Involving the Faith Community in Teen Pregnancy Prevention

• becoming full members;• sending representatives toregular meetings;• acknowledging coalition leadershipat worship servicesand other public meetingsof the congregation;• printing coalition announcementsin publications;• bringing the concerns ofthe coalition before the membershipthrough sermons,lessons, and other types ofpresentations;• inviting coalition leaders tospeak to groups, committees,and classes within the faithcommunity; and• publicly supporting the workof the coalition.CASE IN POINTSome faith communities may bewilling to help offer sexualityeducation and even family planningservices within the contextof their faith traditions. A strongcase can be made that providingsuch information in the contextof personal faith and spiritualvalues can be very effective.Many young people are receptiveto such education when itcomes from their faith community.Parents in particular areunlikely to object because theyare confident that the instructionoffers good information inthe context of their faith’s teachings.Most important, sexualityeducation from the viewpoint ofa faith community encouragesyoung people to consider sexualityin the context of faith andspiritual values.If a faith community is uncomfortablewith highly visible roles,it can still be a vital “behind thescenes” player by, for example,offering volunteer leaders for41THE FAITH COMMUNITYPlanned Parenthood ofMetropolitan WashingtonPlanned Parenthood ofMetropolitan Washingtonlearned just how much a faithcommunity can offer. Allen ChapelAfrican Methodist EpiscopalChurch offered two day care centersfor the community. But AllenChapel’s pastor saw a greaterneed. He had a vision for a familyplanning clinic that would offeron-site services. He broughttogether leaders of his congregationand of Planned Parenthoodof Metropolitan Washington toshare his vision. The result was asuccessful collaboration that continuestoday. The church providedspace and other basic support forthe clinic. Planned Parenthoodprovided the expertise and staffto run the clinic for 15 to 20hours each week. Together acongregation and a PlannedParenthood helped a communityreceive much-needed services.