unable to use method type handlers?

[Jeff AA]

Whenever I try to set up a method type handler 

  PerlHandler my::classes->mymethod

I get the following in the error log:

  Undefined subroutine &my::classes->mymethod::handler called.

using:
  Apache/1.3.23 (Unix) Debian GNU/Linux 
  mod_perl/1.26 mod_ssl/2.8.7 OpenSSL/0.9.6c

any hints would be appreciated