Establishing a Marriage Mentor Program ... the Key!
Location Next training
Jan-Feb
,
2008 Sunday
Evening 6-8 and Sat 9:00
– 2:30 New Hanover
Presbyterian Church, Register by
Pastor
Testimony about effectiveness of Mentors in his church
Clergy
Endorsement of this training
| 4
Mon
evenings 7:00-9:00pm
Typical
schedule
|
Equipping Mentors: FOCCUS/REFOCCUS
Relationship Inventory for Clergy & Mentors. Includes
all materials and basic training you need to get your Mentor
Program Started. |
288-3431 (ext 11)
For additional dates or to schedule
this in your congregation!
Next Training
(Click here)
|
Contact First
Things First for consultation and assistance getting started.
Link
for information about one suggested training program.
Much of the content and concept is taken from “Steps In
Creating a Couple Mentoring Program In a Church/Community” by
Mike McManus.
Mentoring is a key to premarital preparation along with solid Relationship
and Religious Education. Outline and Excerpts with added info are
listed below:
If possible before step 1, host an excellent Marriage Skills
Workshop for any couples in your congregation (and community).
This can be a first step in both identifying potential mentors and
insuring a solid foundation both for the church and for the mentor
trainees to understand, apply and articulate basic communication
and conflict resolution skills. We recommend Christian PREP,
an excellent research and biblically Based program available
locally.
Step 1
Train Clergy (or lead mentor couple) in PREMARITAL/MARITAL
Inventory.
FOCCUS/REFOCCUS
From Family Life Office of Omaha, (402)551-9003. This is
a Christian Based Inventory which is also research proven preferred
by many churches. Recently endorsed by Marriage Savers Inc.
Link
for training.
Used
by St Matthews & All Saints Episcopal, Mechanicsville Christian
Center, New Hanover and Crestwood Presbyterian, Christian Tabernacle
Baptist, Trinity UMC, St John Neuman and St Michaels Catholic
Church, St Paul's Baptist, First African Baptist, New Canaan
International, Harvest Renewal, Greater Nazarene, Master’s House
and others) Local
training available: 288-3431(ext11)
or
PREPARE/ENRICH from Life Innovations 1-800-331-166;
www.lifeinnovations.com. This is a secular Family Therapy based
inventory which research proven and widely used by Clergy, Marriage
and Family Counselors and by Mentor Couples. See Counseling/Mentor
Tools enclosure.
Used by many churches in Richmond: St Giles Pres, 1st Baptist,
Cornerstone Assy of God, Family Ministries, VIPCare. Link
for Local training:288-3431(ext13)
Step 2
Select potential Mentor Couples: After you have been trained
in FOCCUS or PREPARE and understand how it is used, you should invite
a number of solidly married couples, with 10-45 years of marital
experience, to consider becoming “mentor couples” in your church.
(you may choose solidly committed couples of second marriages with
>5 years to mentor couples with previous divorces ... this is
especially important when preparing “blended families.”) See suggestions
from Marriage Savers document: Growing relationship and openness/vulnerability
are key ... not a ‘experts with a ‘perfect marriage.’’
Step 3
Train
Mentors: We can help you set this up for your church or
you may join with another church already scheduled. Generally
we find that four (2 hour) evening sessions work well; but other
schedules are available.
FOCCUS/REFOCCUS: FTF co-sponsors Clergy/Mentor Couple Training:
288-3431(ext11) Classes are being scheduled regularly.
PREPARE/ENRICH: FTF
Director, Bob Ruthazer, a Certified Family Life Educator, provides Clergy/Counselor/Mentor training.
Perhaps an experienced Mentor Couple from one of the churches using
the inventory you want to use can help you get started ... give
them a call.
Other training: Romance, Rice & Reality based on
C-PREP (Christian Prevention and Relationship
Enhancement ) Workshop is great preliminary
or supplemental training in communication and conflict resolution
tools to pass on to new couples available from a variety of places:
New Cannan Internationa, Mechanicsville Christian, St Giles
Presbyterian Church, First
Things First and others. There are many
other good books and programs available for continued growth of
your Mentors.
Optional: Step 4
Train “Back From The Brink” Couples to work with troubled marriages.
“Pastors Manual Marriage Ministry: Crossing Out Divorce” by Father
McGinnis from St Davids Episcopal Church. Send $5.00 to Marriage
Ministry, Big Oak RV Park Box 27 Monroe St Tallahassee, FL 32303.
Check marriagesavers.org.
Our Executive Director, Bob Ruthazer,CFLE, can present this amazing
program to your leadership with a brief PowerPoint slide presentation!
Optional: Step 5
Create
a Blending Families (StepFamily) Support Group: Roswell United
Methodist Church created a training program called “Developing a
Successful Step families Ministry” Mail $35 to Rev Dick Dunn, Roswell
United Methodist Church; 814 Mimosa Blvd. Roswell GA 30075. (404)594-0520. St
Giles Presbyterian has a StepFamily Group on first mondays call Bob
288-3431 ext 13
Step By
Step: St Giles Presbyterian Church Blending Families Support
Group can help you get started... send one or more interested
couples to find out how they are doing it and then adapt & multiply
in your congregation.
This may seem complex or overwhelming ...
... but we can make it simple for you to take first steps
to establishing an effective Marriage Mentoring Program in your
church!
First Things First does not specifically
endorse or recommend any one of the services over another, but rather
is providing information about some of the tools and services in
our community.
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