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How Does the Church Keep Finding Me?

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By Mason
The “Locating Members” page on the church’s Tech Wiki, now removed from the public site, explains that when a member moves without providing a new address, local leaders are expected to try to find out where that person went. The responsibility usually falls to the ward clerk, working under the direction of the bishop. The record isn’t automatically dropped just because attendance stops. 

The full set of instructions is found below, but first, here are some points you need to consider about the religion systematically tracking down "lost" members.


Form provided by the wiki


First, the system does not recognize disengagement as a valid outcome. The wiki makes clear that when someone stops attending or moves without updating records, the organization treats this as missing data, not a personal decision. Silence is interpreted as a problem to solve. That alone creates an unhealthy dynamic because it removes a person’s ability to quietly exit.

Second, the responsibility is institutional, not personal. Search efforts are documented and passed on as leadership changes. This turns a temporary follow-up into an ongoing obligation that can resurface years later. Healthy organizations allow relationships to end. This system is designed to prevent that.

Third, the scope of acceptable search methods is too broad. The wiki explicitly encourages using voter registration records, property records, court databases, divorce filings, and criminal records. These tools exist for legal and civic purposes, not religious tracking. Using them for membership follow-up violates what most would consider to be normal privacy boundaries.

Fourth, third parties are routinely involved without consent. Contacting neighbors, new occupants, landlords, or unrelated relatives exposes a person’s past religious affiliation. Even when done politely, it again disregards basic expectations of privacy.

Finally, there is no clear stopping rule. The process defines how to keep searching, but not when to stop. Without an explicit off-ramp, persistence becomes the default virtue. Over time, that trains the organization to value record completeness over individual autonomy, which is unhealthy for both sides.

Even if the instructions on the wiki don't present "official" church instruction. It demonstrates the level of effort that ward clerks will put into finding those who move.


The following is the archived page, as it appears in the September 16, 2022 web archive

(The embedded page may have difficulty with  scrolling on mobile devices, you may want to just click the above link if you have issues)

Check Your Understanding:

Test what you remember about how the Church attempts to locate members who move without transferring their records.

1. Why does the church sometimes contact members who have stopped attending?




2. Who is primarily responsible for locating members who move without updating their address?




3. What happens to a membership record when someone stops attending and moves?




4. Why does the wiki recommend documenting search efforts?




5. Which local methods are recommended for finding members?




6. What postal phrase is suggested to obtain forwarding information in the United States?




7. According to the wiki, which online tool is described as the most effective way to find someone?




8. Which state-level resource is described as “THE BEST” way to find members?




9. What type of information is commonly used across many search methods?




10. What is the main takeaway of the article?




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