Feb. 25, 2004 

Contact: Nancye Willis
(615) 742-5406
e-mail: nwillis@umcom.org

Sex Ed Goes to Church in Arizona;
United Methodist Congregation Offers Chance To ‘Be Real’

GLENDALE, Ariz.—It’s in music, in magazines, on television—sex, a topic that sometimes brings a blush to the cheeks of parents and teens alike.

Almost every family faces the issue at some point, and many parents struggle with how to talk to their kids about sex. A Glendale United Methodist congregation decided it’s time to get real about sex, in a way that makes sense to kids and doesn’t disturb the comfort level of adults.

At First United Methodist Church, “Let’s Be Real” seminars emphasize teaching teenagers how to make smart decisions. It’s more an abstinence-is-best program than an abstinence-only one.

(The “Let’s Be Real” program of First United Methodist Church in Glendale, Ariz., is featured in the UMTV video report “Spiritual Sex Ed” the week of Feb. 25.)

Facilitators like Cathy Colby say that they give the kids all the facts, from biology to peer pressure. “OK,” Colby tells a group, “we’re talking about sex. God invented it and we want to affirm that it is a good gift.”

The Rev. Lynn Hamilton, the church’s associate pastor, brought her two grandchildren to the seminar because she knows they’ll get honest information. “Teenagers are learning,” she says, “whether you want to accept the fact that they are learning it or not.”

Even though the program includes entertaining aspects like role-playing and games, sex remains a scary topic. Erika Mayer, 16, understands. “Most guys my age just like to … be with a girl for a while until they do have sex and then it’s over with,” she says.

Seminars divide participants by age, with high-school age kids getting more advanced real-world information. Parents and teens also have separate sessions to discuss issues with which they might be uncomfortable in a mixed-age group.