Before the calls for voluntarism rang out at the Presidents' Summit for America's Future from Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, along with Nancy Reagan and Colin Powell, the Church was at work lending its expertise.
Asked by the White House for LDS participation, the First Presidency designated Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve to serve as a co-chair of the Communities of Faith section of the Summit."It's a compliment to the Church that organizers at the White House asked for our participation. They were quick to recognize that otherwise there would be a serious gap among the faith groups represented," Elder Holland said.
The current call for voluntarism was actually conceived years ago by Church member and former Michigan Gov. George Romney. The Summit in Philadelphia this week drew thousands from corporate, non-profit and faith groups, and the media. The faith groups portion focused on what religious denominations could do to support the goal of the Summit - to help 2 million youth by the year 2000.
"Recognition of the need to strengthen families was one of the strongest things to come out of the Communities of Faith working session at the Summit," noted Elder Holland. "Virtually everyone agreed emphatically with our position that we can best strengthen our communities and the nation by strengthening families. We know that by revelation. They know that from all the social data they are collecting."
Elder Holland pointed out that if voluntarism is going to work, each contributing group must focus on its strengths. Faith, religious conviction, change of heart and answers to prayers are unique things that the religious community can focus on. Once those elements are in place, then the Lord is much more able to pour out His blessings on the service being rendered, he said.
Church member Stephen R. Covey played an important role as the moderator of a panel discussion at the Community of Faith session. Among the panel participants were leaders from the National Council of Churches, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the governor of Tennessee.
As panel participants discussed alternatives for encouraging voluntarism, Brother Covey made a point of referring to the home teaching and visiting teaching programs of the Church. These programs help keep families together, he said. He and his son have the opportunity to home teach families and watch over them, just as home teachers teach and watch over his family. He recalled that once, while he was traveling, a family member needed assistance, and it was the home teacher who came through.
Elder Holland said he was not surprised that the Church's ability to rally volunteers was of interest to Summit organizers. "We're volunteers by definition - from the Primary teacher to the Scout leader to the full-time missionary. Every participant in LDS life is a volunteer. We find ways to bless the lives of others through service."
It is anticipated that a number of recommendations will come from the dialog at the Summit.
In addition to the faith groups working session at the Summit was a "Festival of Faith" session where various speakers talked about the needs of youth. Rachel Moss, a young woman in the Marshallton 2nd Ward, Philadelphia Pennsylvania Stake, addressed the group. She spoke of service to others, quoting from King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon - "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17.) Joan Brown Campbell, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches, and one of the co-chairs, commented that Sister Moss' address was well delivered, was an important part of the session, and "was the first time most of those people in attendance have ever heard a passage read from the Book of Mormon."
