Do Relief Society, Primary, or Young Women Secretaries teach the lesson or conduct meetings on Sundays?

[Jenny SmithParticipant]

I get asked about the secretary teaching on Sundays and conducting meetings all the time… No, it is not the duty of the secretary in any auxiliary (Primary, Young Women, or Relief Society) to teach a Sunday lesson.

A secretary is not part of a presidency and is not included in the teaching rotation. She does not sit up front with leaders, if they choose to sit up front. A RS secretary does not attend Welfare meeting with the Relief Society presidency. A secretary does not usually conduct meetings. She might conduct in a special case, but a secretary does not conduct meetings on a regular basis. The duties of a secretary are outlined in the Church Handbook of Instructions and do not include teaching or leading lessons.

A secretary should attend presidency meetings. A secretary may compile, review, and visiting teaching information, prepare agendas, take notes, keep a record of assignments, ensure the presidency is aware of new members, publicize events, help prepare budgets, and assist the presidency as needed. She reports attendance to the ward/branch membership clerk.

The only exception I can think of to the no teaching/conducting rule would be when a Stake Secretary is leading a training session for ward/branch secretaries. A secretary might also be called on to substitute teach in the event that no member of a presidency is available. However, a secretary should not be part of a regular teaching rotation.

If you're a secretary, please don't feel that your calling is somehow less important if you aren't teaching or conducting meetings on Sunday. A secretary is essential to the work of a presidency. She provides stability and order, and she lifts the load of the president by taking on many necessary written duties that can be shared.

I'm a Young Women secretary, and I try to watch out for and volunteer to do those things that are not required for the president to do herself. You can find out more secretary calling tips at these links:

Duties of the Young Women Secretary

Relief Society Secretary Tips

[Anonymous UserParticipant]

According to Sister Beck (General Relief Society President,) she stated during RS General Training, that in Relief Society, it is up to the individual ward–between the Relief Society President and the Bishop–if they want the Secretary to teach Sunday Lessons along with the Presidency on the first Sunday of the month. In our stake we have Presidencies that have chosen to have their secretary in on the rotation, while other wards have chosen not to.–The Bishop and the RS Presidency have the inspiration to know what is right for their own ward (or branch.)

[Jenny SmithParticipant]

Well, you know what my first question is — where’s this in writing? A teaching secretary should be an unusual exception. The RS Secretary has a number of duties on Sunday including preparing the agenda, locating new members and visitors, and taking roll that will be hindered if she also has to teach or conduct. Please note the statement from the RS FAQ on LDS.org:

Does the secretary conduct Relief Society meetings? Generally the president and her counselors should conduct Sunday meetings.

What is the role of the secretary? The main duty of the secretary is to attend presidency meetings and complete assignments and responsibilities given to her by the president. She may compile, review, and submit attendance and visiting teaching information, prepare agendas, take notes, keep a record of assignments, ensure the presidency is aware of new members, publicize events, help prepare budgets, and assist the presidency as needed. (RS FAQ at LDS.org)

The old FAQ is quoted here:
http://www.jennysmith.net/relief-society/relief-society-education.php

and points out that a secretary is not technically part of a presidency and so does not have many of those duties.

Please also refer to the statement found in the official LDS 2010 curriculum guide here:

http://lds.org/gospellibrary/pdf/08332-instructions-for-curriculum-2010-schedule-eng.pdf

stating who teaches on the first Sunday: “In Relief Society the president or a counselor instructs the sisters, using the scriptures and approved Church materials.”

Sister Beck means that there are exceptional cases where a secretary may need to teach or conduct, but these would be unusual and only done after discussion with the Bishop or Branch President since that would involve a change to a secretary’s regular duties.

Also note that the Bishop’s executive secretary is not used to conduct meetings or teach lessons, if that helps you understand the duties of the secretary any better.

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