My Calling as a Counselor in the Sunday School Presidency

Responsibilities

The Lord is grateful for your willingness to serve in His Church. Below is an overview of the responsibilities for your calling.

Purpose of Sunday School

The Sunday School helps accomplish God’s work of salvation and exaltation. It does this by helping God’s children learn and live the gospel of Jesus Christ (see General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 13.1, Gospel Library).

Sunday School Presidency

The president is responsible for serving on the ward council, overseeing gospel learning and teaching at home and at church, and organizing classes. His counselors assist him. The Sunday School presidency supports, encourages, and instructs teachers to become more effective by following the principles in the scriptures and Teaching in the Savior’s Way (see 13.2.2.2).

Sunday Classes

Sunday School classes are held on the first and third Sundays of the month. Class sizes will vary based on the needs of each ward (see 13.3). Sunday School teachers use the scriptures, scheduled lessons in Come, Follow Me, and the words of modern-day prophets as their main resources for teaching.

Home-Centered Learning

Parents are responsible for teaching the gospel to their children (see 13.5). Sunday School teachers and leaders encourage members to seek their own inspiration about how to study and teach the gospel in their homes (see 17.2).

Teacher Council Meetings

Counselors assist the Sunday School president to organize and carry out teacher council meetings. In teacher council meetings, teachers counsel together about principles of Christlike teaching. They also counsel about how to improve gospel learning and teaching. Teaching in the Savior’s Way is used as a resource (see 17.4). These meetings are held quarterly during class time on Sunday and are usually led by the Sunday School president (see 13.4).

Teacher Council Meetings for Parents

Counselors assist the Sunday School president to organize and carry out teacher council meetings for parents. This meeting follows the same format as regular teacher council meetings, but in this case parents are invited to attend. The purpose is to help parents become better teachers in their homes. Teaching in the Savior’s Way is used as a resource (see 17.4).

Guidelines and Policies

All adults who work with youth must complete the children and youth protection training within one month of being sustained (ProtectingChildren.ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Additional Sunday School guidelines are found in section 13.7 of the General Handbook.