LOCAL COLUMNIST JIM BISHOP to speak at FLRC's Spring Banquet
LOCAL COLUMNIST JIM BISHOP will speak at FLRC's Spring Banquet set for 6:30 pm Saturday, May 16. Bishop and wife Anna will offer a variety of semi-humorous marital reflections on "The First Fifty Years are the Hardest." Worship leaders John and Shelli Mandeville will share an original song, "Fifty Years From Now", and Cantore, a men's a cappella group, will sing several additional love songs. This year’s fundraiser is for everyone, but will especially honor couples married fifty years or more. Planners of the event hope to have at least one golden anniversary couple per table, each of whom will receive a gift of an autographed copy of "Lasting Marriage, the Owners' Manual." For the convenience of Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community attendees, the banquet will be held at VMRC's Park Gables, Hartman Dining Room. There is no charge for the meal, but an offering will be taken to support this year's FLRC focus on strengthening marriages in our community. Space is limited, so register early.
FIREPROOF
FIREPROOF, the nationally acclaimed movie for couples centered around the "Love Dare" book, will be shown at the Grace Covenant Church, 3337 Emmaus Road, at 6:30 pm Saturday, March 28. In a brief intermission attendees will learn about FLRC's 2009 marriage initiatives and share in a freewill offering.
COMMUNITY MARRIAGE POLICY
TO RENEW THE COMMUNITY MARRIAGE POLICY that 41 area congregations signed ten years ago a free breakfast providing information to clergy and congregational represent-atives will be held at the Grace Covenant Church from 8-10 am Saturday, May 2. Though not a rigid or legal-istic policy, the CMP supports the following commitments:
• To encourage courtships of at least a year before marriage.
• To guide engaged couples through premarital preparation.
• To promote premarital chastity and marital fidelity.
• To work at ways of strengthening existing marriages.
• To prepare married couples to serve as mentors to engaged
couples, newlyweds, and to couples in marital distress.