This Leader Guide contains nine sessions for engaging high school students, (ages 14-18 years) in conversation about faith and sexuality in the These Are Our Bodies program, helping participants and their adult parents or guardians deepen their connection between God, the Bible, and sexuality. Each session uses scripture as an integral piece of the program using the NRSV or Common English Bible translation. Facilitators and small group leaders will find detailed planning information as well as background and useful information to employ the program in your church or community in a variety of settings: youth group, Christian education, camps, or retreats. Comprised of two sections, “The Introduction” provides the goals of the curriculum, describes parts of each lesson, and provides all needed information for leaders to implement the program. The second section offers nine full session plans that have five parts that work together to create a hands-on, interactive approach to learning: Gather, Grow, Grapple, Guide, and Go. These offer creative and playful ways to engage with the material and participants in ways that provide intentional group formation, engage the nature of high schoolers, offer time to wrestle with new material, provide words of blessing and affirmation, and allow time to move from the sessions back into the world. The Facilitator leads each session with the help of Small-Group Leaders who facilitate the games, activities, and discussions. SESSION 1: This is Our Introduction (John 15:16-17; Luke 2:41-52; Luke 19:45-48) SESSION 2: This is Our Language (Proverbs 19:2; Ephesians 4:25-32) SESSION 3: This is Our Value System (Philippians 4:8; Romans 7:14-25) SESSION 4: This is Our Identity (Psalm 139:13-16; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27) SESSION 5: This is Our Self Image (Genesis 1:26; Genesis 3:1-11) SESSION 6: This is Our Relationship (Ephesians 4:25; 1 Corinthians 13) SESSION 7: This is Our Health (Proverbs 2:10-11; Matthew 13:10-17) SESSION 8: This is Our Dignity (Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 8:40-56) SESSION 9: This is Our Theology (Isaiah 30:21; John 14:1-14)

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.

Faith formation resource for children on human sexuality. This sexuality education resource from a mainline/progressive denominational prospective aids the leader, child (participant), and parent in learning about their body and using skills that enable them to embrace and affirm the wholeness of sexuality as part of who they are. Session plans will address facts about sexuality, vocabulary, decision making, faith and daily life, respect, growth and change, behavior, responsibility, values, prayer, and intentionality in an age appropriate manner for children and their parents. One Leader Guide will cover all ages, with three Parent Books (Preschool: 3- to 5-yearolds, Primary: 6- to 8-year-olds, and Intermediate: 9- to 11-year-olds), and two Participant Books (Primary and Intermediate ages). Session topics include: • We are Wonderfully Made • We are Complex • We are Changing • We are Knowledgeable • We are Equipped • We are Called • We are Growing Up

Faith formation resource for young adults on human sexuality. 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, these books (Leader Guide and Participant Book) offer session plans with activities for Young Adults (ages 18–30) to explore issues of sexuality in the context of our faith, building on the foundational book of the same name and as part of the These Are Our Bodies program resource. Session topics include: • Holiness • Intimacy • Covenant • Love • Biology • Communication • What is Sacred? • Power and Parity • Mind, Body, and Soul • Brokenness and Shame • Our Bodies: Currency and Creators

Easily accessible, theologically progressive, mainline Christian Education resource on human sexuality. 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.

One out of five teens lives with depression, anxiety, or another mental illness. Some come to believe that worry, isolation, and fear are all life has to offer. Yet God created us for lives full of joy, well-being, and connection. The Awakened Life for High School Students is an eight-week small-group guide that empowers teens to awaken to a more abundant life through practices that build resiliency, teach psychosocial skills, and foster emotional and spiritual well-being. It is designed to be led by those who provide spiritual and emotional care to students but who are not professional counselors or therapists. Over the course of this study, students will learn how to connect with their own minds and bodies, expand their understanding of the importance of connection to others, develop connections to nature, and then combine all of these practices to build a resilient, joyful, and awakened life. The curriculum walks participants through 8 weeks of practices and reflections. Each weekly session lasts for about an hour and includes a mindfulness or spiritual practice to explore as a group. Many of these practices involve prayer and meditation techniques, coupled with discussion and journaling. Students will be encouraged to do each week's spiritual practice at home, to reflect on the experience in a journal, and to check in with an accountability partner at least once a week. Each week's session follows the same rhythm by revisiting these themes: Awake, Aware, Alive, Abide, and Arise. Through participation in The Awakened Life, high school students can wake up to abundant life; become aware of their worth and belonging; come alive to their senses, thoughts, and emotions; abide in the love and grace of God; and arise to live a life as connected, whole people.

A resource for parents or caregivers, this book will keep the parent informed about each session. In each chapter they will read about what their high schoolers is learning as well as journal questions that will help them connect faith with sexuality and with parenting. The adult reader will have an opportunity to reflect on the same scripture that their child has reflected upon so that all involved will learn new was to think about sexuality and how faith is relevant to understanding the complexities of sexuality and the responsibilities involved. In this program both participants and parents learn and grow together.