wfn.org | Programs aim at strengthening marriage

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Aug. 8, 2002  News media contact: Kathy Gilbert7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.   10-71B{354}

NOTE: This report is a sidebar to UMNS story #353.

By United Methodist News Service

Several United Methodist and other Christian programs are available to
couples seeking to strengthen their marriages.

Worldwide Marriage/Engaged Encounter United Methodist is one such program.
It is affiliated with the United Methodist Board of Discipleship. Another
affiliated organization is the Association for Couples in Marriage
Enrichment, an international, nonprofit group.

"The ACME has a different format from Marriage Encounter," says Mary Jane
Pierce Norton, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Discipleship.
"This is for couples who want to work in a small group setting and have more
problem solving and interaction with other couples." ACME has more than 200
certified leader couples available to work with churches.

Marriage Encounter sponsors retreat weekends for couples that have healthy
relationships. Engaged Encounter is for couples considering marriage.

Caring Couples Network is a congregational program for supporting couples in
marriage and is also affiliated with the churchwide Board of Discipleship.
In this program, mentoring couples in a congregation work with other couples
to listen to and share their life experiences. Caring Couples Network has a
number of resources available to support marriage ministry.

Marriage Enrichment Inc. is a Christian non-denominational group that offers
weekend retreats. They teach communication skills, and awareness and
expression of feelings. Workshops are conducted in cooperation with local
churches and other organizations.

All of these organizations emphasize they are not counselors and they are
not for marriages in trouble. One organization that does help troubled
marriages is Retrouvaille (French for "rediscovery").

Retrouvaille is Roman Catholic in origin but is open to everyone. Couples
whose own marriages have nearly failed lead the weekends.

For more information:
7	Marriage/Engaged Encounter: Visit the Web site at www.encounter.org,
or contact Tim and Jo Victor at (308) 382-8318. 
7	Association for Couples in Marriage: Visit the Web site at
www.bettermarriages.org, or call (800) 634-8325.
7	Caring Couples Network: Call (877) 899-2780.
7	Marriage Enrichment Inc.: Call (800) 726-7424.
7	Retrouvaille: Call (800) 470-2230.
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United Methodist News Service
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