Herbert W Armstrong

As you may have already read in the Pastor's Report, Mr. Cole presented our proposal to Mr. Armstrong before the Feast and he was very enthusiastic and approving of the idea that our youth receive formal biblical instruction on the Sabbath.

Starting in January, we will begin producing a curriculum for five different age groups. The material will provide a well-designed teaching schedule of subjects to fit the ages involved and be seasonal in accordance with the Holy Days.

At the same time the curriculum is being designed and produced, we hope to make a cassette program for the potential instructors. The exact methods and materials are yet to be chosen. We also plan to have available materials for the parents so they may teach their children at home in concert with the formal Sabbath education program.

Our target date for the distribution of the first materials is around Passover time. The material at that time will be for the younger age groups along with their instructors and parents. Upon completion of the first part, we plan to precede with each older age group and the related adult materials needed to best present the information.

Our first job will be to collect ideas from the many church areas which have been doing an excellent job on their own for the last three years. We have seen the work of many talented and dedicated people experienced in teaching and curriculum design. We wish to make full use of their very fine work for the benefit of the whole program worldwide.

Mr. Armstrong will inspect the materials and approve them before distribution. He wants to be certain that our youth receive the finest teaching we are able to give. He also stated that the programs for the youth around the world must be uniform and consistant. We realize that a transition period will be necessary for those who have already launched into a long-term program and wish to finish it before making use of the new Y.E.S. curriculum.

In any case, we want to encourage those who wish to continue their existing programs to do so for the time being. Our production deadlines are tentative and may go over for any number of reasons. We would not want your group to "cool off" once started on a good program.

We also want to encourage those who are about to start trial programs to feel free to go ahead. It would be of benefit to work the bugs out of your system and have some experience before getting into full swing with materials from headquarters. But until we have produced our materials and gotten them approved by Mr. Armstrong, we have nothing official to offer.

Once the Y.E.S. staff gets into the actual production phase, we will keep you posted on our progress and proposed distribution dates which should be more specific by that time.

— Ron Dick, Y.O.U.