Marriage Education

Marriage Meeting in Philadelphia

2009-03-26T06:20:00.011-04:00

On Wednesday I was honored to be invited by Veronica Haggerty to attend an event in Philadelphia related to strengthening marriages. It was the annual meeting of the Greater Philadelphia Healthy Marriage Coalition.

Here are some photos from the meeting:

I sat next to Rev. Stuart H. Spencer, pastor of New Hope Presbyterian Church, and Shareef El-Amin, operations coordinator for Mayor Michael Nutter's Fatherhood Initiative Program. The first person who spoke was Rita DeMaria of the Council for Relationships. I'd heard of her before, from my days working with Pat Ennis and the Central New York Healthy Marriage Coalition in Syracuse, and my previous work with Diane Sollee and the Smart Marriages Coalition in Washington, D.C. It was a pleasure to finally meet Rita.

Rita's introduction was followed by a series of additional speakers, including Dave Lett of the US Administration for Children and Families; Rob Harrison of the city's African American Healthy Marriage Initiative; Dan Cortes and Jose Lastra of the Hispanic Healthy Marriage Institute; Francis Hoat Pham of the South East Asia Task Force; Gil Coleman of the Mayor's Office of Community Services; and Rev. Al Douglass of Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler.

A highlight of the meeting came when Mr. Lett read a document from the mayor's office proclaiming March 2009 as Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Month in Philadelphia.

"Research suggests that a strong family structure translates to the social and economic well-being of children. Two-parent, married families produce children who are more likely to be law-abiding, resist drugs and violence, complete higher education, excel in their desired career and become healthy, self-sufficient adults," the proclamation reads.

"Through the acknowledgment of a healthy marriage and increased parental presence, our communities will grow safer and more productive, relationships will flourish and future generations will always be able to count on a family member for positive guidance."

It was a great day for strengthening marriages in the Philadelphia area and I was very glad to be there.

Review of the Walt Wangerin DVD Segment

2009-02-17T08:29:00.003-05:00

Here's the text of a review article submitted to the St. Paul's congregational newsletter:

“How to Keep Christ at the Center of a Marriage”
By Walter Wangerin Jr.
© 2006 Augsburg Fortress
Minneapolis, Minn.

Review by Don Harting

This 20-minute teaching segment is the third of seven recorded lessons in The Lutheran Course on Marriage. This is the curriculum we followed during the marriage retreat in February.

I found this to be the strangest, but also the most powerful and memorable, of the segments we watched. I had heard of Walt Wangerin before, but never seen a picture of him. He appears intense on camera. His gray hair is shaved close to his head, his shiny face appears gaunt, his eyes gaze straight at the lens, and he speaks passionately.

In some ways I was a little turned off by his intensity and wordiness (sorry I’m an editor), but the message he was trying to convey is so central to our Christian faith, and to long-term success in marriage, that it cannot be ignored. Wangerin emphasizes the importance of forgiveness in marriage, and how faith in Jesus expands our capacity to forgive.

“I don’t know when it will happen,” he says, “but in all my experience as a pastor and a writer and a friend and a father and a grandfather, I’ve seen it happen that one spouse will sin against the other spouse in a hundred, thousand different ways, may not even know he is doing it, but sin against the other spouse beyond the other spouse’s ability to forgive. . . . By ourselves, on our own—without an infusion of the Holy Spirit—we are able to forgive, but we can forgive only so much. . . . If nothing happens and that sin continues, then comes the deterioration. Just like Adam and Eve, we put on clothes, we begin to hide ourselves from our spouse. . . . Or we try to ignore those things that are brutal. . . . This is where our Christian faith makes our marriage peculiar, my dear friends. More important than any other characteristic of a marriage is the capacity to forgive the sin that shall surely come.”

Wangerin goes on to prescribe a five-step process for us to follow as we forgive our spouses. In brief, they are 1) Realize your sinfulness 2) State the sin and its consequences 3) Declare forgiveness 4) Show that love continues 5) Renew the covenant.
He then shares a moving example, taken from his own marriage to Ruthanne.

This DVD segment gives The Lutheran Course on Marriage power and value to local congregations. I can see how it would encourage and empower couples to renew and revitalize fragile marriages, benefiting not just the spouses but also their kids. It’s another reason why I’m excited about this course, and how it could benefit St. Paul’s even more if we offer it again.

Minutes From Feb. 4 Meeting

2009-02-05T17:46:00.000-05:00

On phone call, Don Harting and Pam Lenza

Opened and closed with prayer.

