25 Minute Weekly Church Classes!

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My name is Greg Matson and I am your host back from a long hiatus to the Middle East over the last uh almost couple of months, primarily Egypt. Uh and a crazy time, but uh really pretty safe. I I never felt that I was in any trouble and uh very safe. Of course, I'm very familiar with Egypt. Really good people. And uh so but it was a little interesting with with tourism going on in the Middle East at the time of uh of the war here with Iran. So but anyway, I'm back. I'm safe and we're ready to get back in the saddle here with Quick Show today and uh keep you up on the news and different events and and topics etc.

Today I want to cover the news, the big news for the church where we have now moved into a well starting September 2026, we are moving into uh shorter classes and weekly classes, moving our every other week um schedule of Sunday school versus priesthood, young women, young men, etc. And so big change. We're going to go over the first presidency letter on that and talk about this just a little bit. First of all, this episode is brought to you by Wavemakers podcast recruits coming this November 14th to 21st. Got an opportunity to meet with Hayden and Jackson Paul of the Stick of Joseph, Carden Ellis, Jacob Hansen, Andrea Woodmancy, Hannah Stoddard, Jonah Barn, Sarah Clark, Kevin Prince, Aranai. Uh just some great people to meet and to talk to. bring that online community together face to face with those influencers. Uh it's going to be fantastic presentations. It's going to be edifying, spiritual. You're going to gain a greater gospel knowledge and have an just a great time. Our last one was fantastic. This one is going to be great. This is going up the coast of California. I I believe you're really going to enjoy this. Go to quickdia.com. That's quickia.com. Go up to trips and events and scroll down to Wavemakers podcast cruise. Here we go.

All right. A new letter has gone out from the first presidency announcing changes to the Sunday class meeting schedule. This letter is going to be read in sacrament meeting this Sunday. Uh let's cover this. Take a look at what we've got here and then talk a little bit about these changes. This letter is dated March 30th, yesterday, 2026.

And uh again to be read in sacrament meetings, changes to the Sunday class meeting schedule. This is going to be a a big difference for us in church here. Let's start off reading this. It says,

"Dear brothers and sisters, for your information, beginning the first week of September 2026, so it's not immediate. The class schedule during Sunday worship will change. In the new schedule, sacrament meeting will continue to be no longer than 60 minutes. Now, in order for them to accomplish this, wards are going to have to adjust so that they do not go over because otherwise there's going to be hardly any time at all for the first class, the first of the two classes. So, we'll see how that goes, right? There's going to be some uh there's going to be some adjustments, I think, that are going to have to be made. People are going to have to be very cognizant of the time. Um, maybe there are going to be fewer fewer talks given sometimes instead of trying to fit an extra one in. Uh, do you have to cut down on maybe the hymn being sung for all four three or four verses and maybe you're just going with one, especially in the closing hymn. There's going to have to be some adjustments made on this and people are going to have to be cognizant of this and it's going to be a little uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than usual if someone really goes over in their talk at the end and and they're pushing forward uh you know another five to 10 minutes over uh you know usually about 5 minutes over. So that's going to be an adjustment that uh whoever's conducting and the bishop are going to have to keep in mind as they are making sure that we are done at the hour mark, right? At the 60-minute mark with sacrament meeting, uh after a fivem minute transition, it used to be 10, it's all you need is five minutes to walk from one room to another. Youth and adults will attend a 25inut Sunday school class. That is going to be interesting. I it's it's I' I've spoken to uh Sunday school teachers on this. This is I've been a Sunday school teacher. This is this is going to be tough. Um think about this for a minute. All right? Whether whether it's a Sunday school class or whether it's a priesthood class or a young women's class, 25 minutes and it's got to be you can't go over, right? Usually we're used to being able to go over a few minutes. It's going to be tough to do that because if you are going over, you are taking away from the following class. So again, we're going to be on our toes a lot more on time periods and making sure that we are sensitive to getting the class done on time. 25 minutes. How do you cover that? I I almost feel like I I if I was giving a lesson on this and I knew that this Sunday I had 25 minutes to go over it. I'm going to give a five to t minute lesson overview, few scriptural references, maybe um you know, you're not gonna have much time for a story or or or anything like that that you're including in this. And then I'm going to have maybe five questions, maybe maybe a couple more that we're going to go over and discuss on this or a couple of subtopics. You're not going to be able to get much beyond that. 25 minutes is going to come really quick. I think that we're going to see as we try to make this adjustment because it will take a little time, I think, to to make sure that we're getting this down and we're accustomed to this type of a schedule. But I think we're going to see that it's it's 25 minutes is not very long. Uh there are talks that go 20 minutes in in sacrament meeting. So it's it's it's and then you have to monitor things. I mean, think about if you're the teacher and and there are answers and you're getting down to 10 minutes left and you want a couple other things you want to cover. And this happens to some degree already, but uh and you have someone taking up a lot of time in answering questions or or or speaking to something and sometimes that's deserving. Sometimes you want to hear that. Sometimes you have someone's got a very interesting point or or some type of a a story that goes along with a topic that edifies and and makes sense. But if you're going to do that, I mean, you're going to have a lot less, not only instruction, but class participation available in in each of these meetings. So, the management of these meetings is going to have to take place. And I know that they've got leadership meetings that are scheduled for coming up this week for general conference, and they're probably going to be covering this. And how are we going to teach this? How are bishops going to be over this and Sunday school presidencies and and priesthood and the Relief Society and Young Women's? H how do you help manage all of this? I'm sure there's going to be some some following uh updated instruction on all of these things. So, after the 25 minutes class goes for Sunday school, which we get every week. I do like that part. um they will attend a 25 minute priesthood quorum relief society or young women's meeting.

