Our Whole Lives Classes

New Ark United Church of Christ

An "Open and Affirming" and "JustPeace" Congregation

Our Whole Lives

Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive, kindergarten through adult sexuality education curriculum. Our Whole Lives provides youth with accurate, age-appropriate information on sexual health, human development, sexual behavior, relationships, communication, and personal skills in the supportive setting of their faith community.

The curriculum was created and written collaboratively by a group of educators from the Unitarian Universalist faith and the United Church of Christ faith. Teaching materials include a companion guide to the curriculum which addresses how to incorporate each of these faiths into the teaching of the material. Educators and health professionals have also used this curriculum in their environments without using the faith component.

In our church, United Church of Christ (UCC) values are infused into what we teach in the classroom. The Our Whole Lives curriculum helps participants integrate the values of the program with their own system of values within an open, affirming, and anti-bias environment and within a community of trust, confidentiality, authenticity, and faith. The instructors, and writers of the curriculum, believe that our sexuality is a God-given gift to be understood, celebrated, and protected.

At the New Ark, the Our Whole Lives classes are open to students from the community who are not actively involved in our church, but whose families are interested in participating and recognize the value and importance of this class. In order to participate, we expect a commitment to participate fully throughout the course (whether it be the 8-week or full year class). In fact, this commitment is required in order to be accepted into the class.

For more information about Our Whole Lives at New Ark United Church of Christ, contact Angela Seguin through the church at (302) 737-4711. For more information about the Our Whole Lives curriculum and training opportunities for new teachers, please visit the national UCC website at http://www.ucc.org/justice/issues/sexuality_education/ or contact Ann Hanson, Minister for Children, Families and Human Sexuality at the national UCC office.

Our Whole Lives, 7-9th Grade Program

The 7th-9th Grade Our Whole Lives program is a year-long course that we offer every-other-year as the Christian Education (CE) class for our students in that age range. The 7-9^th grade class was taught during the 2006-07 year and will be offered again during the 2008-09 year. Our congregation is smaller in size and cannot sustain the number of students necessary each year to teach the class, so providing this curriculum to our youth on an every-other-year cycle seems to meet our needs. Students who become involved in the church mid-year may join the multi-generational CE class that is offered and wait until the next cycle of Our Whole Lives in order to take the class. Currently our teachers of the 7th-9th grade Our Whole Lives curriculum are Nancy Nutt, Jenny Greenzweig, Erik Dressler, and Chris Seguin.

Our Whole Lives, 4th-6th Grade Program

The 4th-6th Grade Our Whole Lives program is an 8-week course that we offer every-other-year as the Christian Education class for our students in that age range. The 4^th-6^th grade class was taught during the 2006-07 year and will be offered again during the 2008-09 year. Our regular Christian Education class will be provided for students at this age range during the current year and takes place at 11am-Noon each Sunday. Currently our teachers of the 4^th-6^th Our Whole Lives curriculum are Angela Seguin and Linda Brasel.

Our Whole Lives, Kindergarten-1^st Grade Program

The K-1st Grade Our Whole Lives program is an 8-week course that we offer periodically when we have enough children & parents in the congregation interested in participating in the class. During those years when the K-1 Our Whole Lives program is offered, it serves as the Christian Education class for our students in that age range over an 8-week period of the school year. Currently our teachers of the K-1^st Our Whole Lives curriculum are Angela Seguin and Linda Brasel.

Copyright 2006 - 2007

	New Ark United Church of Christ An "Open and Affirming" and "JustPeace" Congregation
	Our Whole Lives
	Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive, kindergarten through adult sexuality education curriculum. Our Whole Lives provides youth with accurate, age-appropriate information on sexual health, human development, sexual behavior, relationships, communication, and personal skills in the supportive setting of their faith community. The curriculum was created and written collaboratively by a group of educators from the Unitarian Universalist faith and the United Church of Christ faith. Teaching materials include a companion guide to the curriculum which addresses how to incorporate each of these faiths into the teaching of the material. Educators and health professionals have also used this curriculum in their environments without using the faith component. In our church, United Church of Christ (UCC) values are infused into what we teach in the classroom. The Our Whole Lives curriculum helps participants integrate the values of the program with their own system of values within an open, affirming, and anti-bias environment and within a community of trust, confidentiality, authenticity, and faith. The instructors, and writers of the curriculum, believe that our sexuality is a God-given gift to be understood, celebrated, and protected. At the New Ark, the Our Whole Lives classes are open to students from the community who are not actively involved in our church, but whose families are interested in participating and recognize the value and importance of this class. In order to participate, we expect a commitment to participate fully throughout the course (whether it be the 8-week or full year class). In fact, this commitment is required in order to be accepted into the class. For more information about Our Whole Lives at New Ark United Church of Christ, contact Angela Seguin through the church at (302) 737-4711. For more information about the Our Whole Lives curriculum and training opportunities for new teachers, please visit the national UCC website at http://www.ucc.org/justice/issues/sexuality_education/ or contact Ann Hanson, Minister for Children, Families and Human Sexuality at the national UCC office. Our Whole Lives, 7-9th Grade Program The 7th-9th Grade Our Whole Lives program is a year-long course that we offer every-other-year as the Christian Education (CE) class for our students in that age range. The 7-9^th grade class was taught during the 2006-07 year and will be offered again during the 2008-09 year. Our congregation is smaller in size and cannot sustain the number of students necessary each year to teach the class, so providing this curriculum to our youth on an every-other-year cycle seems to meet our needs. Students who become involved in the church mid-year may join the multi-generational CE class that is offered and wait until the next cycle of Our Whole Lives in order to take the class. Currently our teachers of the 7th-9th grade Our Whole Lives curriculum are Nancy Nutt, Jenny Greenzweig, Erik Dressler, and Chris Seguin. Our Whole Lives, 4th-6th Grade Program The 4th-6th Grade Our Whole Lives program is an 8-week course that we offer every-other-year as the Christian Education class for our students in that age range. The 4^th-6^th grade class was taught during the 2006-07 year and will be offered again during the 2008-09 year. Our regular Christian Education class will be provided for students at this age range during the current year and takes place at 11am-Noon each Sunday. Currently our teachers of the 4^th-6^th Our Whole Lives curriculum are Angela Seguin and Linda Brasel. Our Whole Lives, Kindergarten-1^st Grade Program The K-1st Grade Our Whole Lives program is an 8-week course that we offer periodically when we have enough children & parents in the congregation interested in participating in the class. During those years when the K-1 Our Whole Lives program is offered, it serves as the Christian Education class for our students in that age range over an 8-week period of the school year. Currently our teachers of the K-1^st Our Whole Lives curriculum are Angela Seguin and Linda Brasel.
Copyright 2006 - 2007