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I think there is a lot to be said for smaller, more intimate study classes. I’ve mentioned in another thread I’m a participant in a special Sunday school class with no set curriculum. People at first were wondering why we were all meeting in the bishops office. Word got out that it was an alternative SS class. I thought people would not want to attend because it appears like a class for current and potential apostates. Not so. People are asking the bishop and other class members how they can get into the class. Less because of serious issues they wish to explore and more because they find the other class boring, overpopulated, and bland.
While I have serious reservations about being in this class, I will take it over the regular class. My heart hurts for those of you struggling with the changes.
Last night, as I sat in a Stake Meeting, I realized one of the other reasons I am cringing. This new set up is Proof Texting at it’s best. The guy giving last nights spiritual thought finally shed the light on it. He was recounting the lesson topic, then tying it to Enos in the BofM, from there to loving Christ. You really had to follow the bouncing ball on his delivery to catch the point.
It was then that I realized another of my struggles. Instead of us reading straight scripture and sharing what we learned, the program has a set intent for us to learn, then the selected scriptures that support (or appear to support) the objective. So if I am home studying John the Baptist, I don’t get to use my take away, or I can use it until SS class, when it will be re-engineered to “repentance”.
Oh yeah, and the Michael McClean video will top it off, because it’s about… gay people and faith crisis.”
There was no room for aha’s or uplift. Just mass information dump, posturing, and tongue wagging about the world getting evil. I can watch the news at home for free.
mom3 wrote:
It was then that I realized another of my struggles. Instead of us reading straight scripture and sharing what we learned, the program has a set intent for us to learn, then the selected scriptures that support (or appear to support) the objective. So if I am home studying John the Baptist, I don’t get to use my take away, or I can use it until SS class, when it will be re-engineered to “repentance”.Oh yeah, and the Michael McClean video will top it off, because it’s about… gay people and faith crisis.”
There was no room for aha’s or uplift. Just mass information dump, posturing, and tongue wagging about the world getting evil. I can watch the news at home for free.
And that has been one of my main issues with SS for the last 37 years – I’m not allowed to interpret and understand for myself, I have to comport with “the church’s” interpretation. I think this is exactly opposite of what Joseph Smith (and his church contemporaries and immediate successors) thought and taught. I actually had some high hopes that “home centered, church supported” might remedy that, especially considering the somewhat vague and open ended nature of the materials. I honestly do believe it still can happen, and maybe it’s a matter of culture shift, but that means it has to really be home centered and the church supported part has to allow for those differences of interpretation/understanding. I don’t see that happening in the very near future in my own ward. Yeah, the foyer class is smaller these days, but I think I am going to end up remaining a foyer rat unless something else gives.
I will again re-emphasize that I have been thoroughly enjoying my personal study this year. I wish that there was a way to really freely and openly discuss and share insights and understandings with others. I’m not saying we all have to agree or see things the same way, it would just be nice if there was that free exchange of ideas and open thought.
Home church can still give people all those opportunities but yeah, church church isn’t going to do a whole lot of validating. We just have to be content with our progress privately. 🙂 This does creates an issue though. If I feel like I need to remain silent each Sunday I don’t have a voice. If all we’re doing is regurgitating, there’s not much on the receiving end either. In the absence of giving or receiving what am I doing? Taking up space?
The topic came up in stake council last evening. The original concern expressed was that people the missionaries are teaching no longer have their own class and feel kind of lost and maybe overwhelmed in the large class sizes all of our wards are seeing now and the experience is therefore less personal for them. The question was asked if there could be a second class. The SP replied that in the training her got from the area presidency they were very emphatic about not having a separate class for those taking discussions or new members. They did not say there could not be two GD classes, but the SP said he would rather not have two classes for fear that one of them would turn into a gospel essentials class. There was actually a fair amount of other discussion surrounding the issues we have discussed here, but in the end the presidency said we’re in the growing/learning phase with the new program and we need to give it a chance – teachers might need to use different strategies (such as small groups), small groups outside class are encouraged (and the WML/EQC could facilitate groups of people taking lessons/new members), discussion should stay focused on the core principles of the gospel, and don’t forget that the program is really home centered. So no real solution is coming from the stake level or above, and it sounds like in our stake two classes is not going to happen. I’ve come to some peace with it because I have not been a participant in SS for many years anyway and I can sit in the foyer (or even the back of the chapel) and do my own thing anyway – which is what I have been doing all along. There is no requirement I participate or even listen, and I don’t go to church for SS.
Just curious because every unit here is using their chapel for SS because that’s the only space large enough. What’s happening in places where multiple wards use the same building and the chapel is being used for another SM?
nibbler wrote:
One challenge with having two competing GD classes would be people gravitating to the class with their favorite teacher. Maybe people’s favorite teacher comes out in the wash, some prefer person A’s style, other people prefer person B’s style, but it could be an issue if you get a really good teacher in one class and a real bore in another. I imagine they’d have to do it by assignment. People assigned to a specific class.
