Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ with inspiration and skill remains the fundamental goal of Sunday School, emphasizes the new Sunday School handbook, released April 1.
The new handbook promotes quality teaching to strengthen members in the Sunday School, in the priesthood and auxiliaries, and especially parents in the home, said Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy and general Sunday School president.The handbook has been designed to accommodate the wide differences in attendance between large wards and small branches in the expanding Church.
"This is the way we take the gospel to the Church," said Elder Pinnock. "Teaching is the noblest of all calls, because that is what the Savior did. He was teaching, preaching and leading."
He noted that Sunday School leaders should not be satisfied with the current attendance in their classes. The Sunday School is to offer a warm, loving atmosphere where less-active members are invited and welcomed back into the fold.
In conjunction with this, the Gospel Essentials course using the Gospel Principles manual is to be taught on a 12-month basis. In the Gospel Essentials class, investigators, less-active members, new converts, or those pursuing temple goals can learn the gospel at their own level.
Special efforts are also to be made to accommodate members with special needs, such as those with physical disabilities, or physical, mental or emotional illnesses, continued Elder Pinnock.
Six sections make up the 12-page handbook, including one on strengthening parents and another on improving teaching that may apply generally. In the "organization" section, the handbook emphasizes that certain leaders, such as stake and ward Sunday School presidents, the high councilor adviser and bishop's counselor assigned to Sunday School, have very important functions.
Responsible for training ward leaders, the stake Sunday School president is to visit ward Sunday Schools regularly to ensure that only the approved "and inspired" curriculum is taught, and to supervise semi-annual stake teaching workshops.
Among his other duties, the ward president is to see that the organization is fully staffed, that the supplementary courses and special sacrament presentations are held, and that activation efforts are ongoing.
The high council adviser informs the stake president of the needs and progress of the Sunday School, and is to meet regularly with the stake Sunday School presidency.
Linking the ward Sunday School to the bishop is the bishop's counselor assigned to the Sunday School. He is to ensure "nothing is done without the full awareness and blessing of the bishopric."
Elder Derek A. Cuthbert of the Seventy and first counselor in the general Sunday School presidency commented on the need for Sunday School leaders, teachers and students to be involved in the reactivation effort.
"There is such a great need to reach out, and to further the First Presidency's invitation to come back," said Elder Cuthbert. "Our leaders, teachers, and Sunday School class members must make progress in bringing members back into the Sunday School setting, and to re-teach the basic principles of the gospel."
Elder Ted E. Brewerton of the Seventy and second counselor in the general Sunday School presidency commented that "the home is the best place to teach gospel truths, and the intent is that the ward Sunday School presidency, in conjunction with the bishop's counselor, is to upgrade the ability of the mother and dad, through the Teacher Development course, to teach gospel principles and doctrine to their family.
"The Sunday School is in the best position to help every teacher in any organization or priesthood to become a more skilled teacher to convey gospel truths," said Elder Brewerton.
The training of ward Sunday School presidents is also essential. One who works closely with ward Sunday School presidents is Pres. John Duns Jr., stake Sunday School president in the Palmdale California Stake.
In the training, he underscores following the Sunday School Handbook.
Troy Wotherspoon, Sunday School president of the Surrey 1st Ward, Vancouver British Columbia South Stake, said he reviewed the new manual and found that it "answers a lot of questions. Everything is there; now it is up to us to do it."
The handbook "really emphasizes that everybody should be in Sunday School, not in other meetings," he said.
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
No changes authorized
The Sunday School's mission has not been modified, and no digressions from the three-hour block, or pilot programs, have been authorized.
