Small groups and Sunday school

–How shall teachers of small groups and Sunday school classes be commissioned?

-How shall these servants be evaluated?

Small groups have been a part of FOHC culture for over 20 years. Recently with the “purge” by the elders, they removed from service a leader of one small group and removed the small group from all church listings and the FOHC website; no explanation given, and no consideration that those participating in such small group might continue with a different facilitator. Members were summarily abandoned by elder fiat.

Sunday school classes are a part of many church cultures, providing opportunities for deeper Biblical study on various topics by multiple teachers. They promote unity through diversity in the community, giving harmony within the body. Through the recent statement of faith “purge” by the elders, they removed a Sunday school teacher whose class has met for over 30 years. The elders’ decision was to remove the Sunday school class from all church listings, website, no explanation given.

It is presumed that the class was canceled expressly due to teachings that did not adhere 100% to the statement of faith. There was no consideration of those who attended the class. There was no allowance for a new teacher. They were not notified. They were not provided alternatives. Not one iota of consideration was extended to them, and they were subsequently locked out of classrooms.

These types of actions are proper issues to be evaluated and deliberated by the FOHC assembly, as is the issuance of instructions from the assembly to the elders on their role, if any, in commissioning and evaluating teachers of small groups and Sunday school classes.