Creating Sexually Healthy Faith Communities: Beyond OWL and Welcoming Congregations

A workshop developed and led by the Rev. Debra W. Haffner

The nation’s attention has focused on the need for congregations and clergy to be sexually healthy. Unitarian Universalist congregations have led the religious community in addressing sexuality education and the rights of all people to be sexually healthy, yet have often not looked at how polices and programs can create sexually healthy faith communities. The Rev. Debra W. Haffner has developed a day long workshop to explore the components of a sexually healthy faith community. The workshop includes an assessment of current practices within the congregation and strategies for improving the sexual health of the community. Pastoral care, worship, religious education for the life span, safe congregations, and social action will be addressed.

ALSO AVAILABLE: A one or two day intensive workshop for clergy and directors of religious education on being a sexually healthy religious professional.

Some UUA funding may be available.

For more information contact Tracey Robinson-Harris, Director for Congregational Services, at 617-948-6462 or trobinsonharris@uua.org

The Reverend Debra W. Haffner is the Director of the Religious Institute on Sexual Morality, Justice, and Healing. She is the former President and CEO of the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS). She has provided workshops sponsored by the President’s Office at four General Assemblies, and presents more than 20 workshops and keynote speeches at conferences each year. She was the co-leader of the Meadville-Lombard intensive workshop on sexuality, and an early consultant to the UUA on the development of OWL. A sexuality educator for 25 years, she was ordained to the ministry in May 2003. She is on the faculty of Union Theological Seminary and Meadville Lombard. She is the author of “A Time To Build: Creating Sexually Healthy Faith Communities” as well as two award winning books for parents on raising sexually healthy children.

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