These Are Our Bodies, Middle School Parent booklet: Talking Faith & Sexuality at Church & Home

By Jenny Beaumont and Abbi Long

Our inherent value and worth comes from God's love for us, but our modern world is filled with sexual expression that too often leads us away from the life of Christ. As Christians seeking to live a life worthy of our calling and desiring to pass along these values to our children and youth, this book explores how we (as parents and adults) can explore issues of sexuality in the context of our faith.

A sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the adult reader/teacher/parent in learning and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality and to talk openly and honestly about the connection of sexuality and faith. This book, grounded from a theological perspective, focuses on foundational issues for addressing how we (and why we) are called to have these conversations in a faithful community to support families. The importance of looking at one's sexuality throughout the lifespan through the lenses of decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality is be explored, offering a grounding as well as stand-alone resource for individuals and churches to build upon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Church Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9781606743164

Jenny Beaumont

Jenny Beaumont is a Christian educator, trained facilitator, and teacher currently serving at Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte, North Carolina. She brings more than 15 years of experience in education and ministry to the dynamic conversation that connects the experience of faith with our sexuality through her "He, She, We and God" seminar. She writes curriculums, trains other facilitators, and leads workshops throughout the nation.

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Jenny Beaumont and Abbi Long

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

Scripture taken from the Common English Bible®, CEB® Copyright © 2010, 2011 by Common English Bible.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. The CEB and Common English Bible trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Common English Bible. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Common English Bible.

The scripture from the New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV) © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Cover design by Jennifer Kopec, 2 Pug Design

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ISBN-13: 978-1-60674-315-7 (pbk.)

ISBN-13: 978-1-60674-316-4 (ebook)

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Introduction

Preview Session

SESSION 1: You Are GOD’S CREATION

SESSION 2: You Are COMPLEX

SESSION 3: You Are ACCEPTED

SESSION 4: You Are RELATIONAL (Part 1)

SESSION 5: You Are RELATIONAL (Part 2)

SESSION 6: You Are RESPONSIBLE

SESSION 7: You Are KNOWLEDGEABLE

SESSION 8: You Are CONNECTED

SESSION 9: You Are EMPOWERED

SESSION 10: You Are THOUGHTFUL

Resources

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God created humanity in God’s own image, in the divine image God created them.

—Genesis 1:27, NRSV

The only way I know how to teach anyone to love God, and how I myself can love God, is to love what God loves, which is everything and everyone, including you and including me!¹

—Richard Rohr

We love because [God] first loved us. If we love each other, God remains in us and [God’s] love is made perfect in us.

—1 John 4:19, 12, CEB

As a people made in the image of God, our bodies and sexuality are sacred gifts that we seek to understand and use as