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    Made on a Mac

    Marriages at St. Paul's

    Aired September 16, 2004

     

    At St. Paul's, we don't do weddings--we do marriages. We are firmly committed to strengthening marriages for the benefit of all involved, and our pastor, out of love for the people of our community and with the support of the congregation, has signed the following:

    AFFIRMATIONS: Recognizing that ninety percent of Iowa marriages are performed by pastors and that there exists a divorce rate of nearly fifty percent in my state, I affirm the following:

    1. That God has established the sanctity and companionship of marriage for a man and woman and intends the bond of marriage to last a lifetime. Genesis 2:20-25, Ephesians 5:22-33, Matthew 19:6, Mal: 2:13-16.
    2. That as a minister of the Gospel, called of God, it is part of my calling to foster lasting marriages that flourish through the power of God.
    3. That it is the responsibility of pastors to set expectations intended to promote the quality of marriage.
    4. That it is my hope and prayer to see the divorce rate in my community greatly reduced, as well as the pain that it causes to families.

    AGREEMENTS: Because of my affirmations, I agree that for couples whom I marry I will:

    1. Expect at least a four-month period from the initial premarital appointment until the wedding date and encourage a courtship of at least one year.
    2. Expect at least six premarital counseling sessions ( or equivalent ) and the use of at least one premarital inventory dedicated to issues of marriage. (Pastor Dale is trained and licensed to administer the Prepare inventory.)
    3. Schedule two post-marital counseling sessions in the year following the wedding with either a pastor, mentor couple, or professional counselor.

    ADDITIONALLY: I further agree that I will:

    1. Encourage all singles, regardless of age, to practice sexual abstinence and to not live together before marriage.
    2. Offer relationship building programs and referrals for teens, singles, and married couples.
    3. Recruit mature married couples with strong healthy marriages to be trained to serve as mentors and role models for couples who are seriously dating, engaged, newlyweds, blended families or those who are experiencing difficulties.
    4. Encourage married couples to attend enrichment retreats and programs throughout their married life.
    5. Cooperate with other congregations and organizations to share resources and to create a climate in which all marriages are helped to succeed.

     

    In addition to the above, St. Paul's also makes the following requests:

    1. At least one of the engaged couple be a member here at St. Paul's. It's very difficult for a shepherd to follow-up after the wedding if the sheep in question are not connected to the flock. Those who are not members are encouraged to attend our Basic Bible Teachings class to determine whether they're interested in membership here.