Discussed food items, in order. There will be snacks Friday night and full breakfast and lunch Saturday.

Discussed schedule – good as published. Don/Laura to arrive 5pm? Friday, Pam/Mark 6pm. All arrive 7:30 am Saturday.

Budget – Pam suggested small group leaders not pay – Don would like them to pay to keep all $500 in current budget. Pam suggested we have enough money to give St. Peter’s $100 out of budget – Don would like to hold on that decision. Currently all $500 is in budget and we have 4 packets not used. Income from retreat will be if all pay 8*45= $360 and cost for food are $136 leaving $224 surplus – which considering the $195 spent out of last year’s budget on the packets is roughly break even. If all pay and send love offering to St. Peter’s and not take money out of budget for that – budget should be $724 remaining for the rest of the year.

Discussed facility, key, kitchen. Don may run by to test key if he has time. Pam will call Denise to ask kitchen questions.

Don asked Pam to check evaluation link on blog – done, and it works.

Pam will do list for Mark to collect payments at retreat.

Don will ask perhaps Laura, others to introduce table talk discussion cards.

Don will ask Cari how he can get St. Paul’s projector.

Don and Pr. Mark will meet Friday to discuss worship. Up for discussion is music, etc.

Items to Bring

Don KEY
extension cord
Table talk cards
Packets (handbook)
Flowers for tables
Vases
4 folding chairs
Projection screen
Blue hymnals
Projector
Eval forms

Pr. Mark
DVD
Laptop
Speakers for laptop
Leader guide
Recorded music?

Pam
4-8 folding chairs
Food
6 packets
Pencils and sharpener
Box for offering
List for payments
Laptop
Vases
Tablecloths
Scissors
Other decorations

Retreat Gets the Green Light!

2009-02-02T11:18:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Karen and Tom Slyman for signing up Monday morning to attend The Lutheran Course on Marriage! They put us "over the top" in terms of the minimum number of couples needed to make the retreat viable. (Without a certain number of couples, one of our small groups might seem a bit TOO small.)

Other retreatants, at this writing, include:

Mark and Pam Lenza
Mark and Candy Knepley
Kristy and John Young
Ron and Lisa Dziuk
Teresa and Scott McPherson

It would be nice to have an "insurance couple" or two, in case someone's babysitter backs out at the last minute. If you know of any other couples who might like to attend, I would be happy to call and extend a special invitation.

As you know, the overall retreat, worship, and large group leader is Pastor Mark, and your small group facilitators will be Bill and Bridget Lillis and Laura (my wife) and myself.

This blog is set up so anyone can read it and anyone can comment. Please feel free to send me questions and I'll do my best to answer them here, so everyone else can read them.

Once again, thanks for signing up. I'm looking forward to seeing you on Friday evening.

Notes from January 19 phone call

2009-01-26T20:13:00.001-05:00

Present: Don Harting, Pam Lenza

Opened and closed with prayer.

Don has gotten permission to do verbal announcements for next two weeks at Sunday services. Don will do late service, will let person doing announcements read it at early service. Discussed 2nd announcement – agreed nice change.

Published materials have start time of Friday evening at 7pm. Discussed briefly – this may be a bit early for some people Pam thinks, but first few minutes will be for greeting people anyway. Because of the compressed time, Don feels we may have to drop one or two sessions.

Discussed end date for sign ups – agreed on Sunday February 1st. Will have to get work emails, or cell phone numbers etc. from participants in the event that we must cancel at the last minute for weather.

Don will bring the easel again on Sunday and place in narthex with the picture of St. Peters.

Pam spoke to Kirsten – she may be able to help with the food.

Training for small group leaders begins this week.

Next meeting – TBD.

Notes From Jan. 13 Meeting

2009-01-16T17:11:00.001-05:00

Present, Don Harting, Mark and Pam Lenza

Opened and closed with prayer.

Discussed coffee fellowship for Sunday the 18th. Pam will bring treats, grapes, creamer, juice. Don will bring cookies and twinkies and bagels. Pam will make or get copies of the handout. Pam will bring laptop to play DVD. Arrive 8:45 am to setup.

Pam will ask Cari about an easel.

Discussed food at retreat – no one has volunteered to help.

Pam will call Kirsten McCurdy.

Announcements: Don will draft announcements and present at both services if possible. (Ask Care about verbal announcements.) Don will also send bulletin and newsletter announcements.

Don might take picture of St. Peter’s for a poster. Pam will look for the flyer picture.