Okay, so that also is going to be the same time period. So you're really adjusting this in half, right? You're going from what used to be a 10-minute break after sacrament meeting to a 50inute total class time period for those classes. So each of So each of these classes now is going to be cut in half as we move forward, but we're going to have them every single week. Going to be interesting to to see how this goes. Primary, of course, will now last a full 55 minutes. So you actually gain five minutes because you're not transferring uh classes. Uh so they're going to get 55 minutes. They're probably going to be very happy about that. I would think it's whether you're teaching or whether it's at least what they used to call sharing time, it's it's uh they're probably going to be pretty happy with getting that extra five minutes there.

Now, this is interesting to me because I think that this helps us get a better idea of what they are trying to accomplish this and especially under President Nelson as he initiated this two-hour block on Sundays. He says they say Sunday school and primary classes will study the scriptures using come follow me for home and church. Okay, so that's the same. We're following the come follow me program. Elders quorum and relief societies will continue to study messages from the most recent general conference talk. Okay, so that's the same. We follow the same instruction. Youth will use a new and expanded edition for the strength of youth. And I love this subtitle here, a guide for making choices. I think that is fantastic, right? That is that is what we're trying to teach our kids, how to make choices. and it's supported by material available in church magazines. Quorums and classes will no longer counsel together about a specific topic prior to these lessons. So, that was something that was instituted not too long ago um in talking about a topic that was specific to that class, right? And to those that are attending that class.

Now, there's some follow followup here in this letter that goes into some things that are more specific that I gives us a better idea, I think, of what they are trying to accomplish here. Again, I'm just going to make a rundown here of what the schedule is. 60 minute finish on time, 60-minute sacrament meeting, 5 minutes to transition, 25 minutes Sunday school every week, five minutes to transition, and then 25 minutes of priesthood quorum, relief society, and young women. children get 55 minutes in in primary. Um, okay. And then there are some changes here that you can make if needed. Leaders may adjust this schedule as described. Now, I checked this reference and this does not seem to be up to date yet. So, we we'll see. Now, it does in the previous the current version which has not been updated. It doesn't appear yet. Um they they do allow for you to start with Sunday school and finish with sacrament meeting. Um so maybe that's something that works better somehow and the sacrament meeting if it goes over a few minutes maybe that's better to have that at the very end uh so that people giving a talk in front of everyone aren't as pressured. I I don't know. Maybe that maybe we're going to see more wards move to Sunday school first and sacrament meeting last. We'll we'll see. That'll be interesting. But the update that I can find here doesn't seem like it's it's been updated yet. All right. Continuing on with the letter. No sacrament meeting will continue to be 60 minutes uh out.

