I wonder what my copy-editing Hubby would make of this lede (Sonja L. Cohen “Talking about sex, preaching politics, and more” UU World, March 16) —
Churches are often uncomfortable talking about sex, which is why the First Evangelical Free Church in Rockford, Illinois, is hosting a two-day youth conference designed to deal frankly with the issue of sex while still making it clear that it is something the religion believes should stay within the context of marriage.
Ah, an opportunity lost. A reworking of the first and last clauses could have made the Evangelical Frees honest owners of a sex ed program that fit their mores, while not (by inference) making us sound like the Church of the Libido. (Marriage? Bah! Off with thy hot pants!)
For what its worth, the Evangelical Free Church is a denomination wildly successful in evangelism and of getting out of its ethnic (historically Swedish) comfort zone. One of their ministers has written a very good guide to lay church planting, the second-to-newest edition is on the web, a link later.