There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed…
There is nothing hidden that will not be made known..
What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight
And what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms
Will be proclaimed from the roof-tops..
Luke 12

Many thanks to so many of you who prayed for the Diocesan Marriage conference this year. Before the conference started we asked that for the first time in some years it would be filled. That prayer was answered as it was full with a waiting list!  Thank you also for your prayers during  the conference. It was a beautiful experience as over 40 couples from all over the diocese (including 11 from St. Michael’s) spent 3 days focusing exclusively on their marriage. As one marital specialist has said:

“While our marriages were made in heaven, it’s up to us to do the maintenance!”

Imagine if all married couples made a commitment to spend 3 days a year to work only on their marriage. Imagine what would happen to the divorce rate!  Well, it was also a blessing to team teach with my wife as up to now, we really haven’t done much of that. In the months leading up to the conference we chose Luke 12 as our theme. A beautiful and challenging passage that makes it clear for the Christian we cannot live 2 lives. That our life behind closed doors should be the same as life in front of those closed doors. We scheduled the weekend around 4 talks:

Friday Night:
Our Lives Behind Closed Doors

Saturday Morning:
Words and Behavior Behind Closed Doors

Saturday Night:
Sex Behind Closed Doors

Sunday Morning:
Prayer and Resolve Behind Closed Doors

We ended with the MC Challenge (Marriage Course Challenge). You will need to talk to someone who went to find out what this was….and we also challenged each couple to become a Missionary for the Sacrament of Marriage in an age where fewer people are getting married and instead making the mistake of living together.

Only our Lord Himself knows how this conference will affect the lives of the couples going forward (though we hope to print some testimonies of the weekend in upcoming Messengers).

However, it is my dream that St. Michael’s would continue to be a church where marriages are not only prayed for each and every Sunday, but that we would see our Marriage Course filled to capacity during each fall and winter session. Do you know that twice a year St. Michael’s offers a wonderful course for all married couples for the purpose of strengthening their relationship at all levels?  The Marriage Course (commonly referred to as ‘8’ Great Dates) begins this fall and is a great way to re-tool, refresh and renew your marriage.  God cares about our marriages behind closed doors and has given us the sacrament of Marriage to be a source of joy and inspiration in our lives. Please consider taking the Marriage course this fall, as well as booking your spot at the Diocesan Marriage Conference next summer.