Blog address is marriage-education.blogspot.com.

Discussed folding chairs at St. Peter’s –if we only need 12 we can bring our own so we don’t need to get a separate key from St. Peter’s.

Agreed to pray for: God’s leadership
Pr. Mark
People to help
Small group leaders
Training coming up
Who ever signs up

Next meeting: Monday Jan 19th – probably will be a phone call

St. Peter's, Chester Springs

2009-01-14T11:29:00.004-05:00

This is the church where we will hold the retreat.
St. Peter's Lutheran Church is located at 1239 Clover Mill Road, Chester Springs.

The office is open 10 to 2, M-F, phone (610) 933-9611.

DIRECTIONS TO THE CHURCH

Part of Clover Mill Road is closed for construction, so you need to follow a detour to get to the church.

Assuming you are coming from St. Paul's, take Route 113 north toward Phoenixville. Counting from the Route 100 intersection, travel about 4 miles north. Turn right on Pikeland Road, which is right across from Hallman General Store. Travel about 1.25 miles, make a left on Street Road, at the stop sign. Follow Street Road about half a mile. Turn left at the intersection with Clover Mill Road. Go about two tenths of a mile, past the first St. Peter's church you see. You want the second St. Peter's (the first is UCC). Take the second entrance, parking lot is to the rear. Retreat will be in the basement of the main building.

Minutes From Jan. 5 Meeting

2009-01-14T11:25:00.002-05:00

Present: Don Harting, Pam Lenza
Date: Jan. 5, Monday

Opened and closed with prayer.

Don states Bill and Bridget Lillis and Laura have committed to small group leader training on Jan 21st and Jan 28th at 7:30 pm.

Pr. Mark asked * Don to relay through Chris Robinson to council requests for prayer. *Don and Pam agree to do daily prayer for marriage encounter efforts.

Reviewed promo pack. Pam had previously downloaded templates. Don took DVD and posters.

Discussed volunteers for food as suggested by Pr. Mark. * Pam will ask Kirsten McCurdy if she wants to help. * Pam will email Freida and ask if she can forward request to her committee.* Pam will ask Cari to put request in bulletin.

* Don will do bulletin request for sign up. * Don will work on posters, sign up sheet, possibly handout.

* Pam will email Don with cost - $45 per couple. Actual costs may overrun to $50 per couple, but budget of $500 allows some flexibility on this.

Discussed child care. With retreat being offsite we feel it would be too difficult to find and equip enough people to do child care who are qualified, especially with Acts in rehearsals at this time.

Don suggested doing a coffee fellowship to promote the retreat. Will play promo DVD on laptops in social room at that time to allow people to see the promo. Checked the sign up board and switched with the Applegates so Lenza’s and Harting’s will do January 18th.

Next meeting – possibly Tuesday Jan 13th at 7:30pm?

* denotes action item

Stuff to Bring to the Retreat

2008-12-12T12:07:00.004-05:00

Here are my notes from today's visit to St. Peter's.

Items we Will Need to Bring

key to church (!)
folding chairs
white sheet or portable projection screen
food (we will need a separate post on this topic!)
piano music
With One Voice (blue) hymnals
Pastor Mark's devotional music tapes
laptop computer with external speakers
additional computer speakers if we can find some
envelope for free-will offering

Here are Pastor's suggestions to help strengthen this ministry's foundation of prayer:

Talk to Chris Robinson (adult and Christian ed chair) and ask him for prayer support
Write up a short prayer as a prayer for the church the week before the retreat and send the language to Pastor and Cari

St. Paul’s to Offer The Lutheran Course on Marriage

2008-12-10T08:11:00.000-05:00

St. Paul’s is trying something new! We are planning a marriage retreat for February. The target date is Friday evening, Feb. 6 and all day Saturday, Feb. 7. We will meet at an off-site location nearby. To reduce expenses, there will not be an overnight stay.

The curriculum we will follow is called The Lutheran Course on Marriage, published in 2006 by the ELCA. This in-depth course includes seven lessons, with titles such as “Five Noteworthy Things Luther Said About Marriage,” “How to Keep Christ at the Center of a Marriage,” and “How to Date Your Spouse and Keep Things Spicy.”

Some of the material is serious, some is humorous. Some has been recorded by top-notch theologians like Walter Wangerin Jr. and Roland Martinson. Some will be presented live by Pastor Mark and in small groups facilitated by trained volunteers.

