Our Whole Lives
Guiding relationships, health and behavior in the context of faith.
Our Whole Lives, together with Sexuality and Our Faith, helps participants make informed and responsible decisions about their relationships, health and behavior in the context of their faith. It equips participants with accurate, age appropriate information in six subject areas: human development, relationships, personal skills, sexual behavior, sexual health, and society and culture. It provides not only facts about anatomy and human development, but helps participants to clarify their values, build interpersonal skills and understand the social, emotional and spiritual aspects of sexuality.
Featured Links
Our Whole Lives Facilitation Training Calendar
Become an Our Whole Lives Facilitator
Frequently Asked Questions
Receive the OWL Quarterly Newsletter
A quarterly resource to keep you up to date with OWL news, resources, trainings, and more. Bonus–each issue includes an OWL-related scripture reflection.
About Program Curriculum
Starting with Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades K-1, 2nd edition, Our Whole Lives will be moving to a new format. You will choose to purchase one or more of the following: Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades K-1, Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades K-1 with UCC Sexuality and/or Our Faith Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades K-1 with UUA Sexuality and Our Faith. For more information visit UCC Resources.
Our Whole Lives
A series of sexuality education programs for seven age groups written by professional sexuality educators and provide accurate information for parents, teachers and pastors to be used in the affirming and supportive setting of our churches.
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Resources are based on the Guidelines for
Comprehensive Sexuality Education produced by the National Guidelines Task Force and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), as well as the National Sex Education Standards, produced by Advocates for Youth, Answer,
and SIECUS
Accompanying Resources
Parent Guide | Recommended Companion Text for Grades 4-6
Sexuality and Our Faith
Program written by United Church of Christ and Unitarian Universalist Association members and is the accompanying resource used for each of the grade group.
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By using Sexuality and Our Faith, leaders integrate worship, prayer and discussion ofUnited Church of Christ faith values and principles into the programs for each age group.
Webinars and Additional Resources
OWL Taking Flight: Author Airlie Anderson – January 3rd, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET
Airlie Anderson is the author illustrator of Neither, Cat’s Seasons, Cat’s Colors, and several other children’s books. She has won the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, and the Practical Preschool Award. You can visit her online at airlieanderson.com. Register here.
OWL Taking Flight: Updates for Grades 10-12
Feb 7, 2024 | 12:00pm
Archived Webinars
Become a Facilitator
You can help implement the nation’s most highly regarded sexuality education curriculum. Training prepares facilitators to succeed in their role and enables your faith development team members to understand their own and others’ sexuality within the context of United Church of Christ values.
Benefits of Becoming a OWL Facilitator
Facilitator Resources Library
Training Planning Guide
Sexuality Education Video Series
The Under Your Wing Series is for parents and caregivers to help with conversations with young children (ages 5-7)
about sexuality education.
Teaching Young Children About Bodies
Teaching Young Children about Gender
Teach Young Children About Body Boundaries
Additional Resource Recommendations by Age
Explore these book recommendation organized by age group.
Book Recommendations
Appropriate use of Our Whole Lives 2022
Instructional resources to help parents and caregivers lead sexual education conversations when OWL trainings are unavailable.
Flyers to Promote OWL at Your Church
More about Our Whole Lives
Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith respond to General Synod actions calling for the development of
sexuality education materials for all ages. Participating in a human sexuality program in a supportive and affirming
environment in the church will help 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. Fore more background information, view A Selected Chronology of UCC
Relevant Actions and Events.
What do Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith resources provide?
- Each level of Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith offers:
- A well-designed, teacher-friendly leader’s guide
- Trained leaders
- Parent orientation programs that engage parents in thesexuality education of their children
- United Church of Christ materials incorporating worshipand religious values into the program
- Up-to-date information and candid answers to allparticipants’ questions
- Activities to help participants clarify values and improvedecision-making skills
- Effective group-building to create a safe and supportivepeer environment
- Education about sexual abuse, exploitation andharassment
- Opportunities to critique media messages about genderand sexuality
- Acceptance of diversity
- Encouragement to act for justice
Rev. Amy Johnson serves as Minister for Sexuality Education and Justice in the national setting of the United Church of Christ. She is a trainer for all levels of Our Whole Lives/Sexuality and Our Faith nationwide and internationally. Amy is passionate about dismantling shame and stigma about bodies and relationships, as well as helping faith communities integrate conversations about healthy sexuality as a part of being and becoming healthier places to belong.
Podcast: Minister Amy Johnson on Sexuality & the Church:
Bringing our Whole Selves to God
Questions
Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith resources may be purchased by visiting UCC Resources. UCC members who are attending an OWL training may contact owl@ucc.org for a discount code to use when purchasing their materials.