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PRE-MARRIAGE COUNSELING One study revealed that the average couple spends 200 hours preparing for the wedding and only 2 hours preparing for the marriage. Usually that represents 2 hours with the pastor. Something is seriously wrong with that picture. It’s no wonder that a recent Barna research report revealed that the divorce rate among Church goers was actually higher than the divorce among non-church goers. The best thing any couple can do for their marriage is to invest time in preparation, not for a one hour wedding ceremony, but for a life-long marriage that will fulfill the visions and dreams they have when they say “I do” at the altar. At Marriage and Family Savers Ministries we help couples do just that. After an initial interview we will give each couple a pre-marriage inventory questionnaire that is designed to highlight the strengths of the relationship as well as identify areas that will need special attention. The questionnaire will cover areas such as compatibility, communication, family issues, attitudes regarding finances, spiritual issues and more. Then on subsequent sessions we will review the results of the questionnaire in couple-to-couple sessions. Gender-sensitive issues will be discussed in individual sessions with Bill and Penny. The number of sessions required to complete the course of counseling will vary depending on the results of the questionnaire. We recommend a couple plan to start counseling six months before the wedding date. The typical pre-marital counseling course involves 10-12 sessions after the initial assessment. As ordained ministers, and duly licensed in the state of New York, Bill and Penny may also perform the actual wedding ceremony if no local pastor is available. |
© 2007 Marriage & Family Savers Ministries