Sunday School Superintendents

[AngelAmidala]

I've been searching the umc.org website all night (as well as reading through my copy of the Book of Discipline) trying to find out if there are guidelines regarding Sunday School superintendents...or basically people who are in charge of the Sunday School program within a church.

I just need to find some in general guidelines (if there are any) in terms of who can be one, how they get assigned or voted into position or whatever, and stuff like that.

If anyone can be of help with that, I'd greatly appreciate it!

God Bless you all!

 

[Gwynne]

Hmmm. Not sure if there really are any guidelines. I've been named Sunday School Superintendent of my church with basically no experience and only having been a member for a short time. But then again, they were desperate and I was pretty much the only person willing to do it....

 

[herev]

Jenn, it really varies from church to church what role this is. In my current church, the superintendent keeps the attendance and SS offering information--that's about it! In the last church, they had an opening together before splitting into smaller classes and the superintendent presided at that. AT other churches, the Superintendent is respoinsible for all material or all teachers or filling in for vacancies. I wish I could offer more. I would speak to the Board Chair, the pastor and the previous person in that position and say, "What's expected of me?"
God bless--you'll do great!

 

[ClementofRome]

Good response herev. It ranges from Directors of Christian Education to not having a Super at all. Our church is very small and we do not have a DCE or even a Super.

Bless you in your new role.

 

[herev]

also, let me give you all the Discipline says about it:

¶ 254. Church-School Superintendent and Small-Group Coordinator
The charge conference may elect: (1) a superintendent of the church school or Sunday school, and/or a coordinator of small-group ministries, who shall be responsible for helping to organize and supervise the total program for nurturing faith, building Christian community, and equipping people of all ages for ministry in daily life through small groups in the church; (2) a health-and-welfare ministries coordinator, who shall assist the local church and its people in being involved in direct service to persons in need; and (3) a communications coordinator, who shall assist the local church and its members with communication tasks by making available ideas, resources, and skills.

 

[AngelAmidala]

hehe...actually my question was...well.....I didn't want to really post the issue but it might make the question easier to understand.

During the rehearsal for our Christmas "pagent" (which wasn't really a pagent so much as a play that sort of had the Christmas story in it) it turns out that the superintendent was pretty much yelling at the kids to do things...and threatening one that if they didn't behave they weren't going to be in it it...and even yelling at the pastor.

Two of the parents intend to go to our SPR (Staff Parish Relations) committee to discuss this person...and the position they hold...and how they're doing in it.

My mom was just trying to see if there was anything in the Discipline that outlined what type of a person could be superintendent.

Like, for example, the person in question here is not a member of our church. Her husband is...her children will probably be in confirmation class next year. But she is not on our "books" as an official member of the UMC. When they were given the position...it was pretty much because no one else wanted to do it. But was that right?

LOL...I don't think they'd even consider me for the position to be honest. :o

 

[ClementofRome]

I would suggest..."must be a member." That is too bad this person had to handle the situation in the manner in which it was handled.

Actually, I taught SS for 2 years before becoming a member, but I had no position of authority.

 

[herev]

unfortunately, I cannot find any requirement of being a member. I'm not sure that the SPR is the right place to go, but can't think of a better place. The Committee on Lay Leadership nominates that person and they are elected by the Church Council and the Charge Conference. Generally speaking, this would mean the people to talk to would be the pastor and the Chair of the church council
God bless

 

[AngelAmidala]

Yeah....my first reaction when I heard what the parents were gonna do was that they couldn't DO much since we just had our charge conference...so it wouldn't be for another year that we could even consider talking about replacing the position. (I'm on the Committee on Lay Leadership.) But then my mom was asking if it was in the Discipline anywhere about it....and I was looking through my copy (granted, it's the 2000 edition) and couldn't find anything real easy.

Thanks everyone for the help.