Conference News & Views

You are invited to attend a one-day workshop, where you learn to administer and interpret the PREPARE/ENRICH Inventories to couples you are counseling. The program was developed by Dr. David H. Olsen, Professor Emeritus of Family Social Sciences at the University of Minnesota. The training will focus on administering and interpreting five couple inventories:

+PREPARE – for premarital couples
+PREPARE-MC – for premarital couples with children
+PREPARE-CC – for cohabiting couples with or without children
+ENRICH – for couples seeking marriage enrichment or counseling
+MATE – for couples over the age of 50 making life transitions

Date: April 15, 2007
Time: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Location:
Blakemore United Methodist Church
Nashville, TN 37205
3601 West End Avenue

Cost: $140. Includes training manual
Trainer: The Reverend Tom Carter

Please call or email for registration form and additional information.
Email: tomcarter@juno.com
Phone: 615.665.3117
For additional information go to web site: http://www.prepare-enrich.com/

Quotes from two recent attendees:
“As a pastor, I have found the Prepare/Enrich program to be a wonderful tool that helps me enable couples to walk through a positive process of pre-marital counseling. Through the Prepare/Enrich program, couples are able to discover their strengths as well as possible growth areas before the wedding day. Moreover, the program allows flexibility so that the pastor or counselor can tailor the counseling session specifically for the couple. For me, it is one of the tools I rely on as part of my ministry.”
Reverend Scott Aleridge

“Several couples I counsel are away at school or live in other places. Since our face to face time is so limited, the online evaluation tool can help me focus the time on the specific areas that couples need to explore. The tools will help me know what questions to ask to maximize our time together. It offers a complete counseling package that will make a difference in the couple’s lives as they grow in love with each other.”
Paul E. Gardner, Blakemore United Methodist Church

PREPARE Program Proven Highly Successful
National Study of PREPARE Program with Premarital Couples in Church/Community Settings
This study evaluated the effectiveness of the PREPARE Program (Version 2000) with 153 premarital couples in three groups: the PREPARE Program Group, the PREPARE No Feedback Group (only took PREPARE Inventory and received no feedback) and the Control Group.

Both of the PREPARE Groups significantly increased their couple satisfaction, while there was no change in the Control Group. Both PREPARE Groups made improvements in several important relationship skills (communication & conflict resolution) and relationship areas (roles, couple closeness & flexibility).

Significant changes were made in the couple types only in the PREPARE Program Group and not the PREPARE No Feedback Group, which demonstrates the value of the six couple exercises and feedback sessions. In the PREPARE Program Group, the number of Vitalized couples (the most satisfied type) increased by 52% from pre to post-test. Over half (55%) of the three other couple types (Harmonious, Traditional, and Conflicted) increased one or more levels. For the highest risk couples, the Conflicted types, 83% moved to a more positive couple type.

Overall, the PREPARE Program had a significant impact on 90% of the couples and only 10% moved to a lower couple type. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the PREPARE Program is a very useful prevention program for increasing marital satisfaction and reducing divorce.If you would like to examine the Research Report click on the address below:http://www.prepare-enrich.com/files/Research/aacc_study_2003.pdf

This important event is free and open to everyone in the Murfreesboro District (and elsewhere!). Registration is on-site and begins at 1:30 p.m.. Participants will have the opportunity to attend any one of 11 workshops offered beginning at 2:00 p.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m., as well browsing mission specific exhibits and a Cokesbury display. Exhibitors will include McKendree Village, Martin Methodist College, District Disaster Response Team, Stephen Ministers, Lay Speaking Ministries, and Native American Ministries.

Workshops include:

.VBS Training for Beach Party 2008 with VBS Editor in Chief, Linda Tozer. Learn about an exciting beach outing where kids will learn the basics of surfing, ride the wave of God's love, and go home with a new "Beach Be-Attitude." Cokesbury will offer a 20% discount on all VBS purchases made at Shepherd School.
.Basics of Effective Small Group Ministry with an emphasis on Wesleyan Covenant Discipleship Groups and Specialized Support Groups, Revs. Jackie Clevenger and Gayle Turner Watson, facilitators.
.Staff Parish Relations Committee (SPRC/PPRC) Training Session with Murfreesboro District Superintendent, Rev. Cathie Leimenstoll.
.Lay Guide to General Conference 2008 with Dr. Lynn Hill and Mr. C. Donn Ladd.
.Incorporation— Why and How? Led by Mrs. Vivian Martin, Esq.
·Ministries with Older Adults featuring a video introduction to Bishop Rueben Job’s adult education series, Living Fully, Dying Well. Dr. Jim Clardy, session facilitator.
·Ministering to Infants and Their Families, Rev. Martha Touchton will share ways we can involve our tiniest parishioners and their families in the life of the local church.
.Living as a Christian in a Consumer World, Jay Archer will lead an exploration of how United Methodists can live lives that exhibit Wesleyan “Scriptural holiness” in a consumer oriented world.
·Websites, Blogs, Podcasts...What Are They and Where Do We Start? Led by Rev. Jay Voorhees, Pastor at Antioch UMC. Check out Jay’s website at http://www.antiocumc.net/ to get an idea of how he implements technology for the benefit of the local church.
·Martin Methodist College Local Church Representative Training Session with Rev. Mary Noble Parish
·Hispanic Ministry Opportunities For Your Congregation led by Rev. Enrique Hernandez