1208. Education Responsibilities--The board shall organize as may be necessary for carrying on the educational ministry throughout the whole life span of persons. The board shall be responsible for the following:
1. Formulating and interpreting the educational philosophy and approach which shall undergird and give coherence to all the educational work of the Church; the Church school and related activities; individual or group study; fellowship and action groups for children, youth, and adults (including the United Methodist Youth Fellowship); related educational programs provided by civic youth-serving agencies; weekday nurseries and kindergartens; day-care centers; choirs, drama groups, mission studies; preparation for confirmation; education for leisure; outdoor education; camping; education of the mentally retarded and others of special need; special Bible study groups; human relations workshops; training in Church membership responsibilities; continuing education for adults and educational ministries with older adults.
2. Developing, resourcing, and supporting flexible systems of organization and administration to provide for the Church's educational ministries with children, youth, adults, and families at the local, district, and conference levels with the cooperation of other agencies.
Developing educational approaches in a variety of settings which appeal to persons with different life-styles and theological perspectives and which will enable persons of different racial, ethnic, and cultural groups to appropriate the gospel for their own life situations.
Providing guidance for local Churches to promote participation through membership and attendance among children, youth, and adults in a wide variety of settings.
Providing guidance for local Churches in organizing Church schools for the study of the Bible and Christian tradition, beliefs, and values (see 264.1).
Developing the education ministries of the Church in keeping with the levels of faith development, learning capacities, and needs of persons and providing field and support services for leaders, teachers, and others responsible for the education of persons across the life span.
3. Initiating programs of teacher recruitment, development, training, and retraining in biblical, theological, and ethical thinking, as well as in procedures and methods.
Providing guidance and training for volunteer workers recruited for Christian service.
Offering training courses and other aids needed for vocational guidance.
Providing programs for the training of pastors, parents, teachers, education work area chairpersons, superintendents of the Church school, division superintendents, officials, and others in educational ministries of the local Church and promoting these programs through various types of training schools, correspondence work, and such other agencies as it may see fit to establish.
Designing, guiding, resourcing, and conducting leadership development enterprises specifically for teachers and educational leaders at all levels including district and conference, and such other leaders as may be assigned.
Working with the colleges and seminaries of the Church wherever possible to forward the common interest in the training of professional Christian educators and the training of ministerial students in local Church Christian education.
Providing programs of Christian education outdoors and camping through the training of annual conference camp directors, district camp directors, camp committee persons, director/managers and managers of sites. Provide national camp training events and assist jurisdictions and annual conferences in designing, guiding, and resourcing camp training programs.
4. Providing guidance resources and services related to the training and work of local Church directors, ordained and diaconal ministers, and associates of Christian education and educational assistants.
Providing resources, models, and training to support annual conferences and local Churches as they help people make decisions related to their general Christian vocation as well as their specific occupations or careers. Providing resources developed by the General Board of Global Ministries and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to persons interested in considering professional Church-related ministries.
5. Planning for and providing education in the processes and procedures by which teaching, learning, and educational communication occur; in the selection, development, and use of learning resources, media, and technology; and in the application of experimentation, innovation, and new approaches in education.
6. The board shall review and recommend for approval the curriculum plans developed in cooperation with the other boards and agencies in the Curriculum Resources Committee and shall interpret and support the curriculum developed by the committee.
7. The board shall be responsible for promoting the observance of Christian Education Sunday (277.1, 1906.12).
8. Only those special funds which are approved by the General Board of Discipleship may be promoted nationally in the Church schools (1206.5).
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1208
1996 United Methodist General Conference