Content found in this wiki may not reflect official Church information. See Terms of Use for more information.
Meetinghouse Technology Training
My Calling
As a technology specialist (TS), it is your responsibility to learn about meetinghouse technology so you can assist members and leaders as they strive to carry out the missions of the Church. You will help members use technology as you configure, test, maintain, and troubleshoot the devices in each meetinghouse.
This training program will help you understand the resources available to you, what is or could be expected of you, and how you can improve the use of technology within the Church. We hope this will help you serve in your current calling and in future endeavors.
Definitions and Acronyms
Area Information and Communication Services (Area ICS)
Church employees outside the US and Canada who provide technical support to the Church workforce in their respective areas.
Assistant Technology Specialist (ATS)
ATSs are called by the stake presidency to assist an STS. ATSs may be assigned to support a ward, building, or organization or to manage a specific technology.
Brothers or sisters age 12 or older may be called to serve as ATSs.
Area Information and Communication Services (Area ICS):
Church employees outside the US and Canada that provide technical support to the Church workforce in their respective area.
Facilities Management Group (FMG)
A group of Church and contract employees, led by a facilities manager (FM), that manages multiple meetinghouses, usually spread across many stakes. The FMG works primarily with stake presidents and physical facilities representatives (PFRs) to maintain Church buildings and properties.
Global Services Department (GSD)
An IT support group available to assist TSs with meetinghouse technology issues that they cannot solve on their own and that are not the responsibility of the FMG.
Information and Communication Services Department (ICS)
A Church department charged with providing technology services for the Church worldwide.
Internet Service Provider (ISP)
A local company that provides access to the internet.
Meetinghouse Computer
Any computer purchased with Church funds for use in a meetinghouse, installed under the direction of the stake presidency, and managed in compliance with Church standards. Meetinghouse computers include clerk computers and others used for gospel-related purposes.
Meetinghouse Facilities Department (MFD)
A Church department charged with providing and maintaining Church facilities worldwide.
Meetinghouse Technology Committee
A committee at Church headquarters representing all major departments of the Church that influence technology in meetinghouses.
Meetinghouse Technology Coordination Team
A team of ICS employees charged with coordinating communications, training, and policy related to meetinghouse technology.
Physical Facilities Representative (PFR)
A high council member assigned to coordinate building needs with the FM and the TS.
Stake Technology Specialist (STS)
An assistant stake clerk called by the stake president to provide technology support for meetinghouse products, leaders, instructors, members at meetinghouses, and stake family history centers.
TS Responsibilities
- Understand your responsibilities from the handbook in section 33.10.
- Staying current on meetinghouse technology products, services, and policies
- Providing technology support for meetinghouse products, services, and policies to priesthood leaders, teachers, family history centers, and mission offices
- Managing meetinghouse products
- Computers
- Internet
- Broadcasts
- Satellite
- Virtual Meetings
- Printers and copiers
- Coordinating with the FMG through the PFR to ensure that meetinghouses have approved and working technology equipment
- Providing input to the FMG through the PFR on Internet Service Provider (ISP) selection and desired locations for wired and wireless access
- Training clerks, priesthood leaders, instructors, and others on meetinghouse technology (quarterly training meetings are recommended)
- Understanding Technology Standards
- Learning how to play digital media for lessons and training
- Promoting Church websites available to general Church membership
- Maintaining an inventory of meetinghouse technology hardware and software, including dates of acquisition, warranties, and licensing information
- Acting as primary contact for requesting help from the GSD
- Serving as primary local support and contact for requesting technical help through Family History Center Support (computers, computer screens, printers, and other equipment for family history centers are provided by the Family History Department)
Using MHTech
The most basic resource available to you to perform your calling is MHTech (mhtech.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). MHTech has a library of overview articles that will instruct and assist you as you carry out your calling. There are three additional sites that contain content that can help you with your calling. Below is a list of those sites with information about each:
· The TECH Wiki is primarily a collection of how-to articles that provide step-by-step instructions.
· The TECH Forum is a collection of responses to questions raised by other Technology Specialists.
· The Gospel Library has four short essays designed to introduce you to your calling.
Conclusion
Understanding the different resources available will help you quickly find the support and instructions you are looking for. As you practice navigating the sites, you will learn about the many technologies within a meetinghouse and how to best support the members that use them.
The following “use cases” are instructive for recognizing issues that may come up and considering various solutions. Note that for any given issue, there are always resources to turn to.
Use Case Scenario 1
In preparation for stake conference, you find that you need to limit wireless access in the meetinghouse to make sure there’s plenty of internet bandwidth available for the webcast. Since you’ve never done this before, you head to mhtech.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to find some information to help.
Once on the MHTech home page, you find the link for stake conference. This sends you to the overview article, which lists a description and the related tasks for setting up the event. Looking through the tasks, you find one called “Disabling Wireless Access” and follow the link. This brings you to a how-to article on the TECH Wiki site that simply explains the steps for disabling the Wi-Fi. By following the steps, you are able to limit the wireless signal.
To verify that the wireless signal has been turned off and that the wired connections are still strong, you decide to run a speed test. To find instructions on running a speed test, you go to the “Networking Overview” article on MHTech and find the bullet point titled “Running a Speed Test.” This link sends you to the how-to article on the TECH Wiki site about testing the network speed. You follow the steps and verify that the wireless network has successfully been deactivated and that the wired network is strong and ready for the webcast.
Use Case Scenario 2
Ward clerks contact you and tell you that they have not been able to access the internet for two weeks. They ask you to take a look at the status of the firewall.
Since the firewall was installed before you were called as a TS, you head to mhtech.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to learn more about it. You click the tab titled “Networking.” This takes you to an overview article with links to several network-related articles. You find the one titled “Firewall Overview” and read about the device.
While reading about the firewall, you learn that access and information can be found in Church Network Manager. Other links are provided in this overview article that take you to the TECH Wiki for additional information and how-to articles.
After logging in to cnm.churchofjesuschrist.org, you look up the firewall for the building in question and notice that it shows as offline. However, when you visit the building and look at the physical firewall, you see that all the status lights are off. After checking the firewall cabling, you conclude that it is still receiving power. You give the GSD a call to see if they can help you, but they determine that the firewall has malfunctioned and will need to be replaced.
To find a replacement firewall, you contact the local FMG office and request a new device. They put in an order for a new firewall and collect the old one for disposal. Once the new firewall is shipped and installed, you verify on the Church Network Manager that it has been activated and is working properly. You review the article and follow the steps to confirm that everything is installed properly.