CREATED BY GOD WILL BE OFFERED THIS FALL: OCTOBER 15-17, 2010
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!!!
Facilitator: Jermaine Jordan
Created by God brings together fifth and sixth graders, their parents, and adult leaders for a faith-filled, comprehensive study of human sexuality—anatomy, growth and development, reproduction, and God’s call to intimacy and responsibility.
Created by God:
A Church-based Human Sexuality Education Experience for Fifth and Sixth Graders and Their Parents
Running and Hiding
We can tell ourselves that our children aren’t ready at fifth or sixth grade to acquire a full understanding of the changes that have already begun to take place in their bodies, minds, emotions, and relationships. We can attempt to shield our children from the impact of their friends’ limited (and often very incorrect) information regarding sexuality, and from the misleading and abusive attitudes toward sexuality that come from our culture. We can allow our own insecurities, lack of information, or guilt to send us into hiding in order to avoid the subject of sex. In the process, we waste a lot of time and a lot of energy—time and energy that would be much more productively invested in a program of sexuality education where the energies of church and family are united to communicate to our preteens that they both were and are being created by the God who calls them into intimate relationships with God and others.
Distinctive Characteristics of Created by God
1. God and values form the very foundation for our understanding of sexuality as people of faith. I
2. Understands and is sensitive to preteens/young adolescents. Created by God is far from a passive, lecture-based study.
3. Incorporates parents into the experience. Parents are prepared for what their sons and daughters will experience in the course of the study.
4. Comprehensive. Created by God provides a solid foundation upon which young persons can develop a healthy and Godly understanding of their sexuality and prepare to respond in a responsible manner.
5. Explores the meaning of intimacy and contrasts intimacy and sexual activity.
6. Responds to all questions.
7. Girls and boys remain together for the entire event. The barriers we have historically placed between males and females when doing sexuality education are both artificial and unnecessary.
