Renewal Marriage Preparation Courses

Renewal offer marriage preparation courses for people considering or planning marriage. The aim of the course is to provide couples with the tools to build a healthy marriage that will last a lifetime. We expect to run 2 courses each year, one in February and one in June.

What does it involve?

Each evening consists of a meal followed by short talks interspersed with exercises and questions for each couple to discuss. Over 5 sessions the course will cover topics such as:

how to recognise and appreciate your differences
the art of communication
the importance of commitment
resolving conflict
spending time together
nurturing your friendship
making each other feel loved
developing a good sexual relationship
the importance of talking about your goals, values and dreams

Cost

The cost per couple is £50, which includes all meals, workbooks and a copy of The Marriage Book. This pre-marriage course is an integral part of a wedding at Renewal and it is vital you attend the course. Attendance on the course itself does not guarantee that you will be able to marry at Renewal. All marriage requests should be made to Pastor Justin Marsh.

FOCCUS Questionnaire

We recommend that couples complete a questionnaire called FOCCUS prior to the start of the course. The questionnaire raises important issues that couples may not have considered. Its aim is to bring about open and honest communication between the couple. It is a tool to help couples identify and work through areas they will benefit from discussing prior to marriage.

FOCCUS can be completed on-line and the answers analysed. Couples' responses remain anonymous while being processed and the results are completely confidential until the couple themselves wish to look at them. Each couple then has the opportunity to meet up with their support couple outside the course on a separate evening to look through and discuss their results. The aims of the questionnaire are:

For the couple to explore all issues that require discussion.
For the couple to be sure they are ready for marriage.
For the couple to have a realistic view of what makes a strong marriage.

Comments about the questionaire

'What came up was something we had not expected and we were able to chat about it before it became a huge issue.'
'You discover that there are issues you never thought of discussing, but that need to be dealt with prior to marriage.'
'It was fun and provoked discussion.'

Course Sessions & Dates

Friday 11th April	Session 1 - Communication Effective communication is essential for a strong marriage. Couples learn to recognise how their communication is affected by their personality, their family background and their circumstances. They look at what it means to talk about their feelings and practice listening to each other.
Friday 18th April	Session 2 - Commitment Commitment lies at the heart of the marriage covenant and is reflected in the marriage service vows. Couples consider the meaning of these vows and then look at how to live out this commitment through making time for each other on a regular basis. They also discuss their relationships with parents and in-laws.
Friday 25th April	Session 3 - Resolving conflict Conflict can either destroy a marriage or strengthen it if handled well. Couples consider how to handle anger, appreciate their differences, look for solutions together and practice forgiveness. Organising finances, a primary cause of conflict in marriage, is also addressed.
Saturday 26th April Away day at Red Hill, including lunch out. Both sessions 4 & 5 are covered during this day.	Session 4 - Keeping love alive Love must be deliberately nurtured in a marriage. Couples do this through nurturing their friendship, discovering how the other feels loved and recognizing the importance of developing their sexual relationship. Session 5 - Shared values While appreciating their differences couples need to agree on their goals and core values. They have the opportunity to discuss their priorities for the future, the roles they expect each of them to fulfil and how to build spiritual togetherness.

What next? Justin Marsh at Renewal on 0121 711 7300 for further details. For more information visit the Marriage course web site: http://themarriagecourse.org/