Charlie Brown kicks a football while saying, "My grampa and gramma have been married for 50 years...."  To which his playmate replies "They're lucky, aren't they?"  Charlie says, "Grampa says it isn't luck...it's skill."

~Classic Peanuts -  9/26/01
Photo From www.peanuts.com

Get involved with the Guilford County Marriage Resource Center!

1. It is already time for us to begin working on creating a successful Marriage Month in February 2007! Get involved and join the planning team.

2. We need to hear from this community. We know many organizations are working to support healthy marriages. What are you doing? How has the Community Marriage Covenant been implemented at your place of worship? How do you prepare couples for a healthy marriage? What have been your challenges and your successes? Share your stories with us.

To get involoved email us at info@gcmarriage.org.

A Marriage Mission Statement

"A marriage mission statement creates in peoples' hearts and minds a frame of reference, a set of criteria or guidelines, by which a couple can govern themselves." Stephen R. Covey

Creating a mission statement is a proactive approach to protecting and enriching your marriage. A shared sense of purpose helps build a foundation in marriage and creates a bond that keeps marriage strong. You and your spouse can begin by identifying what is truly important in your lives.

Creating a mission statement is a process.

1. First individually write down five things you care about most in your life.
2. Next take turns sharing your values with your partner.
3. You can then work together to develop 5 marriage values. While you are doing this think about how you want to live, love, learn, and leave a legacy together.
4. Finally, write what you want your marriage to stand for.

Here are a few examples of marriage mission statements to get you and your spouse inspired:

To love each other, to help each other, to believe in each other , to wisely use our time, talents, and resources to bless others, to worship together forever.	Our marriage is great - as equal partners, we want to love, have fun, teach and learn. We are a great team.	It is our belief that the other is never wrong. Rather than blame or accuse, we simply ask the other: "Will you help me understand?" with love and understanding, we will grow our lives together.

 

The blueprint for creating a successful marriage is laid out in a 10-week program for engaged and married couples. To learn more, attend or sponsor an 8 Habits of a Successful Marriage program, contact Rebecca Starnes by email or at 336-333-6890 ext. 227.

• The rate of divorces granted in North Carolina has declined 14% since 1998.
• The rate of divorces granted in Guilford County has declined 25% since 1998.
• The marriage rate in North Carolina has declined 14% since 1998.
• The marriage rate in Guilford County has declined 18% since 1998.

While divorce rates have been on a decline over the last 8 to 10 years, a faster pace of decline has occurred in Guilford County during this same period. 95 faith groups in Guilford County have signed the Community Marriage Covenant to proactively prepare couples for marriage and support them after the wedding.

Has your church or synagogue signed the Community Marriage Covenant? Is there a new contact person at your faith organization who is responsible for marriage support?

Click here to learn more about the Community Marriage Covenant.

Source: North Carolina State vital statistics website.  http://www.schs.state.nc.us/SCHS/data/vitalstats.cfm

How Well Do You Know Your Spouse?

While attending a marriage seminar on communication, David and his wife listened to the instructor declare, "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other."
He addressed the man, "Can you describe your wife's favorite flower?"
David leaned over, touched his wife's arm gently and whispered, "Pillsbury All-Purpose, isn't it?"

Could you answer that question? Try some of these conversation starters. You may be surprised how much you learn about each other!

• What is your least favorite season and why?
• What are your favorite three hobbies?
• If you could never again have to do one chore, what would it be?
• Who do you most admire and why?
• What goal do you want to achieve before (next birthday, 50th wedding anniversary, retirement)?

Using books like Love Talk Starters by Les and Leslie Parrott can be a fun way to get a new conversation going.

The Guilford County Marriage Resource Center hosted the 2006 African American
Healthy Marriage Summit (AAHMS) at Mount Zion Baptist Church of Greensboro on Friday and Saturday, April 7 and 8, 2006.  The Summit was attended by 224 community members, clergy, couples and volunteers. One husband made the following comment:

"It was great. More than I could have imagined.  The information was real – the presenters shared openly and willingly answered questions that came up in the sessions.   From beginning to end, the summit was one of the best marriage events I’ve attended." 

Want to learn more? Read the full article from our news headlines by clicking here.