April 21-23, 2023
8th & 9th Grade Students and Parents or Guardians
$110 per participant
Registration is open, Link and Directions are here:
Developing tools to ask questions, allowing teens to make mindful decisions to be informed so they don’t conform.
Sex: Church vs. Culture gives parents/guardians and their 8th graders space to talk about hard topics. Students and adults attend sessions together and separate. The event strives to create opportunities for your child to learn and grow, while opening up conversations about the transition to high school and the pressures of being a teenager.
Retreat Objectives:
- To offer reliable information to young persons about human sexuality – anatomy, attitudes, growth and development, relationships, reproduction, responsibility, and safety – all built on a foundation of faith.
- To create arenas of intimacy where young people feel free to ask all of their questions.
- To nurture communication skills between parents/guardians and teens.
Our staff of youth and family ministers will spend time with both adults and students over three active learning sessions. Students will experience the curriculum in mixed-gender small groups. Adults will be led through a series of workshops, forums and discussions dealing with raising students in the 8th grade and beyond. Scripture, worship, fun games and activities are woven throughout the study. Some sessions will combine adults and students opening lines of communication. Families sleep in private rooms, bedding and towels are included.
Surprise! Two retreats in one!
For years families, who have completed the Created by God retreat with their 5th graders, have requested a similar weekend for their students getting ready to enter high school. We have now added Sex: Church vs. Culture Retreat to run along side of the Created by God Retreat! If your family has a student who is currently in grades 5 or 6, they can come to this retreat. Just like Sex: Church vs. Culture, a parent or guardian must attend with the student.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can attend Sex: Church vs. Culture?
Sex: Church vs. Culture was designed for 8th graders, as they prepare to enter high school, but 9th graders are welcome, too. Typically, a family group is one parent and one kid of the same gender. We also will see groups with two parents and one kid, two kids and one parent, a guy and his mom, a girl and her dad… all of these will be here and are welcome.
Where will we stay?
Our Programs and Lodging will all be on our Conference Center side of the property. Here, families will stay in hotel-style rooms with their family unit. Bedding and towels are provided. Most rooms contain two twin beds. We have some rooms that adjoin and we try to save those for families of 3 or more. If you have an RV or trailer and would like to see if we have space in our campground that weekend, email Mindy@wwumccc.org .
Will the parents and students be together all the time?
There will be things that parents and students do together, like worship, meals and some activities. Most classes are separate with parents attending their sessions and students attending theirs. Since this weekend will also have families attending Created by God, there may be options for Sex: Church vs. Culture Parents to attend classes designed for Created by God Parents, if the topic is more helpful for what your family needs right now.
Will the two student groups, Created by God students and Sex: Church vs Culture students, do classes together?
The breakout sessions are completely different and students from the two groups will not mix. There will be times when everyone will be together, adults and students, like worship and meals.
My family contains a kid who can attend Created by God and a kid who can attend Sex: Church vs Culture. Can I bring them both at the same time?
Yes! This is sort of what we were hoping would happen! We are planning for the two programs to run simultaneously, using the same schedule. Classes would be tailored to each program and families would be able to attend together.
More Questions?
For information on retreat content email Kali Grenus at Kali@wwumccc.org
For information on registration email Mindy Standifer at Mindy@wwumccc.org