All right. Continuing with the uh the letter here. Are there any changes to the sacrament meeting schedule? No. Sacrament meeting will continue to be 60 minutes or fewer. So I think we will see this coming up where people are or you know it's not going to be a problem at all and people don't need to extend things or a bishop break member doesn't need to come up and make final remarks if there's extra time. It's like let's give the teachers the time that they need and so maybe maybe you're going to see sometimes you know sacrament meeting just going to 55 minutes or 52 minutes and people not being that concerned about it.

All right. Format for Elders Corum and Relief Society meetings. Meetings begin and end with prayer. So again, 25 minutes. You're starting with a prayer, you're ending with a prayer. These are all things that add to the time frame. With reduced class period, there will no longer be a specific uh time for a there will no longer be time for a specific counseling topic prior to the lesson. Rather, presidencies should carefully select general conference messages that can be reviewed and discussed in their respective quorums or classes. Okay? So, they're going to remove the counseling period previously. Also, for ironic priesthood young women's meetings, meetings begin and end with prayer. And I love this and it's emphasized and they've been doing this for a while but it's these these meetings are supposed to be conducted by a member of the quorum right for ironic priesthood or or of the class presidency for young women and and and we're teaching leadership skills and of course it doesn't always work as well but it's the whole purpose is for the youth right so gospel is instruct instruction is provided by an adult leader a youth or a youth assisted by an adult leader and then starting with the beginning of the program in September 2026. We're told that uh for the youth lessons will focus on truths in the updated for the strength of youth a guide for making choices. Uh I've gone through this. It's fantastic. Just a quick look at this. Uh you get an idea of the 12 different monthly uh it looks like the 12 different monthly themes that they're going to go through. All of course tied to the uh the scriptures. You've got Elma 22:13. God's plan is for you. That's what you start off with. It's interesting they're starting in September, right? They're going right off the bat in September. They're not waiting for the beginning of next year. And then Doctrine of Covenants 8 23. God wants to communicate with you. So, there's a plan. There's communication in place for you. This all go This is a great sequence. You can help with God's work. And and I think that this is really important. And this is an understanding of the restored gospel that is so different from the rest of Christianity. There is not just a a a priest and and some volunt a few volunteers. There is we are all involved with with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are all involved with the restored gospel and the restored church. And God's plan is a participatory plan. We all live because we are all becoming. We are all one in that sense. And and that means we're one with God. We follow his goal in doing the same thing that he does in in a lesser degree, but we do the same thing that he does. You can help with God's work. And then the fourth one here is Jesus Christ will help will help you. All right. Psalm 147:3. Love a reference to the Psalms. Galatians 5:25. Walk in God's light. Make a choice on how you live. Matthew 22:37-4, love God first. We we we are switching this around for some reason. Well, it's because culture is leading us there. And and we are putting the second commandment above the first commandment often times, but we're teaching our kids to I hope this is emphasized, right? Love God first. Obey the commandments. That is how you love God. It's one of the most important ways to love God. Love is a verb. Should be seen more of as a verb than a feeling. So, love God first, then love your neighbor, right? Second, and all of the law and commandments fall under those those two areas there as Jesus says. Number seven, Doctrine and Covenants 84:20. This is fantastic. It is 84, section 84. Everybody needs to look at this, not just the men. Ordinances and covenants give you access to God's blessings. This is going right back into uh you know where we're criticized for works on this. But covenants are crucial. They help us. They strengthen us. This is something that has existed since the time of Adam and come down through the patriarchs and and now and then comes down to us and and we've the temple is crucial. That is our truest worship in practice. Our truest worship in practice is in the temple. Ordinances and covenants give you access to God's blessings. And that that is that is because not because God says, "Oh, I favor you over you somebody else." It means that because you're making those covenants along with those ordinances that and you're keeping them, then of course you're going to receive blessings for that. That that is That's pretty logical. That's how it works. Um, number eight, temple ordinances and covenants give you greater backing up here. Seven is ordinances and covenants give you access to God's blessings. There's two on ordinances and covenants. Number eight, temple ordinances and covenants give you greater access to God's blessings. Interesting. So, there are two, and that is Doctrine of Covenants 958. So they've really got this focused on the ordinances and the priesthood. Okay. Number nine, you are blessed by priesthood keys and authority. So this is important to understand how the what the priesthood does for all of us. This is not you're blessed if you're a man or a boy. This is all of us are blessed through priesthood keys and authority. The whole church operates under these keys. Number 10, 1 Corinthians 6:18 to20. Your body is sacred. It is. You can say this is a um an appendage to these other ones because that your body is a temple. The body is a temple. You're going through those ordinances with your body. Uh 11 John 8:32. We're very familiar with this. Truth will make you free. That's fantastic. And there there that goes pushes against the cultural idea of liberation today, which is saying you need to be free of the oppressions. you need to be free of uh you know uh of inequities and and not that those things wouldn't be important but that becomes the primary focus for culture today. We are moving toward a very critical theory type of culture that is saying it's the oppressors versus the oppressed and that's the most important liberation. Not a liberation over sins, not a liberation because you're adopting truth. Not an internal liberation of your soul through repentance, obedience, and a relationship with God, but a liberation of XYZ, something out there that's not inside of you. Something the problems out there, not in you. The problem's out there. And that's what critical theory does is it puts it all on its head. Perfect example of this, of course, as I've covered many times, is is the trial with Pilate of Jesus and of uh Barabus, right? Two different types of messiahs. One liberate trying to be liberate you over the Romans, one trying to liberate you over sin. Big difference. And then lastly, number 12, Doctrine and Covenants 101. Great great section 10136. Jesus Christ brings joy. That's based on all these other things, right? Following the truth, ordinances, and covenants, loving God first and loving your your neighbor second, right? Those two things are are crucial. And then finally, Jesus Christ brings you the joy. Um hopefully they're going into exaltation on that to some degree. All right. So anyway, that looks absolutely fantastic. I I think it's great. I my kids are older than this, so they're not going through this, but I would be very happy if my son or daughter was going through this. A for the strength of youth, a guide for making choices. That's fantastic. There's a magazine to support this.

