line is running low, surface it before it's a problem.

Keeping the Roster Current

Who You Work With Regularly

Operational Notes

Log your meeting schedule, room numbers, key dates, or anything worth handing off when you're released.