A Model Marrieds’ Ministry | Our Ideation

As we celebrate 11 Years of Alex & Christine Wesigye, I would like to share some reflections, drawing from 9 years experience in family ministry, we would like to share our thoughts on what a model Marrieds’ Ministry would look like to us. 

The Arms of the Marrieds' Ministry:

1️⃣ Marriage Preparation Course for couples intending to get married.

2️⃣ Marital Mentorship for newlyweds & couples in distress

3️⃣ Marrieds’ Fellowships for marrieds' couples

The Marriage Preparation course is aimed at preparing intending Couples for their Marriage Journey.

Having gone through the Marriage Preparation sessions, the intending couples should be attached to Mentoring Couples to walk alongside them as they transition from pre-marrieds, marriage preparation into marriage.

The Marrieds’ fellowship is a forum for all married couples in the church.

The 3 arms above under the Marrieds’ Ministry calls for 3 categorical laborers, i.e Marriage Preparation Course Facilitators, Couple Marriage Mentors and Marrieds’ Fellowship Leaders.

And thus, for operational efficiency, you need to form a ministry structure with committee.

The Marrieds’ Ministry Structure

You need to designate laborers/Coordinators for each of the 3 arms i.e say

1️⃣ Coordinator – Marriage Preparation

2️⃣ Coordinator – Marriage Mentorship

3️⃣ Coordinator – Marrieds’ Fellowship

The above coordinators must be married as per the church Marriage Policy.

The 3 Leaders above may not report directly to the Senior Pastor, You may designate a Pastor responsible for Family Affairs in your Church/Ministry to whom they may report or designate someone say a General coordinator responsible for the entire Marrieds’ Ministry i.e General Coordinator-Marrieds’ Ministry and thus this coordinator (a couple) reports to the Family Pastor.

In summary:

✅Marrieds’ Ministry among other family-related ministries falls under the Pastor in Charge of Family.

✅The Family Pastor is supported by the General Coordinator- Marrieds’ Ministry (a couple).

✅The General Coordinator-Marrieds’ Ministry is supported by 3 coordinators responsible for Marriage Preparation, Marriage Mentorship and Marrieds’ Fellowship respectively.

The 3 coordinators are supported by other laborers, viz

✅Coordinator – Marriage Preparation is supported by Marriage Preparation or Premarital Counseling Course Facilitators

✅Coordinator – Marriage Mentorship is supported by marriage Mentor Couples

✅Coordinator – Marrieds’ Fellowship is supported by Marrieds’ Fellowship Leaders

These leaders consequentially constitute the Marrieds’ Committee.

The Marrieds’ Ministry Committee

The Core Marrieds’ Ministry Committee:

1️⃣ The Family Pastor

2️⃣ The General Coordinator - Marrieds’ Ministry

3️⃣ Coordinator - Marriage Preparation

4️⃣ Coordinator - Marriage Mentorship

5️⃣ Coordinator  - Marrieds’ Fellowship

The general Marrieds’ Committee:

1️⃣ The Core Committee Above

2️⃣ Premarital Counseling Facilitators

3️⃣ Couple Marriage Mentors

4️⃣ Marrieds’ Fellowship Leaders

The Marrieds' Ministry Structure

The Roles of the Marrieds’ Ministry Committee

1️⃣ The Family Pastor

✅Developing Marriage Policies

✅Develop Premarital Counseling Course Curriculum

✅Develop Couple Mentorship handbook

✅Develop a Marrieds’ Ministry Guidelines

✅Responsible for the Marrieds’ fellowships, Premarital Counseling Course, Marriage Mentorships, and Post-Marital Counseling for couples in distress

✅Encourages cohabiting couples to sanctify their marriage, e.g an Annual Mass Wedding Initiative.

✅Identifies and appoints a General Coordinator- Marrieds’ Ministry.

✅Calls for and chairs Marrieds’ Committee meetings

2️⃣ General Coordinator- Marrieds’ Ministry

✅Supports the Pastor responsible for Family Affairs overseeing Marrieds’ fellowships, Premarital Counseling Course and Marriage Mentorships

✅Identifies and appoints the 3 coordinators i.e for Marrieds’ fellowship, Premarital counseling Course and Mentorship. (with Family Pastor’s Approval)

✅Organize and coordinate Marriage Enrichment Events

✅As assigned by the Family Pastor

3️⃣ Coordinator-Marrieds’ Fellowships

✅Supports the Gen Coordinator Marrieds’ Ministry in overseeing Marrieds’ Fellowships

✅ Develop a reporting template for marrieds’ Fellowships Leaders

✅ Oversees & reports on marrieds’ fellowships activities

✅Identify and appoint Marrieds’ Fellowship Leaders

✅ Attaches newlyweds to marrieds’ fellowships in their proximity

✅Develop a Database of all Marrieds’ fellowships i.e leaders, schedules, frequency of meeting, Mailing List et.c

✅Disseminate Marrieds’ fellowship Topics to all marrieds’ fellowship Leaders

✅Prompt, Oversee the Opening, Closure of marrieds’ Fellowships

✅Ensure Marrieds’ Fellowships Leader Submit their Reports

4️⃣ Coordinator- Marriage Preparation

✅Supports the Gen Coordinator Marrieds’ Ministry in overseeing the Premarital Counseling Course

✅Develops Premarital Counseling Course Schedule

✅Identifies Facilitators and hosts for each session

✅Engages the Coordinator-Marriage Mentorship to assign mentors to the intending Couples

✅Engages the Coordinator-Marrieds’ Fellowship to attach the intending Couples to marrieds’ fellowships.

✅Develops a Reporting Template to be used by the facilitators

✅Avails Premarital Counseling Course Curriculum to the facilitators

5️⃣ Coordinator-Marriage Mentorship

✅Supports the Gen Coordinator Marrieds’ Ministry in overseeing Marriage Mentor Couples

✅ Identify, groom and enroll marriage mentor couples

✅Engages the Coordinator-Premarital Counseling to assign mentors to the intending Couples

✅Develops a Reporting Template for Marriage Mentor Couples

✅ Develops Annual work plans for the Marriage Mentorships activities

✅Organizes for Equipping Sessions for the mentor Couples

✅ Avails Mentorship materials/ guides to the Mentor Couples

✅ Engage mentors to establish mentorship progress of the couples

6️⃣ Marrieds’ Fellowship Leaders

✅ Coordinates, facilitates the Marrieds’ Fellowship

✅Oversees Fellowship activities

✅Identifies fellowship hosts

7️⃣ Premarital Counseling Course Facilitators

✅ Develops & manages a Database of Pre-marrieds

✅Host the Premarital counseling session. The Host ensures effective coordination/running of the Session such as Attendance lists, Refreshments, Seating arrangement, Power point presentations

✅Facilitates the premarital counseling session

8️⃣ Marriage Mentor Couples

✅Walks with the intending Couple in their marriage journey

✅Continues to walk with the Couple(s) even after their wedding as per mutually agreed schedule

✅Encourages the couple(s) to join the marrieds’ fellowships

Conclusion

A strong marrieds' ministry is essential for family strengthening & consequential national building. This model if operationalized can lead to healthy marriages, thus healthy families, then a healthy Nation.

#Alex&ChristineWesigye@11

#11thMarriageAnniversary

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