This section outlines the doctrines and procedures relating to callings and releases. A Chart of Callings is provided on pages 40-49, listing each Church calling and specifying who recommends a person, who approves the recommendation, who sustains the person, and who calls and sets apart the person. Callings that are listed on the chart are filled according to local needs and as members are available.

Doctrines of Callings and Releases

A person must be called of God to serve in the Church (see Articles of Faith 1:5). These callings come as the Holy Ghost inspires presiding officers to issue them. Releases from Church callings should also come by inspiration, except when a person's change of residence necessitates a release or when a calling is for a specific time period, such as full-time missionary service.

Members who are called to most Church positions should receive a sustaining vote before they begin serving. In the scriptures this is called "common consent" or being "appointed by the voice of the church" (D&C 26:2; 28:13; 38:34; 41:9). Members who are called to most Church positions should also be set apart before they begin serving (see D&C 42:11).

The Lord has instructed each person to "labor in his [or her] own calling" (D&C 84:109). Members should magnify their callings by serving diligently (see D&C 84:33; 107:99).

Determining Whom to Call

General Guidelines

Church leaders call all willing members to Church positions. Members are richly blessed as they demonstrate their love for the Lord and for others by serving in Church callings.

Leaders seek the Spirit's guidance in determining whom to call. Leaders also consider the member's worthiness, ability, willingness to serve, and personal or family circumstances. Leaders try to ensure that the calling will benefit the people being served, the member, and the member's family

Although service in Church callings requires sacrifice, it should not compromise a member's ability to fulfill family responsibilities. If possible, a member is called to serve in only one calling, in addition to assignments as a home teacher or visiting teacher.

Leaders should keep information about proposed callings and releases confidential. Only those who need to know, such as an auxiliary president who oversees the person, are informed before the person is presented for a sustaining vote. A person who is being considered for a calling is not notified until the calling is issued.

When a calling will be extended by or under the direction of the stake president, the bishop should be consulted to determine whether the member is worthy and whether the calling would be appropriate. The stake presidency then asks the high council to sustain the decision to issue the calling, if necessary according to the Chart of Callings on pages 40-49.

When a sister will be called to a Church position, it may be desirable to confer with her husband first.

When a youth will be called to a Church position, the bishopric obtains approval from the parents or guardians before issuing the calling.

Leaders may extend a Church calling only after (1) a person's membership record is on file in the ward or (2) the bishop has contacted the member's previous bishop to determine that the member is worthy.

New Church members should be given appropriate callings as soon as possible.

Nonmembers may be called to some positions, such as organist, music director, and assistant Scout leaders. Nonmembers may not be called to teaching or administrative positions.

Stake Callings

The stake president is called by an assigned General Authority or Area Authority Seventy. The stake president recommends brethren to be called or released as counselors in the stake presidency. Instructions are provided on the Recommendation for New Counselor to Stake President form. The stake president may interview, call, and set apart a counselor, or release a counselor, after receiving written approval from the First Presidency.

Guidelines for calling stake patriarchs are provided on page 6.

The stake president oversees the calling of members who serve in other stake positions (see pages 40-42 in the Chart of Callings).

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Ward Callings

The stake presidency recommends brethren to be called or released as bishops. Instructions are provided on the Recommendation for New Bishop form. The stake president may interview, call, ordain, and set apart a bishop, or release a bishop, after receiving written approval from the First Presidency. The stake president may not assign a counselor to do this.

The stake president oversees the calling of counselors in the bishopric, ward executive secretaries, ward clerks, assistant ward clerks, and ward mission leaders.

The bishop oversees other callings in the ward as shown on pages 43-47 in the Chart of Callings.

Elders Quorum and High Priests Group Callings

The stake president oversees the calling of elders quorum presidents and their counselors and of high priests group leaders and their assistants.

The elders quorum president and high priests group leader oversee the calling of quorum or group secretaries, instructors, and committee chairmen (see page 43). The bishop should give approval before brethren are called to these positions.

Extending a Calling

The Chart of Callings on pages 40-49 outlines who may extend each calling. After receiving the necessary approvals, an authorized leader conducts a personal interview to determine the member's worthiness and willingness to serve. If the member is worthy and willing, the leader extends the calling. The leader normally invites the spouse of a married person to be present and give support when the calling is extended.

A leader who extends a Church calling should explain its purpose, importance, and responsibilities. He also encourages the member to seek the Spirit of the Lord in fulfilling the calling. He tells the member the name of the person to whom he or she is directly accountable and emphasizes the need to support leaders. He also outlines the required meetings and describes the handbooks, manuals, and other supplies that are available to help the member. He may identify special concerns or challenges of the position and may invite the member to ask questions about the calling.

