Marriage Week Survey results released
If your church offers marriage preparation, it is one of more than 70% of Northern Irish churches investing in future marriages. But as only 30% go on to offer courses and events enriching existing marriages, is there more to be done?
These figures, along with others such as the worrying number of married church leaders and congregation members struggling with pornography and infidelity, have been released as a result of the largest survey of its kind in the UK carried out by Marriage Week NI.
Download the survey here.
On 7th, 8th and 9th of Feb the Marriage Week NI team will be hosting
events
in Armagh, Portstewart and Belfast to discuss how churches are supporting marriages and how we should be responding to the needs so clearly raised by the survey.
The evenings are being aimed at church leaders, those involved in any form of pastoral care (family work, mums and tots, men's and women’s work, youth and young adult work etc...) and all interested congregation members. We are keen to hear your reaction to the results and for you to explore how you and churches in your area can support marriages in practical ways. There will also be an opportunity for you to see what resources (from a range of different organisations) are available to support you in this ministry.
After these events we will be taking the research results and the outcomes of your discussions to the denominations and theological colleges to discover how they can also encourage and equip churches to engage with this crucial work.