There are two callings in the ward that deal mainly with distributing information. It is fairly common for these two callings to be combined as well. You may be called to be in charge of the ward bulletin or the ward newsletter. These callings can be a lot of fun and a lot of work. The ward bulletin and newsletter can help to bring the ward closer together.
The ward bulletin is a weekly task. You will need to let the ward members know when your deadline is for announcements to be put into the bulletin. A common deadline is Thursday night. You will also need to contact a member of the bishopric to learn who the speakers are. You may need to call the ward chorister to learn the hymns that will be scheduled. Then you will need to type up and print the programs for the Sacrament meeting.
I you are the ward newsletter specialist you will need to gather a lot more information. Generally each ward newsletter will have a message or update from each auxiliary. You can make your life simpler by having a cut-off date for the ward’s newsletter submissions. You can email out a reminder a week before the deadline, and possibly the day of the deadline to those who not yet responded. Then you will assemble the newsletter.
You may consider adding additional sections to your newsletter. You can focus on a family or two each month. You may want to include a list of birthdays as well. You can put in a quote or two throughout the newsletter. You may also want to include ideas for simple games for family home evening. I have seen ward newsletters that include word searches and coloring pages, although you will need to make sure that you are not breaking any copyright laws.
Although this calling can entail a lot of work, it can be a lot of fun. It also provides a valuable service to the ward and the ward members. The best way to avoid the most common problems is to set firm deadlines and stick with them.
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