Andrew Conard
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection

Pre-Marital Class - Final Session

A pastor is invited into the final session of a 7 week Premarital and Newlywed Preparation Classes that is required for all couples preparing to be married at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. This document is used as a guide to interact with the group of couple in this final class.

Questions

• How many of you have a marriage date on the church calendar with Judy Burgess?
• How many of you have a pastor assigned?
• How many of you have met with your pastor already?
• What is your church background?

Marriage is a covenant.

• God's covenant with God's people
• Our Covenant with each other
• Source of love is from God
• Not a contract, not if then...
• Declaration of Intention - to the pastor
• Vows - to each other
• Promise before God
  

Marriage is a calling.

• God has called you into relationship with each other.
• It is a decision, but it is more than a decision.

Marriage is eternal.

• It is not like test driving a car.
  
• It is not a two year lease of a car.
  
• It is not even like a car that is going to be wonderful that you are going to drive forever.
• This is your traveling partner that will journey together with you forever.
• You will trade in different cars with each other.
  

Role of the Pastor

• Provide spiritual guidance for you as a couple
• Design the order of service
• Create a service that makes sense for the couple
• Ideas for service from the couple - scripture, music, etc.
• Go more in depth from this class - feel free to bring topics up with the pastor to whom you have been assigned.
• Marriage coaching - Post marriage follow up

Personal Experience

• Daily prayer together
• Brings us closer together
• Pray for each other by name
• Reconciliation must happen first
• Love languages

Journey: Knowing, Loving and Serving God

• Spiritual life as a couple - different than spiritual life as an individual, while still retaining the responsibilities of individual growth.
• Think about what your spiritual life look likes today.
• What do you want it to look like one year from today?
• As an individual?
• As a couple?
• What is one charge that you can make today to move in that direction?

Questions

• Can we receive communion?
• Who will walk the bride down the aisle? Dad, step-dad, both?