Tech Forum

A header post for the lesson Schedules to indicate that the schedules feature will be discontinued in 2017, a message similar to the following will appear when trying to add lessons to 2017:

"The Lesson Schedules function on LDS.org will be discontinued effective December 31, 2016. Please use other means to manage lesson schedules, such as printed lists, email, or other online programs. Guidelines for using online resources in Church callings may be found at
https://www.lds.org/pages/online-resour ... b-internet
Sincerely

TD Response Team"

although you can ignore the message and still manualy attempt to create schedules, any support seems unlikely after the posted date so itwill probably disappear.

I did message support to update the FAQ page and the Lesson schedule section of the training site, we will see if they respond.

Why is this tool being discontinued? We've had it for several years and it's very useful. I even felt a renewed emphasis of the tool with the new "Teaching in the Savior's Way" training. One of the goals seems to be to better encourage member involvement with the lessons and now they're taking away the tool to help the members find out what the lesson is. This decision makes no sense to me.

And here's the reminder from the church of why they created the tool:
https://www.lds.org/help/support/why-le ... d?lang=eng

LDS Response Team responded on November 17, 2016 at 9:35 PM as follows "Thank you for your suggestion about adding an explanation about discontinuing the Lesson Schedule. Unfortunately, I do not know the specific reason why the Church will move resources from one department to another. Please have a blessed day. Sincerely, Response Team Volunteer JG"

I too am saddened that the tool is going away. What are some workarounds to the tool? I'd love specific ideas from ward and stake leaders.

I am also confused as to why this website feature is going away at the end of this year. As a High Priest secretary, I found this to be a great place to keep our rotating teachers in sync. To be able to make changes in one location for the benefit of all our ward was a great tool. It was great to help members prepare for the lesson prior to Sunday.
As a former Bishop, I found the tool a great help in coordinating Elders, Relief Society, and High Priests teaching the same lesson on the same Sunday. I received great feedback from families on how they were able to discuss the lesson after church from varied prospectives. Please provide us with suggestions of how we can keep all in sync if not via LDS.org?

Maybe via Calendar tool?

I would like to add my voice to those asking why? And is there going to be an alternative?

I too wonder why such a useful tool is being discontinued. Especially at such short notice. This seems like a significant step in the wrong direction.

I would like to know why the lesson schedule is being discontinued. We all use it in my family. I know a lot of members of my ward use it to keep up on what lesson is being taught. It doesn't make any sense. Maybe if enough members complain they will not discontinue this function.

craftybabs wrote:Maybe if enough members complain they will not discontinue this function.

We may never know why this function is being discontinued, but the vote of the members has no bearing at all on the decision. However, your thoughts will be heard if you submit a comment through any Feedback link at LDS.org and if you feel strongly enough about it, your bishop and stake president might be willing to make a request through their priesthood leaders that will reach the decision makers.

While some wards use this function extensively, I suspect that most do not. I also understand that the work at headquarters to prepare the curriculum materials for linking and use by Lesson Schedules is intensive and time-consuming, and if the resources are not there to make it happen, that may have had influence on the decision.

This, of course, is my own personal opinion. They rarely tell us why these decisions are made.

Since I am among those who will miss having this function, we will now go out and do all of those things Lesson Schedules was designed to keep us from having to do.