The Lutheran Course on Marriage was written for couples at all ages and stages of marriage. This retreat will give St. Paul’s couples a chance to relax and learn together, and discover new treasures in their relationships that will strengthen and enrich their lives. Look for a sign-up sheet in the hallway.

Pam's Notes from Nov. 11 Meeting

2008-12-02T21:14:00.000-05:00

Meeting – Marriage Encounter

Present – Don Harting, Pam Lenza, Mark Lenza

Discussed possible dates, February 6-7 or 13-14. Pam will try to nail down a date.

Don will do an announcement to ask for prayer support and perhaps recruit more team members.

Don said he contacted Theresa and Dan Foultz – they are supportive of effort but too busy to help at this time.

Don states Daylesford Abbey is booked until summer.

Don will ask Pr. Mark name of another pastor who did an ME last spring. (Not certain – is this what we discussed?)

Don will begin recruiting for small group leaders, as they need training and it must be scheduled.

Review of materials: Pam – workbook – activities are good, but not great. Seem to be missing couple interaction which would be expected especially in a retreat setting.
Mark – leader guide – Too many exercises, but some exercises might have to be eliminated.

Don – handbook – good deal of humor, an easy read.

Don is doing blog – will post meeting minutes. Could share the URL in newsletter so others in congregation can take a look and drum up some interest.

Need to submit pieces to newsletter editor as soon as possible. Don will check with Cari on deadline.

Timing – Don would like to hold off on an announcement until some small group leaders have been recruited, and there is a facility, price, and date. Once we have a date, a ‘save date’ could be put out.

How to Receive Automatic Updates From This Blog

2008-11-11T21:27:00.000-05:00

If you wish, you can set things up to receive a notice every time this blog is updated. This can save you the trouble of bookmarking the site and checking back every so often to see if anyone has posted anything new.

Set yourself up with a Google account, if you don't already have one. They're free.
Set up the Google Reader on your computer. You will see this option as you set up your Google account. Google Reader is essentially a Web page you will return to every time you want to read this blog or any other blog for that matter.
From within Google Reader, visit this blog. Scroll down to the bottom, where you will see a link titled Posts (Atom). Click on the link. You should get a message saying you are not yet subscribed. When prompted, click on the button "Subscribe."
In the left-hand column of Google Reader, you should now see the Marriage Education blog in a list. It should have a number in parentheses next to it. This will be the number of fresh posts since the last time you visited. You can reset the number to zero by pressing the "Mark All As Read" button in the reader. Whenever this number increases, it indicates someone has posted to the blog.
Next time you're curious whether anyone has posted anything to the Marriage Education blog, simply open Google Reader and check whether the number in parentheses has grown.

Happy blogging!

Notes From Our Last Meeting

2008-11-11T21:15:00.001-05:00

Here are Pam Lenza's notes from our last meeting, held Oct. 28. I'm posting them two weeks late. I will post notes from tonight's meeting when I get them.

**********************************************************

Present: Don Harting, Mark Lenza, Pam Lenza

Opened with prayer.

Pam related discussion with Pr. Mark. Pr. Mark willing to lead or co-lead but does not have time to be the organizer. Pr. Mark suggested Friday night/Sat morning and afternoon for retreat – possibly at another church so participants can concentrate and not be interrupted. Pr. would prefer trying a retreat before resorting to Sunday school time slot sessions. Pr. Mark sticks to Lectionary on sermon topics.

Discussed timing issues again. Troupe of Acts starts approximately 2/21. Looking at dates of 2/2-8 or 2/14-15. Need to confirm availability of Pr. Mark.

Discussed possible places: Daylesford Abbey, St. Mary’s of Providence, Lutheran churches in area (Good Shepherd Coatesville, St. Marks on 401) and other churches possibly UCC such as St. Paul’s Lionville, St. Mark’s on 401. Is there a Lutheran retreat center in the area?

Discussed components:
· Leader’s guide, Don feels highlights are understandable, tone, accessible, based on prayer and good humor content. Has a great potential for energizing congregation. Down side – large and small group components mean recruiting and training small group leaders which could be difficult and time consuming. The small group leaders preferably should not be participants (half of a couple).
· Workbook, Mark – lots of activities, humor, has small group, large group, and at home activities for each session.
· Handbook, Pam – nice for young couples, lots of humor which large group leaders could use, but not detailed enough for older couples.

What: Pam feels when this is advertised make clear it is enrichment, not marriage counseling.

