Nashville, Tenn. (UMPH)--The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH), in conjunction with the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), launched a campaign to encourage and assist United Methodist congregations called “Sunday School--It’s for Life!” at General Conference in Pittsburgh this May. UMPH President and Publisher Neil Alexander, Vice President of Publishing Harriett Olson, and Associate General Secretary of GBOD Vance P. Ross introduced the renewed emphasis on the promise and potential of Sunday school to a group of almost 400 delegates at a picnic-style luncheon. Bishop William Oden spoke enthusiastically about a Sunday school teacher who had influenced his life and many others, all of whom went on to become leaders in the church, and shared news about the Sunday school effort underway in the North Texas Conference. Ross reminded all that the Sunday school is a setting well suited for making disciples of Jesus Christ. Olson invited church leaders to dialogue with each other and UMPH about what is working in their congregations and what resources are still needed. “It seemed more like a local church picnic than like a typical gathering at the General Conference,” said Belton Joyner, a United Methodist pastor from North Carolina. “The event brought together several hundred friends of Christian education. Participants chatted and laughed while balancing paper plates or sitting on the floor or leaning against a few scattered pedestal tables. The atmosphere was the kind of open informality and free exchange which makes Sunday school so effective.”
A new “It’s for Life” video transported participants to various churches across the connection to hear about innovative ways of doing Sunday school in the 21st century, reminding them that there are no age boundaries for encountering the gospel in life-changing ways. The video is available free of charge to all United Methodist
congregations and shows how Sunday school can be,
• Life-giving;
• Connected to the Source of life;
• About real life; and
• Lifelong
The goals of this effort include: re-energizing the Sunday School in places where leaders embrace the campaign; forming more classes; promoting Sunday School as a vibrant teaching and learning setting; attracting new families and members to The United Methodist Church; and starting outreach for mission and service into the community through Sunday school classes. The Sunday School–It’s for Life campaign has tremendous positive potential for growth in The United Methodist Church.
Of course, supporters of the initiative recognize significant challenges.
·The decreased focus on Sunday school in some United Methodist churches, particularly among adults.
·The need for more teachers, and more help for those teachers.
·Pastors focused on other leadership needs rather than embracing a leadership role in Sunday school.
Olson, who is leading the campaign, says, “Wonderful things are happening in Sunday School . . . sometimes . . . many times! We are looking to join hands with leaders in annual conferences, districts, and congregations to share this vision of the Sunday school today and to support their work in raising the profile of this important setting in the church. With just a little more attention, we can improve the Sunday school work in our congregations so that more and more people come to know God through Jesus Christ, love God, and move serving God and neighbor to the center of their lives.”
“I sat down with my friend Jana Krizova, a lay delegate from the Czech/Slovak Republic Annual Conference and began a conversation about Sunday school,” said Mary Brooks Casad, a delegate from the North Texas Conference. “We were joined by a delegate from Maine. For about half an hour, we talked about Sunday school in our various settings. Perhaps when all is said and done about my General Conference experience, this conversation will stand out as the most meaningful one as we dreamed together about enhancing this most important disciple-making activity…Sunday school!”