Primary meetings finally five minutes prayer, scripture or article of faith talk or testimony. 20 minutes singing time. 5 minutes transition to classes and 25 minutes classes with lesson from come follow me which I think is great. Have them go along the same lines as the adults in Sunday school. So that is fantastic. Um format for Sunday school classes. What is the format? Sunday school classes can strengthen gospel learning at home. Now, this is what I think the whole thing is about. I I I'm guessing this is gospel by Greg here. I am guessing that as they continue with what President Nelson instituted that they're saying, look, you're going to get direction very briefly in church, but that is not the place where your real scripture study should happen, but it should be in your home. And whether you're on your own or you're with your family, this is where it needs to happen. And the come follow me program is designed for that that you are building a scripturebased uh uh gospel study at home in the home on this and and I don't know how well we do with this. Um hopefully we're doing better than we used to since the come follow me program was instituted. Maybe this is another step toward solidifying this and we're able to do a better job of it. But they're obviously taking the emphasis off of the Sunday meeting for scripture study, for gospel study, and putting it into the home. And uh I think that this is following through with all of this. And there's something on when do we hold teacher council meetings. I'm not going to go into that. So anyway, it's going to be very interesting to see how this plays out come September and how we manage this uh and make sure that we are in a position of uh getting done with our meetings on time. Uh we're going to have to control comments a little bit more and participation in in the classes. Um but I'm optimistic, right? I'm optimistic. I do think that this study needs to be put in in the home and uh I wouldn't even mind if there was some type of you know I know they don't want to add too much right here where they're they're giving too many details on how to do things but uh it would be nice to see something with come follow me that's just basically a little more emphasis on look take whatever 15 30 minutes a day 15 to 30 minutes a day and study this for the week right and and and maybe they do that I'm not sure I haven't looked at that in a But, uh, I think that's what it is. I think that they're trying to move everything into the home. And I like that. Remember, we don't worship the church. We do not worship the church. The Sabbath was created for man. Man was not created for the Sabbath. And so, this is a move to to keep things in the home, which is where the patriarchal priesthood reigns and and and administers and loves. And that's the way it's supposed to be. The patriarchal priesthood is above the mazes priesthood. And that is what resides with the parents in the home. So I think that that is a that seems to me like it goes along those lines and and raises up the patriarchal priesthood that much more. Thanks for listening. We'll talk to you tomorrow.