Marriage Ministries
Willowdale’s Marriage Ministry offers a variety of marriage enrichment and focus groups that may readily fit into this season of your life. Whether you are seriously dating, engaged, newly married, or looking to enrich your marriage, we have a place for you to begin the process of gaining and regaining momentum.
Perhaps you are looking to find family support and growth within the context of both your marriage and family unit. Circumstances may have led you into a blended family situation, or maybe you find yourselves navigating life as a special needs family. Take hope! We have formed amazing focus groups for you as husband and wife. If yours is a young family with small children and you are hoping to find a network of support and a healthy, family-friendly community, we offer that, too!
If you are interested in participating in one of the Marriage Ministry opportunities listed below or if you have questions, please contact Brett Foester at bfoester@willowdalechapel.org.
MERGE GROUP
Seriously Dating and Engaged Couples
Merge is a premarital discipleship ministry designed for engaged and seriously dating couples. It provides opportunities to seek wisdom and receive counsel about marriage in a safe, fun, and authentic environment. Merge addresses common questions and challenges from a biblical perspective.
Merge meets one night a week for 13-weeks. We use the book Ready or Knot by Scott Kedersha for guided conversations. It’s a great resource that offers us twelve conversations that every couple needs to have before marriage or just starting out. The in-person group experience involves group gatherings, discussions with your mentor couple, with weekly homework that lends itself to working on your togetherness. There will be some time to also enjoy food and other activities. But perhaps the most exciting aspect is you get to find friendship and community with other like-minded couples the can lead to life-long friendship.
We also offer 1:1 mentoring and seriously dating/premarital counseling using the relationship assessment tool SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts).
FOUNDATION GROUPS
NEWLY YOUNG MARRIED (5 YRS OR LESS)
The first few years of marriage are often incredibly difficult, and without community and support, even more so. Couples need an intentional environment focused on laying a foundation on which to build their marriage. Foundation groups provide just that. As couples establish this solid foundation, they meet weekly as a group to discuss topics related to marriage, their relationship with the Lord and relationships with each other.
RE|ENGAGE
MARRIED COUPLES LOOKING FOR ENRICHMENT & POSITIVE MARRIAGE MOMENTUM
Re|engage is a 10-week relationship enrichment program for every marriage – the healthy, the struggling, and the broken. Every marriage will benefit, whether you are struggling to get along, the marriage seems broken, or you simply want to grow closer together relationally. We ask that regardless of the circumstances you will be committed to the process.
For previously married couples who are separated or divorced, but might consider reconciling, you are welcome and encouraged to attend re|engage. Re|engage is not intended for seriously dating, engaged, or co-habitating, unmarried couples.
Re|engage is different from many other marriage programs. Unlike traditional counseling or mentoring where couples meet with an individual or one other couple, we believe life (and marriage) transformation best occurs in the context of relationship and thus we offer a group setting. Additionally, the goal of re|engage is not primarily to save couples from divorce, or even to make healthier marriages. The goal of re|engage is to fashion couples into better disciples of Jesus or to fully come to know Jesus in a more intimate relationship. We believe as our hearts are better aligned with God’s plan and desire for our lives, all relationships (including our marriages) will improve.
RE|ENGAGE AT WILLOWDALE
Are you ready to invest in your marriage? To reconnect, reignite, or resurrect your relationship? We would love for you to join us! Willowdale offers re|engage on a semester basis.
Offerings: 2023 Fall Semester (Sept 18 to Dec 4) and 2024 Winter Semester (Jan 15 to Mar 18)
Date: Weekly on Mondays
Time: 7:00 to 8:45 p.m.
Location: Willowdale Chapel (Kennett Campus)
Cost: $60 per couple
Please CLICK HERE to register for the upcoming 2023 Fall Semester.
EMERGING FAMILIES
YOUNG FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN (AGES 0-10)
This community group experience is a place where young families, who are growing and developing, can gain traction as they face the challenges of raising young children. Too often they feel isolated and out of touch because they lack a community of support. Emerging Families creates opportunities for these families to come together and develop friendships and community in biblical and relational ways.
