Blog

Announcement

Two New Videos Released Soon

They’ll be ready soon! Two new videos to add to the Core collection.

Heather Hemming and Ross Bartlett host a conversation about Later in Life Marriage & Blended Families.  They speak of their own experience and offer thoughtful and practical guidance.

Linda Yates and Neil McEwen return to host a video on Same Gender Marriage. Neil speaks from the experience of his wedding and marriage and Linda as a mother of a same gendered son. Both have presided at same gender weddings.

The new videos will be available on the Leader and Couple webpage in a short while. Those who have purchased the series (leader or couple) will receive an email notice and links to the videos.

We are grateful for the generosity of The United Church of Canada for funding to produce these videos.

 

Announcement

Be in Our Studio Audience

More Than Friends Studio Audience Needed!

We’re recording two more Marriage Preparation videos on Monday, June 5 at Knox United Church at 1pm., Lr. Sackville.
The two new videos are on Later-in-Life Marriages and Same Gender Marriages.
We need you to be part of our Studio Audience.
You get to listen to the presenters, ask questions, enjoy refreshments, and maybe even take home great door prizes (fair trade coffee, gift cards, chocolate, wine and the complete More Than Friends Leader’s package worth $99).
Only a few Studio Audience tickets are available. Pick up yours at the More Than Friends Display Table at Maritime Conference or contact Janice.  Email Here.
Studio Audience
Resource

Why Do Marriage Preparation?

An Invitation to congregations to consider supporting life-long marriages with this innovative and time-efficient video series.

Why support Marriage Preparation? 

love-you-1312636-1280x960SUPPORTS HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS: If the church is interested in the health and peaceful well-being of couples and families, then it has an ethical obligation to contribute to the creation of a healthy marriage. Healthy marriages are good for us.

STUDIES SHOW: A number of studies indicate that couples who have taken part in marriage preparation classes divorce at a lower rate and stay married longer. There seems to be little consensus on what content is best. Some studies claim a methodology, using a combination of online and in-person classes is most effective.  More Than Friends can support this methodology. Continue reading “Why Do Marriage Preparation?” →

Announcement

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we were asked when the Introductory Video was released. Feel free to ask your question if it isn’t covered here and we’ll add it to the list.

How much is it?
The Leader Purchase is $99 (access to videos to view and download, sample of the worksheets, audio scripts, and Leader letter. It is a one-time purchase for a congregation or Leader. The Couple purchase is $29. If you need a USB drive with the videos, it may be purchased at cost ($11 includes shipping) as an addition to either package. 

Continue reading “Frequently Asked Questions” →

Uncategorized

Why Marriage Preparation?

More Than Friends: A Marriage Preparation and Relationship Deepening Resource
By Rev. Dr. Linda Yates, Project Team Leader

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up the other;
but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help.
Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one.
A threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NRSV)

The good news is that Canadians are still getting married and many remain so, despite the dire predictions of sociologists in the 1990’s. According to Statistics Canada, in 2011, 46.6% of the Canadian population over the age of fifteen were in a marriage and about one in five people in their late fifties were divorced or separated (21.6% of women and 18.9% of men), the highest among the age groups.[i]

Continue reading “Why Marriage Preparation?” →