Tithing Settlement and New Scheduling Tool

Tithing Settlement season is upon us! Out of an abundance of caution, I will be conducting all tithing settlement appointments online via Zoom. To facilitate the booking and auto-generation of those Zoom links, I am happy to introduce a new tool to schedule all appointments with the bishop! The new tool, available at this link: https://qfegugfephtquuvfmw.10to8.com, will enable you to book all types of appointments with the bishop (including tithing settlement). This tool will automatically send Zoom meeting links in your appointment confirmation and will send you email/text reminders. For now, all appointments will default to a Zoom meeting. In the future, we will give you the option to choose a Zoom or in-person interview. For now, if you would like to book a private interview/counseling or recommend interview appointment to be held in person, just send me a text after booking the appointment and let me know your preference. To be clear, though, all tithing settlement appointments will be held via Zoom only.

Please make every effort to schedule time to meet with me for tithing settlement. It is an opportunity for you to declare your tithing status—whether full or part—and also have an opportunity for us to briefly visit and catch up. I would like to complete tithing settlement by December 14^th so I can enjoy the Christmas holiday with my family. Please consider scheduling time soon so your appointment doesn’t get lost amid the holidays.

Sacrament Meetings

We have now completed two weeks of Sacrament Meetings where all members may attend at the ward meetinghouse or stream the services into their homes. The feedback we’ve received from both audiences has been largely positive. I am personally grateful to see and worship alongside most of you each week once again. I look forward to the day when we all can comfortably return to our regular meetings together at our building. Until then, I am glad that we have technological options to provide worship services to those unable to attend in person. As a reminder, the meeting broadcasts can be accessed by going to our ward website and selecting the post with the Sacrament Meeting Program for that day and then scrolling to the end of the post and launching the YouTube live video no sooner than 15 minutes prior to the meeting start time.

For those who attend the meetings in person, I ask that you please wear a mask or face covering while in the building. No one will be barred entry to our meetings if they choose not to wear a mask, but I would ask each of you to consider that not all members of the congregation are eager to risk exposure to the novel coronavirus. There are members attending in faith, but still with some anxiety about being around so many people who may or may not be carriers of the virus. While privately or in other forums you may debate the value or efficacy of masks in preventing the spread or contraction of the coronavirus, but for the sake of worshipping among a large and diverse congregation, I humbly suggest that you adhere to the advice of public health officials. Your sacrifice for the sake of your fellow ward members is a sign of love and respect that does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.

I also want to reiterate that we continue to implement the health and hygiene protocols in the disinfection of common surfaces and in the preparation and administration of the Sacrament. Hand sanitizer stations have been installed in the foyer and the building undergoes a deep disinfection each week and between groups meeting in the building. If you have any questions or concerns about any of those protocols, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Organizational Meetings

In addition to Sacrament Meetings, the Elders Quorum, Relief Society, Young Women, and Young Men have started or continue to hold their “second hour” Sunday meetings via Google Meet or Zoom on the second and fourth Sundays. Also, Adult Sunday School and Youth Sunday School classes are being held via Google Meet on the first and third Sundays. If you have not received the information or link(s) to your quorum or class meetings, please reach out to a member of the organization presidency for that information.

When joining these remote classes or meetings, I would encourage you to turn on and share your webcam. Several recent studies have shown that participants who share their video in conference calls are more engaged and participate actively in the meeting—even if not making frequent comments. I know we are doing this from home and many of us have little ones running around and may be concerned with the distractions or we are not dressed yet in our Sunday best when the call comes around, but your efforts to share your video help you get more out of the meeting and help the teacher feel like they aren’t just talking to an empty room.

Gospel Life Hacks with Ty

Finally, I have started a new series dedicated to sharing some of the hacks I’ve found useful in developing and maintaining my spiritual wellbeing. The first video in the series is about how to use the Gospel Library App to create a study plan complete with reminders (https://youtu.be/trG-AENdudw). I will be posting these videos publicly to the recently created Geneva Heights 12^th Ward YouTube channel. I hope even one of you may find one of the videos useful. There are so many resources available to boost your Gospel Living without adding stress to your life.

I know this was a long one, but there is so much going on and a lot of exciting things to share. I hope and pray daily for your wellbeing!

Faithfully yours,

Bishop Ty Kenworthy