Church Releases Instructional Videos for September Sunday Schedule Changes

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By Mary Richards, Church News

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is approaching the implementation of the new Sunday schedule on September 6, with special Sunday instruction taking place globally on August 30 and September 6.

On those days, wards and branches will watch a series of short videos together and have a discussion about implementing the schedule changes.

Monday, August 3, those instructional videos were released on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library app under Handbooks and Callings. The videos will also be linked on Sunday.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

If the videos aren’t available in a specific language, units can use the implementation guide in their language linked at the bottom of Sunday.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to start the discussion.

Church leaders have said that these updates to the Sunday schedule are meant to help members:

• Focus more on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Strengthen gospel learning at home.
• Increase fellowship, belonging and community at church.

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Youth Fifth-Sunday Instruction Materials

On Sunday, August 30, all youth, Primary children who will turn 12 in 2027, their parents and youth leaders are invited to gather in their wards and branches during class time to watch the new Sunday youth curriculum instructional video.

In the 23-minute video, “For the Strength of Youth Curriculum,” Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman introduce the new curriculum and discuss what is changing and why.

Wards and branches can pause the video throughout and ask the discussion questions or watch the entire video and then have a discussion using the questions below.

• “How will we be blessed by the updated FSY guide and the new Sunday curriculum?”
• “As we follow the pattern in Doctrine and Covenants 88:122, how can we let the Holy Ghost guide what we say and how we listen so everyone feels uplifted?”
• “How will this new weekly schedule give us more opportunities to build strong relationships?”

The meeting is designed to demonstrate how to use the For the Strength of Youth guide effectively, introduce the supporting curriculum materials found in the For the Strength of Youth magazine and offer practical instruction on how youth can participate fully in weekly classes beginning September 6.
Adults not attending the youth meeting will participate in a fifth-Sunday lesson under the direction of local leaders. Younger Primary children will follow their normal schedule.

Youth and adult Sunday School Instruction Materials

After sacrament meeting on Sunday, September 6, youth and adults will follow the new schedule and attend Sunday School for 25 minutes. During this time, they will watch two videos and hold a 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. After watching this 11-minute video, wards and branches will discuss:

• “How can we create a sacrament meeting that focuses on spiritual renewal and growth through Jesus Christ?”

The second video, titled “Sunday School,” is about four minutes long. It has Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson and includes an example of a Sunday School teacher modeling how members can focus on Jesus Christ and support gospel learning at home. A discussion question for this video is:

• “How can our time together deepen understanding of the Savior and strengthen gospel learning in the home?”

And after both videos, wards and branches will discuss the ideas and questions in sections 1, 2, and 4 of the implementation guide.

After Sunday School, youth will attend their classes or quorums and begin using the new curriculum. Adults will attend Relief Society or elders quorum meetings for 25 minutes.

Relief Society and Elders Quorums Instruction Materials

In local Relief Society and elders quorum meetings on September 6, wards and branches will watch a six-and-a-half-minute video called “Relief Society and Elders Quorums,” featuring Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson and Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela of the Presidency of the Seventy.

Members will then discuss section 5 of the implementation guide and also these questions:

• “What can we do during the week to prepare for Relief Society or elders quorum?”
• “How will meeting weekly help us strengthen our fellowship with one another?”

Supplemental Videos

Besides the aforementioned instructional videos, other supplemental videos are also now available in the same place on the Church’s website, in the Gospel Library app and on Sunday.ChurchofJesusChrist.org under “Sunday Schedule Refinements Panel Discussion.”

These are a series of short panel discussions from April 2026 general conference training, featuring Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and members of general organization presidencies.

In these discussions, the leaders and general officers discuss more nuances of the changes — or refinements, as Elder Renlund calls them — and answer any questions people may have. Elder Renlund shares how the implementation of these Sunday schedule changes are inspired by the Lord and intended to help build lifelong discipleship among Church members.

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