Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith program
8th Grade OWL for 2026-2027
We are already thinking about next year’s 8th grade OWL class. If you have a rising 8th grader, or know someone who would be interested in having their rising 8th graders participate in OWL next year, now is the time to get them signed up! You can email jennies@fcceugene.org.
“Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith” is the comprehensive sexuality education curriculum we provide for our youth. Leaders integrate worship, prayer, and discussion of United Church of Christ faith values and principles into the programs (see www.ucc.org/…our-whole-lives ). Participating in a human sexuality program in the church helps participants understand that sexuality is an important part of the way God created us; that their church cares about their sexual development; and that caring Christian adults are willing and able to talk with them about their questions and concerns.
The cornerstone of the Our Whole Lives curriculum is the 7-9th grade level. It is comprised of twenty-six 1 ½ hour sessions. All parents of youth entering 8th grade in the fall should receive an email packet with an invitation to participate in the OWL program. Parent-only orientations will be in September and the program for youth begins in October.
Our Whole Lives is an extraordinary opportunity for youth to develop as sexually healthy and whole people. We draw from sources in our faith tradition teaching that human sexuality is God’s gift, which develops an ethic of sexual behavior that is mutual, respecting of persons, loving, and just. Each fall we invite all young people and their families to participate in this remarkable program.
Our Whole Lives: Sexuality and Our Faith is the best human sexuality curriculum there is. We look forward to sharing OWL with you and your family in the safety and support of our church family. Thank you for sharing this opportunity with other youth/families you know!
Our Whole Lives is a comprehensive lifespan sexuality education curriculum with programs for kindergarteners through older adults cowritten by the United Church of Christ and the Universal Unitarian Association.
