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Church shares new training videos ahead of September Sunday schedule changes
Wards and branches will gather Aug. 30 and Sept. 6 to learn about and prepare for the updated Sunday format
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is preparing members around the world for its updated Sunday meeting schedule, which begins Sept. 6. Special instruction will be provided in wards and branches on Aug. 30 and again on Sept. 6.
During those Sundays, members will gather to watch several short instructional videos and discuss how the new schedule will work in their local congregations.
The videos were released Monday, Aug. 3, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and can also be found in the Gospel Library app under Handbooks and Callings. Members can also access the material through Sunday.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
For areas where the videos are not available in a particular language, local units may instead use the implementation guide provided in their language. That guide is available near the bottom of Sunday.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and can be used to guide the congregation’s discussion.
Church leaders have explained that the Sunday schedule changes are intended to help members:
* Center their worship and learning more fully on Jesus Christ.
* Build stronger gospel learning within the home.
* Strengthen relationships, fellowship and a sense of belonging within Church congregations.
Special fifth-Sunday instruction for youth
On Sunday, Aug. 30, youth, Primary children who will turn 12 during 2027, their parents and youth leaders are invited to meet together during the class period to learn about the Church’s new Sunday curriculum for young people.
The 23-minute video, “For the Strength of Youth Curriculum,” features Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman explaining the updated curriculum, what members can expect to change and the reasons behind those changes.
Local leaders may choose to pause the presentation at various points so participants can discuss the included questions, or they may show the entire video first and hold the discussion afterward.
Among the questions youth and leaders will consider are:
* In what ways can the updated FSY guide and new Sunday curriculum bless youth?
* Using the pattern taught in Doctrine and Covenants 88:122, how can participants invite the Holy Ghost into both the way they speak and the way they listen so that everyone is strengthened?
* How might meeting together each week under the new schedule help youth form stronger relationships with one another?
The Aug. 30 meeting is intended to help youth better understand how to use the For the Strength of Youth guide, become familiar with additional resources available through the For the Strength of Youth magazine, and prepare them to participate more fully in the weekly classes beginning Sept. 6.
Adults who are not participating in the youth gathering will attend a fifth-Sunday lesson directed by local Church leaders. Younger Primary children will continue with their regular Sunday schedule.
Sunday School instruction for youth and adults
Following sacrament meeting on Sunday, Sept. 6, youth and adults will begin following the updated Sunday schedule by attending a 25-minute Sunday School class. Two instructional videos will be shown during that period, followed by discussion.
The first video, “The Sabbath and Sacrament Meeting,” features Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
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After viewing the 11-minute presentation, wards and branches will consider how they can make sacrament meeting a more meaningful experience centered on Jesus Christ, spiritual renewal and personal growth.
The second video, “Sunday School,” runs approximately four minutes and features Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson.
The video includes an example of a Sunday School teacher demonstrating ways a class can remain focused on the Savior while also strengthening gospel learning that takes place in members’ homes.
Members will then discuss how their time together in Sunday School can deepen their understanding of Jesus Christ while supporting and strengthening gospel study within the family and home.
After both videos have been viewed, wards and branches will also discuss the ideas and questions contained in sections 1, 2 and 4 of the implementation guide.
Once Sunday School concludes, youth will move to their Young Women classes or Aaronic Priesthood quorums and begin using the new curriculum. Adults will attend either Relief Society or elders quorum for an additional 25-minute meeting period.
I’m glad the youth gathering includes parents and leaders, not just the teens. The chance to pause the 23-minute presentation for discussion could make a big difference, especially for young people who need to connect the new curriculum with real questions about belonging and faith.
The 25-minute Sunday School period sounds manageable, but the real difference may come from how wards use the discussion afterward. I’m glad the plan emphasizes strengthening gospel learning at home rather than treating the videos as the whole change; families with travel, work, or children’s schedules will still need to find a rhythm that fits.
The planned discussion around Doctrine and Covenants 88:122 stands out to me. Inviting the Holy Ghost through both speaking and listening could make the shorter Sunday School period feel more spiritually focused, especially if people arrive ready to strengthen one another rather than simply finish a lesson.