Who: Pam thought this was intended for married and engaged couples but Don says leader book says married. Should only married couples be invited or open to engaged, others? Don wasn’t sure how he felt about this. Also don’t know what Pr. Mark thinks. Might be easier to just stick to married.

People who’ve been to a marriage encounter: Would be nice to talk to folks who’ve experienced this and see what they advise.

Expanding group: What happened to others who signed up for original meeting? Kirsten McCurdy and Burkes are interested but weren’t able to attend this meeting. What about:

Theresa and Dave Foltz
Cochlins?
Louise Mullings
Paula Campagna – is in Steven Ministry

Team development: Don says structure is leader, music person, publicist, table talk coordinator, 3-4 small group leaders. Don or Pam can do music. Don and Pr. Mark can do leader. Don can do publicist. Need to recruit small group leaders and table talk leader.

Take aways: Each person will review for next meeting a hard copy they haven’t seen yet.
Don will contact Daylesford Abbey.
Pam will talk to Cari about Pr. Mark’s availability and possible dates.
Don will ask for a bulletin blurb and announcement to ask for prayer, participants, others who’ve been to a ME, etc.
? not assigned - Need emails for Kirsten McCurdy, Burkes.
? not assigned - Should get names/emails of others from original list.

Next meeting: Tuesday November 11th at 7:30 pm.

Praise for The Lutheran Handbook on Marriage

2008-11-03T21:33:00.000-05:00

I'm getting a kick out of reading The Lutheran Handbook on Marriage. It's a stitch! How about this statement from "How to Decorate a Lutheran Home" on page 85:

"Although nailing documents to a door is an integral part of Lutheran tradition, remember that modern doors are made of metal or particle board and are not built to withstand blows of a hammer. Hang your artwork on sturdy walls using nails and hooks instead."

or this, from the preface:

"The joining of man and woman into 'one flesh,' as Jesus calls it, and the interesting situations that arise from it have made the careers and fortunes of countless cartoonists, stand-up comics, and quack therapists in every culture on every continent. Well, we want to cash in on a little that action."

Just the section titles reflect the authors' sense of humor: "How to Light the Unity Candle Without Setting the Bride's Hair on Fire," and "How to Respond to an In-law's Nosy Question."

I enjoy the illustrations, too. My favorite shows a man and woman driving in the car. He is alert and chatting away at the wheel, she is dozing. The caption reads "Sharing a car can lead to more time together." Then there's the diagram that shows a clueless husband "How to Identify an Ill Spouse." An arrow points to the disheveled woman's nose, "pink on the outside and runny on the inside indicates a medium-rare head cold."

These humorous selections add variety to the serious points made equally frequently throughout the book's 225 pages. Here's one that stuck in my mind, from the section titled How to Keep Christ at the Center of a Marriage. "Choosing to place Christ at the center of your marriage is a willful act of defiance. More the norm are marriages that lack a center, or that center on the wrong things."

These are just a few examples of what makes the book worth reading. I can definitely see giving this book to my 24-year-old stepson, who has a great sense of humor and would get a kick out of it, too.

Another Good Meeting

2008-10-29T07:44:00.000-04:00

Pam, Mark, and I met again last night up at church. Pam told us about her conversation with Pastor Mark, who recommends using the retreat option, at a local church, not St. Paul's. This way couples can drive there and back Friday night and Saturday morning, reducing expenses for overnight lodging.

We looked at possible dates, and Feb. 7&8 and Feb, 14& 15 look best right now. Troupe of Acts resumes rehearsals on Feb. 21, Ash Wednesday is Feb. 25, and Lent begins. Feb 14 is Valentine's Day, which makes that weekend a natural target date.

Pam says Pastor Mark says temple talks are OK, and announcements, but he's not keen on choosing any other Scriptures to preach on during February than the ones in the lectionary.

According to Pam, Pastor Mark is happy to be the main leader, or a co-leader. But he's not willing or able or interested in doing the planning, laying the groundwork.

Possible places to hold the retreat:

Daylesford Abbey
St. Mary's of Providence
St. Paul's UCC in Exton
the Lutheran church in Coatesville
the Lutheran church in West Chester that sent a couple to preach here a few months ago

We shared what we liked and didn't like about the materials we reviewed. Mark shared on the workbook, Pam shared on the handbook, and I shared on the leader guide. Then we passed the materials around the circle, so next time Mark will review the leader guide, Pam will review the workbook, and I will review the handbook.