There could be a prospectus for each class. Name one “SS – By the Book” and the other “SS – An Exploration”. SS – By the Book could be described as being founded in repentance, obedience, and following the prophet. SS – An Exploration could be described as finding spiritual meaning in the NT for your own life. The ward will divide itself.Or maybe just make sure that there are two good teachers to make the decision hard, and people will find the one that best suits them.
If people had to choose, I believe that there are enough differing desires that it would take care of itself.
I know in my own case that people looking for more repentance, obedience, and follow-the-prophet would seek out the other teacher… and that wouldn’t offend me in the slightest.
DarkJedi wrote:
small groups outside class are encouraged (and the WML/EQC could facilitate groups of people taking lessons/new members), discussion should stay focused on the core principles of the gospel, and don’t forget that the program is really home centered.
My family has been approached by the missionaries to host a weekly “temple prep” discussion in our home. One of the newer members is a coworker and we are on friendly terms. DW and I have accepted but need to tell the missionaries that we will be unable to act as temple escorts when the time comes. This may be one potential solution to the class situation – meetings in member homes.DarkJedi wrote:
Just curious because every unit here is using their chapel for SS because that’s the only space large enough. What’s happening in places where multiple wards use the same building and the chapel is being used for another SM?
We’re in the chapel, and it’s a mess because another ward starts their SM immediately after our block ends. I’m sure the other ward always gets a late start to their SM because they have to wait for an entire chapel full of people socialize as they shuffle out before they can get situated.
But I think that’s a fairly unique circumstance. Our youth are shared between wards. They do SS first and SM last so that the youth from both wards can meet together in the same classes during the “second” hour (first hour for them).
With the two hour block the third ward in our building has a schedule that doesn’t overlap at all with our two wards. During the 3 hour block era the third ward in our building would have many extracurricular meetings going on during our third hour. I suspect that’s how most multi-ward buildings are faring. The 2 hour block created that much more of a buffer between wards.
On Own Now wrote:
There could be a prospectus for each class. Name one “SS – By the Book” and the other “SS – An Exploration”. SS – By the Book could be described as being founded in repentance, obedience, and following the prophet. SS – An Exploration could be described as finding spiritual meaning in the NT for your own life. The ward will divide itself.Gotta be careful there too. If one class sounds like it’s more advanced than the other then human nature might take over and everyone will want to attend the advanced class. And I know a few peeps that would want to attend an exploration SS class so they can steer it back towards the book.
“GD1” and “GD2”? Attend whichever one your friends attend.
On Own Now wrote:
There could be a prospectus for each class. Name one “SS – By the Book” and the other “SS – An Exploration”. SS – By the Book could be described as being founded in repentance, obedience, and following the prophet. SS – An Exploration could be described as finding spiritual meaning in the NT for your own life. The ward will divide itself.I think that’s exactly what our SP is afraid of. In context, our YSA branch once did have two Sunday Schools, pretty much designated as you outline. It was because some of the members of the branch thought the “regular” class was too simple and they wanted to discuss things in more depth. On the surface that’s not so bad. What happened though is that the more “advanced” class devolved into pseudo-doctrine and just plain false doctrine (taught as doctrine) bringing in works from the likes of Skousen and other speculators. I think that coupled with the training and counsel he’s received from the GAs he’s very reticent to do anything outside the prescribed program.
My vote, actually, would be for GD1 and GD2. However, there is a practical way to divide that isn’t entirely driven by popularity: Each week, us teachers have to consolidate down from two weeks of lessons from home study, into one lesson of SS study. Could just say, Class A always focuses on the first week of material, Class B on the second. When deciding which class to attend each week, choose the one you most want to discuss. That has a side benefit of motivation to come at least knowing what the lessons are about, and adds a bit of a subliminal suggestion that it assume you are ready to talk about it.
That’s a pretty good idea. I love that idea, OON. mom3 wrote:
I have tried it. I don’t like it. The taste, texture, sound. None of it….Last week I asked a good friend in my ward:
Quote:How do you like the new schedule?
He said:Quote:I can get use to it.
His comment made me think, What an interesting way to phrase his answer.
Are we making too much of this? I personally don’t like change. Even when I complaint that I wish we had more change.
I have made up my mind that I will give it a chance and see if I can get use to it too.
If I just can’t, I’ll do something else.
mom3 wrote:One brother shared how he used boards with nails in them, and then withdrawn the nails, leaving behind wood with holes. I won’t go any farther.
I wish you had — and in class, too.
Quote:I wish you had — and in class, too.
Right now, that is huge struggle for me. I am having trouble speaking up. Something I haven’t had before. I am feeling tidal waved. I think I will post about it.
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