Thanks for your reply Keven.
A great deal of what you have posted is true. That said, without extensive part 90 equipment (except on campus), which there is little if any in our area owned and licensed to the LDS Church, amateur radio is it.
I've already said I have not noted any religious content or church business conducted on the ERC net. Without part 90 equipment, I cannot see how business type comms will not be exchanged during an emergency on amateur radio as part 90 equipment is not out in the field, mobile or in church stakes.
Here is a quote from the LDS web site--https://www.lds.org/topics/emergency-preparedness/guidelines-for-emergency-communication?lang=eng. The links that I referred to earlier on the LDS web site about the church not officially endorsing the ERC radio are no longer on the web site. The web site's links has been changed and I can no longer access the official stance on the ERC nets.
You can also note that Amateur nets are being conducted from the store houses which are church property and church business.
I have no doubt that the LDS church has helped many in times of need through amateur radio and will continue to do so. Their help in times of need is a great asset and to be complimented.
The LDS church does not have part 90 equipment in place to any large degree to conduct local church business. At the ERC training in Rexburg, I was told the main reason for the LDS nets was to keep elders informed, which included damage to church facilities and other church business. Emergency messages, needs for supplies and other emergency comms needed and approved for transmission on amateur radio are also included. Damage to a church building is not an emergency. If people are in the building and hurt, then it's an emergency. Reporting on damage to church property is considered to be business related. It was one of the main things that was to be reported.
Note that the equipment included in the emergency equipment of the Baptist Church includes part 90 equipment. I have seen no part 90 equipment available for use that covers the large area in which I live. While the LDS Church mentions things such as cell phones, telephone, the net and sat phones, these will be the first thing to go down except for sat phones in an emergency.
The ERC relies on Amateur radio for comms when other forms of communication are down. Yes they do have satellite coms between major locations, but I'm not sure if they are two way or not.
ERC does not require ICS training as required for Races. Local repeaters are owned by church members. I have yet to hear which repeaters will be designated for ERC nets. Once an emergency presents it's self, it may be too late for the Ares/Races groups who may be counting on those repeaters being available. Right now both ERC and Ares/Races nets are conducted on my local repeater at different times.
If it hits the fan, which group will be on the repeater ?
Lastly, while there is a core group who knows how to conduct emergency communications, the vast majority of LDS church members who have been licensed in my area have little if any real world experience in emergency comms.
Most have just got their Tech or GMRS license and have no training in ICS. With all of the numbers of amateurs trained by the LDS church, only a small percentage participate in Ares/Races. They do conduct some training after their nets, but most is very basic and gives their members no real world training. The Baptist Church net require at least 3 years as an amateur radio operator and uses experienced ham radio operators. Most of the ERC net has no training other than checking into the weekly net.
I got a some what terse E Mail from one of the local leaders of the local ERC group wondering why I would make such a post. The answer is that I see some problems with the way the ERC group operates. My hope is that they might be corrected. I'm glad to see so many who want to get involved in Amateur radio. I'd just like to see to it that part 90 equipment is bought, licensed and deployed for church business, which repeaters are to be used in an emergency for ERC business (something people in other area should be aware of) and that there is proper training including ICS training as all emergency comms are based on the Incident Command System today.
As I told the person who e mailed me, if my church was doing the same as the ERC, I'd have the same issues. It's not an attack on the LDS Church. It's about following FCC rules. So far they have, but I still have doubts in a large emergency due to normal comms being down and amateur radio being the only comms left with the absence of part 90 equipment. Though some might know not to conduct any church business, the vast majority have no idea what the limits are.
I think the people who have volunteered their time and money to be a part of the ERC are a great bunch of people. There are many well trained people and many more who need additional training. I'm glad to see training is on going, but would like to see the ICS training be a requirement. I've expressed my concerns and hope that maybe the LDS Church will get more part 90 equipment as the Red Cross, Baptist Church and other organizations have done.
I know part of checking on church stakes could be for shelter if needed, but members should also be instructed to check on other facilities besides the stakes as just the LDS population in most areas here would overflow most LDS Stakes. If housing people is not a major concern, then just checking for property damage would fall under the guise of business.
I'm glad to see this has not turned into a bashing session as this can apply to any organization doing emergency radio service. I think the intent is good and the LDS church has helped many thousands of people in time of trouble. Maybe just some fine tuning

John
P.S. I got another E Mail from the same person who has told me I'm still invited to participate in the ERC nets. I appreciate that, and I think he realizes it was nothing against the LDS Church or himself. He was concerned the post might get negative comments against the LDS Church, which to the credit to all who posted, it did not, nor should it have. It's just a few items I have exception with and religion has zero to do with that.