Round planning number for the retreat is between 24 and 30 participants, or 12 to 15 couples. This means we need the following "staff":

large group leader
small group leaders (4 plus an alternate)
musician
table talk coordinator
publicist

My action items:

contact Daylesford Abbey and ask about meeting there, and pricing
read the handbook
invite the Foltzes, Theresa and David, to our next planning meeting
write up a prayer request and send it to Cari to put in the bulletin
write up a prayer request and make it before the 10:45 service
ask Cari if we can have a mailbox (!)
keep praying!

Excited About the Lutheran Course on Marriage

2008-10-27T09:54:00.000-04:00

I'm starting to get excited about the possibilities related to offering the Lutheran Course on Marriage to couples in our congregation. I've been reading the leader book, trying to get a better handle on the course format and contents. Some of the content seems a bit corny (maybe that's OK for a denomination rooted in the Midwest!) while other parts seem downright wonderful. Another impression I'm getting is that offering this course could take quite a bit of time and effort, especially at first, due to the need to recruit and train leaders for the small groups.

One thing I really like about this course, and the people who developed it, is that they say it needs to rest on a firm foundation of prayer. Yahoo! I totally agree with that assertion, and am happy to pray and beg God's blessings and wisdom for myself and all those involved with this new initiative, from top to bottom.

So, to suit the action to the word, here's a quick prayer that will double as a gratitude list.

Heavenly Father,

THANK YOU for this new marriage education curriculum in our denomination. Thank you for the people who authored it, tested it, developed it, wrote it, edited it, illustrated it, printed it and made it available via the latest technology, namely DVD.
Thank you for the openness to this idea from key leaders at St. Paul's, namely Pastor Mark and Pat Burke. Thank you, too, for the support of Lori Burke, Pat's wife and our lay ministry adviser.
Thank for you for the great attendance at our first exploratory meeting. Wow! Nine people showed up at a meeting where we'd hoped to get two or three!
Thank you, Lord, for the contribution of Louise Mullings, who reminded us at the meeting that we (spouses) have to lift each other up.
Thank you for the encouragement from Paula Campagna, who thinks this is a program whose time has come at St. Paul's.
Thank you for the friendship and companionship of Pam and Mark Lenza, who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel and help move this program along. Thank you that Pam and Mark were willing to share the work of doing some reading before our next meeting, and Pam was willing to communicate with Pastor Mark and invite Kirsten McCurdy.
Thank you for the contributions of some really big names in our denomination who contributed modules to the course, namely Hans Wiersma, Walt Wangerin, Roland Martinson, and Susan and Tom Lang.
Thank you for this new Internet blogging technology that enables anyone to have access to electronic publishing tools in the Internet.
Thank you for the SENSE of HUMOR that shines through this course, especially in the light-hearted illustrations. Marriage (or the lack thereof) can be such a serious topic, it's a blessing when people are able to take a step back and find humor in it.
Thank you, Lord, for my own marriage to Laura, and how it has blessed my life and the life of our two kids, Dan and Nat.
Thank you, Lord, for the marriage education movement in our country at present, and the new appreciation of the value of a strong marriage, and its importance as the foundation of a healthy, functioning society.
Thank you, Lord, for the new movie, Fireproof, which affirms marriage as something valuable and worth fighting for.

Lord, I could go on and on thanking you, but you get the idea. Please bless us and guide us as we move forward with this ministry at St. Paul's. As the psalmist says, "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." Lord, we can't do this without you. Please help us.

Moving Ahead Again

2008-10-20T08:05:00.000-04:00

After a delay of several months, the marriage ministry is moving ahead again at St. Paul's. We met last week, Tuesday evening, and plan to meet again on Oct. 28. I was reading the leader book over the weekend. It looks pretty interesting. Pam Lenza and Mark Lenza are also reading other pieces of the starter pack that Pastor Mark ordered. Pat and Lori Burke are praying for us. Pam said she's invited Kirsten McCurdy to our next meeting.

One thing I like about the leaderr book is how the writer recommends putting the minnistry on a firm foundation of prayer. The writer even cites the Scripture verse "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it." This really means a lot to me, for a number of reasons.

Another thing to be thankful for: Loris Burke sent me a printout about a book about marriage ministry. It's published by Group Publishing.

Also, this idea came to me over the weekend: What if we took advantage of the buzz surrounding release of the new movie, Fireproof, to raise awareness of LCOM at St. Paul's?

Thank you, Lord!

Welcome!

2007-07-26T07:26:00.000-04:00

Here you will find information and resources related to:

Strengthening children of divorced parents, and
Preventing more divorces from occurring.