Sustaining Members in Church Callings

Members who are called to most Church positions should receive a sustaining vote before they begin serving. The Chart of Callings at the end of this section indicates whether a sustaining vote is needed and what congregation should give it.

The leader who oversaw the calling, or a priesthood officer he authorizes as outlined below, presents a person to the congregation for a sustaining vote:

1. A General Authority or Area Authority Seventy presents the names of a new stake president and his counselors to stake members. A stake president may present his counselors' names when the First Presidency authorizes him to do so.

2. A member of the stake presidency or a priesthood officer under their direction presents names to stake members for changes in other stake callings.

3. A member of the stake presidency presents the names of a new bishop and his counselors to ward members. A member of the stake presidency or a priesthood officer under their direction presents names to ward members for changes in the ward executive secretary, ward clerk, assistant ward clerks, and stake missionaries who belong to the ward (including the ward mission leader).

4. A member of the stake presidency or a priesthood officer under their direction presents names to elders quorum or high priests group members for changes in their leadership.

5. A member of the bishopric presents names to ward members for changes in ward organizations.

6. A member of the bishopric presents names to Aaronic Priesthood quorum members for changes in quorum leadership and to Young Women class members for changes in class presidencies.

7. A member of the elders quorum presidency or high priests group leadership presents names to quorum or group members for changes in secretaries, instructors, and committee chairmen.

"[Name] has been called as [position], and we

propose that he [or she] be sustained. Those in favor may manifest it by the uplifted hand. [Pause briefly for the sustaining vote.] Those opposed, if any, may manifest it. [Pause briefly to allow for a dissenting vote, if any.]"

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The person who is being presented should participate in the sustaining vote. if more than one person is being presented, they usually may be sustained as a group.

If a member in good standing gives a dissenting vote when someone is presented to be sustained, the presiding officer or another assigned priesthood officer confers with the dissenting member in private after the meeting. The officer determines whether the dissenting vote was based on knowledge that the person who was presented is guilty of conduct that should disqualify him or her from serving in the position. Dissenting votes from nonmembers need not be considered.

When, as an exception, new stake officers need to begin their service before the next stake conference or stake general priesthood meeting in which they would normally be sustained, they should be sustained in the sacrament meetings of the wards and branches of the stake. The person who conducts the sustaining also announces who was released from the position and asks the congregation to give an expression of thanks for the person's service.

Setting Apart Officers and Teachers

Members who are called to most Church positions should be set apart before they begin serving. The Chart of Callings at the end of this section indicates whether a setting apart is needed and who is authorized to perform it. Presidents are set apart before their counselors.

Under the direction of the presiding authority, one or more Melchizedek Priesthood holders, including a worthy father or husband, may participate in a setting apart. They place their hands lightly on the person's head. Then the priesthood holder who acts as voice:

1. Calls the person by his or her full name.

2. States that he is acting by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

3. Sets the person apart to the appropriate office in a stake, ward, quorum, high priests group, or class.

4. Confers keys on those who are entitled to receive them. (In stakes and wards, only stake presidents, bishops, and quorum presidents receive keys of presidency when they are set apart. The word keys should not be used when setting apart counselors, high councilors, high priests group leaders, presidents of auxiliary organizations, the bishop's priests quorum assistants, or teachers in an organization.)

5. Gives a priesthood blessing as the Spirit directs.

6. Closes in the name of Jesus Christ.

If a man who is called as bishop is not a high priest, the stake president should see that he is ordained a high priest before ordaining him a bishop. If the man was ordained a bishop previously, he needs only to be set apart as bishop of the ward.

When authorized by the First Presidency, a General Authority, Area Authority Seventy, or stake president:

1. Ordains the man a bishop (unless he was previously ordained).

2. Sets him apart to preside over the ward and to be the president of the Aaronic Priesthood and the priests quorum, emphasizing his responsibilities for the Aaronic Priesthood and for young women in the ward.

3. Confers on him all the keys, rights, powers, and authority of the office of bishop, referring specifically to the bishop's duties as a common judge in Israel and as the presiding high priest in the ward.

4. Adds words of blessing as the Spirit directs.

Releases from Church callings are made by the same level of authority that extended the callings. To issue a release, an authorized leader meets with the member personally, informs him or her of the release, and expresses appreciation for the service. The leader also asks the person to return any current, usable materials so they can be given to the successor. Only those who need to know are informed of a release before it is announced publicly.

The same congregation that sustained a person gives a vote of thanks when the person is released. An authorized priesthood officer may say:

"[Name] has been released as (position], and we propose that he [or she] be given a vote of thanks for his [or her] service. Those who wish to express their appreciation may manifest it by the uplifted hand." No dissenting vote is called for.

When a president, bishop, or high priests group leader is released, the counselors or assistants are released automatically. Others who hold positions in the organization are not released automatically.

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