Involving the Faith Community in Teen Pregnancy Prevention

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APPENDIXoften at odds with the ethics and morality of their religious traditionsand beliefs. That’s why it’s so important for faith communitiesto get kids when they’re young—and to stay with them through theirteen years. As teenagers yearn for spiritual guidance, faith communitiesare uniquely situated to minister to this need, and faith communitiesquite properly place questions about sex firmly within thecontext of religious values and moral traditions.INVOLVING THE KEY PLAYERSGod bless you as you continue the good work of helping young peoplemeet the many ethical and moral challenges they confront every day.Sister Mary Rose McGeadyPresident and Chief Executive Officer, Covenant House InternationalMember, National Campaign Task Force on Religion and Public ValuesNovember 199848The Nine Tips1. Address the need teens have for spiritual fulfillmentand help them find answers to the many challengingproblems they face.It is during the teenage years that many young people first strugglewith the enduring questions of human existence, and the intensityand urgency of these questions can be very powerful to them. Manyteens hunger for a framework of values and faith that can help themmake moral decisions and manage the everyday problems of livingthat can be so stressful in these transition years. They also wanthelp in seeing beyond the present moment. Because faith communitiesare uniquely able to provide the spiritual guidance that manyteenagers crave, they should embrace this responsibility with energyand commitment.2. Encourage parents to talk with their children aboutsex and morality within the context of your faith tradition.Many parents are embarrassed and uncomfortable talking with theirchildren about sex. This is not unusual, but it is unfortunate sinceparents are children’s first and best teachers about values andmoral expectations. A faith community is an ideal place for parentsand children to learn how to talk with each other about theseimportant topics. Consider sponsoring workshops for parents abouthow to talk with their children about sensitive subjects, such ashuman sexuality, according to the children’s age and maturity and
APPENDIXwithin the context of your faith tradition. And help your parents setproper limits for their children’s behavior.3. Enlist adults in your faith community to helpyoung people.Teenagers develop character and personal values through interactingwith respected and empathetic adults. Sometimes faith leadersthemselves are available to work directly with teenagers, but oftenthey carry so many responsibilities that they need help from others.If this is the case, ask highly trusted and knowledgeable adults inyour faith community to assist in the important work with teenagers.Whether the adults create an organized mentoring program or somethingmore informal, be sure they understand teenagers and cantalk about values and relationships within the context of yourfaith’s principles.4. Make sure the children and teenagers in your faithcommunity understand what your faith tradition says aboutsex, love, and marriage in general and teen pregnancy, inparticular. Use clear and unambiguous language.Young people need to know and understand where your faith traditionstands on matters of sexuality. Faith traditions can have a strongimpact on helping teens avoid too-early sexual activity and pregnancy,but messages need to be clear, direct, and precise. Encourage open,honest, and frank discussions about the challenges—and choices—that young people face in their daily lives. Discussions about sex,love, and marriage within the context of religious faith should beginwhen children are young, rather than waiting until they’re teens.49THE FAITH COMMUNITY5. Learn about contemporary youth culture—whatyour young people are reading, listening to, watching,and doing.Understanding the world of teens makes communicating with andcaring for them easier. The influence of the entertainment media, inparticular, on youth culture is extraordinary. Know the music thatyoung people enjoy. Watch the television shows they watch so you’llknow which characters they may be trying to emulate. Take a lookat the magazines they are reading. With such information in hand,you can better explore with teens how the cultural messages theyreceive agree with or differ from what is expected of them as membersof your faith community.
Page 1: 7CHAPTERInvolving the Faith Communi
Page 4: FOR MORE ONHANDLING CONFLICTSee Cha
Page 7 and 8: Reach out respectfullyand carefully
Page 9 and 10: training and resource material.They
Page 11 and 12: • becoming full members;• sendi
Page 13 and 14: Sustaining a relationship with fait
Page 15 and 16: ReferencesBenson, P.L., Williams, D
Page 17: APPENDIXNine Tips to Help Faith Lea
Page 21 and 22: APPENDIX9. Reach out to other faith
Page 23: APPENDIXThe Role of Religious Congr

Involving the Faith Community in Teen Pregnancy Prevention

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