An abstinence-based comprehensive sexuality curricula 
and camp event for young people 
completing 7th, 8th, and 9th grades

Why should I consider having my child participate in a sexuality camp event?

What makes this faith-based?

What are the goals of the Our Whole Lives program?

What are the underlying principles of Our Whole Lives?

What does the Bible say about sex?

Exactly what is Our Whole Lives?  
Our Whole Lives is an abstinence-based comprehensive sexuality curricula prepared by the United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalists.  Age appropriate curriculum and materials have been developed for four grade-level groups: K+1, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12.  Our OWL camp is for campers who have completed 7th, 8th, or 9th grades.

Written by professional sexuality educators, the curriculum provides accurate, age appropriate information to use with children and youth to help them learn about human sexuality in affirming and supportive settings.

Why should I consider having my child participate in sexuality camp event?
God created this world and filled it with many gifts -- animals, fish, plants, trees -- and human beings.  Human beings are given these gifts -- and charged with the awesome responsibility to care for these gifts, too.  It is in this context that the church offers a sexuality curriculum and camp.

Children and youth are constantly listening, observing and rehearsing their sexuality from a very early age using all the sexual images, messages and attitudes that surround them each and every day.  Too often these images in the media and in society don’t offer the positive vision of love and mutual respect we value as Christians.  Instilling Christian values, helping children develop good decision-making skills, and teaching them to build healthy relationships is a big task for parents and those of us who promised to love, support and care for them as baptized members of our Christian family. 

We are raising children in a socially charged context with increased rates of sexual abuse, teenage parenthood and AIDS.  The stakes are high.  We owe our children and youth the best we have to offer.

The question is not "should our children have accurate information about sexuality" but "do we want to be part of our child's development?"  How can the church help parents with this awesome task?

Sexuality education is too important, too beautiful, and too dangerous to be ignored.  Shouldn’t the church be the best place to talk about the most important issues of life?

What makes this faith-based?  
This abstinence-based comprehensive sexuality program is written as a stand alone program which can be used in schools and community settings.  A separate book, Sexuality and Our Faith, provides worship, faith values and Christian principles for a church setting.  

The program is designed for active parent involvement and requires parental consent.  Materials are available for parental review and some are designed for parents to be teachers.

Our Whole Lives is designed for trained teachers and parents to work together on behalf of children and youth.    

What are the goals of the Our Whole Lives program?  

• To provide accurate information about human sexuality.

• To help young people understand their sexual attitudes in order to develop positive attitudes and insights, increase esteem, understand their family’s values, and acknowledge obligations to self and others.

• To help young people build healthy relationship skills through communication, decision-making, assertiveness and refusal skills.

• To help young people exercise responsibility in who they are and how they relate to others.

• To encourage children and youth to put Christian faith and sexuality information together.

What are the underlying principles of Our Whole Lives?

• Sexuality is a God-given gift.

• Purpose of sexuality is to enhance human wholeness, express love, commitment, delight and pleasure, to bring new life into the world and to give glory to God.

• Our guide to making decisions should be God’s call to love and justice.

• Sexuality is intended to express mutuality, love and justice.

• Sexuality is distorted by unethical behavior, attitudes and systems of violence and exploitation.

• We need to avoid double standards.

• A responsible and mature sexual ethic respects the moral agency of every person.

• The Church ought to be a context for discussion about sexuality.

• The Church should have a role of solidarity for those oppressed by violence, hatred and persecution.

What does the Bible say about sex?
The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) has numerous stories that deal with sexual issues from biological sex in Genesis (Gen 1:28 ) to desire, love, fertility, menstruation, rape, prostitution, adultery, celibacy and incest. 

The Christian Bible (New Testament) addresses sexual issues less frequently yet speaks of “the body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor. 6:19)  Paul affirmed marriage, mutuality of roles, love, respect and equality.¹  

1         Haffner, Debra W., The Really Good News: What the Bible Says About Sex, The Advocacy Manual for Sexuality Education, Health and Justice