River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church, which holds them on the Lord's Day "for instruction, encouragement, and admonition that shall be a profitable means of grace to our people." Class leaders are examined and appointed by the pastor; in addition to discipling church members in class meetings, the class leader (along with the pastor and board) recommends probationers to membership in the church after a period of six months during which probationers are "taught the doctrines, rules, and regulations" of the Lumber River Conference of the Holiness Methodist Church. Class meetings are held on Friday evenings (the historical fasting day in Methodism) in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, in which the pastor and class leader are to ensure "that all persons on probation be instructed in the Rules and Doctrines of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church before they are admitted to Full Membership" and that "probationers are expected to conform to the rules and usages of the Church, and to show evidence of their desire for fellowship in the Church". The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church states: Before the Lord's Supper is celebrated on Sunday, the pastor meets with the class leader and class meeting on the preceding Friday to "inquire how their souls are prospering; to exhort, reprove, advise, etc., as duty may require, preparatory to their receiving the Lord's Supper." Those members of class meetings who are backsliding, often join Methodist penitent bands for counsel. Catholicism In the Catholic Church, small groups that meet to reflect on Scripture are known as basic ecclesial communities. These became popular after the Second Vatican Council. Ecumenical Era Cell groups have become more common in the 20th and 21st centuries. Hunsicker suggests that the 'cell' group concept "is becoming prominent in almost every denomination in American Protestantism." Structure Cell groups are made of small numbers of Christians, often between 6 and 12, and led by a cell leader. Members may be in the same cell group because of common locality, schools or interests. Cell meetings are usually not conducted in the church sanctuary, if any, but in any of the members' homes, rooms in the church building or other third-party venues. Cell meetings may consist of a fellowship meal, communion, prayer, worship, sharing or Bible study and discussion. The use of small Bible study groups is related, but not exclusively associated with, the large