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The Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice seeks to ensure that every woman is free to make decisions about having children according to her own conscience and religious beliefs.
NEW OHIO RCRC PROGRAMS
Congregational Outreach: Faith and Choices Workshops:
The Congregational Outreach program trains facilitators to conduct Faith and Choices workshops in their congregations. The workshop consists of two parts, discussion and study and choosing action.
First part: discussion and study: The first part of the Faith and Choices workshop promotes discussion of participants' views about reproductive choice and justice in a respectful, structured setting. Participants can examine their own denomination’s views on reproductive choice and justice, comparing them with their own. They will learn about the historical and factual bases for their denomination's views which are usually carefully reasoned, complex, and finely nuanced, arising out of their own theological principles. We provide a study and action kit for each denomination.
An unusual and successful application: This part of the workshop was facilitated with two groups South Dakota clergy, over 80 total, before their state referendum on an abortion ban. Clergy who participated included those who were for and against the ban. Participants reported that, after the structured and (usually) respectful discussion of theirs and their denominations views, they noticed two results. First, they learned that the issues were much more complex than they had thought, involving more complex history, facts, and diverse religious views than they had thought. Second, they found that it was much easier to preach about this controversial subject and to discuss it with congregants after taking the workshop.
Second part: choosing appropriate action: The second part of the Faith and Choices workshop encourages participants to take some action that is appropriate to their congregation. The workshop action kit provides a list of possible actions in the congregation and the community. It encourages congregants, as part of their role in living out their faith, to assure that their own congregation offers its youth sexuality education interpreted by their own faith's beliefs, values, and ethics. The action kit also educates congregants about how to actively promote reproductive justice in their communities, including access to comprehensive sexuality education for everyone. Two congregations which participated in the 2006 pilot study in Columbus have had different action outcomes. One Jewish congregation piloted the Reform Judaism faith-based sexuality education in their congregation, and Unitarian Universalist church started a committee to focus on issues or reproductive justice and work with other congregations on those issues..
Ohio RCRC holds trainings for facilitators, for Faith and Choices workshops, supplies study/action kits for each denomination, and supports workshop participants in taking chosen actions. To learn how reprsentatives from congregation can participate in the trainings, contact Director Barb Avery at Ohio RCRC. Call 614-221-3636, or 800-587-2330. Or email: ohiorcrc@sbcglobal.net.
Faith Matters project: Cleveland area
The Faith Matters project brings faith-based sexuality education to diverse congregations; develops faith-based advocacy through congregations, reaches out to African-American congregations to address serious sexual health issues; and helps clergy support family planning patients. Faith Matters provides training in RCRC's Black Church Initiative's Faith-based Model Dialogues on Sexuality for teens and adults. Rev. Minor will provide trainings for Faith and Choices workshops for fall adult education programs, starting in late August. To learn how your congregation can participate, contact Faith Matters Coordinator, Rev. Tony Minor at Rev__Minor@Yahoo.com, or 216-640-6075.
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TRAININGS FOR FACILITATORS OF FAITH AND CHOICES WORKSHOPS
Columbus:
WED., MAY 14, 2008, 7-9 p.m., Broad Street Presbyterian Church
760 E. Broad Street, Columbus (one block east of Broad St. exit from U.S. 71)
Dayton:
THUR., MAY 21, 2008, 7-9 p.m., Cross Creek Community Church United Church of Christ
667 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd., Dayton.
Directions to Cross Creek Community Church
From the South and North on I-75: From I-75 take I-675 North toward Columbus. Exit at first exit ramp, which is Exit 2: S.R. 725/Miamisburg-Centerville Road. Turn right onto S.R. 725. Go to fifth traffic light and turn left on to Congress Park Drive.
Turn left into church parking lot. Church is located at the corner of S.R. 725/Miamisburg-Centerville Road and Congress Park Drive (Next to Tim Horton’s Donuts!)
Future trainings:
To arrange for a training of facilitators of Faith and Choices workshops from your congregation or find out the date and location of the training nearest you, contact Barb Avery at 614-221-3636 or 800-587-2330 (toll-free in Ohio), or at ohiorcrc@sbcglobal.net.
Faith Matters:
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