Marriage Encounter is for all married couples who want to improve their marriages through better communication. It is open to all, regardless of age or faith. Newly married couples and couples married over fifty years have all found the Marriage Encounter to be beneficial. Couples of all faith commitments are welcome to explore and strengthen the meaning of their married lives in their own religious frame of faith. Through the Marriage Encounter Weekend process couples are given time to reflect on their attitudes toward each other and their families ... their joys and their frustrations ... their disappointments and hurts ... their hopes and their dreams. The techniques shared on a Marriage Encounter Weekend are non-threatening. The weekend experience is unique for each couple, and the communication experienced between each individual couple is personal and private.

While many denominations or affiliates across the United States, Canada, and indeed the world hold weekends with local nuances, the overall encounter process is identical. A Marriage Encounter usually takes place over the course of a weekend and in most cases is held in a hotel or retreat center. The site provides a comfortable setting for husbands and wives to pause and refocus attention on themselves, one another, and their marriages. Specific Lutheran Marriage Weekend dates and locations may be found here or at www.GodLovesMarriage.org

 

A team consisting of three married couples and a clergy couple lead the weekend process. The members of the team are not teachers, therapists, or professional counselors, but are people who previously experienced the weekend process themselves. The team couples give a specific series of presentations. These presentations are not meant to be lectures or teachings but rather informational sharings centered around personal experiences. Time for personal reflection and couple communication or dialog follows each presentation. The weekend process centers around open and honest communication, which occurs privately between spouses in their own room. Listening is as important as talking. This is a "working" weekend designed help couples improve communication.

"All weekends require a $45.00 non-refundable registration fee. (Although non-refundable, this fee is transferable to a weekend other than that for which you originally register should the need arise).

The hotel or other facility costs, meals, and supplies costs for your weekend have been generously donated by couples attending previous Weekends.  On your Weekend, you will have the opportunity to pay forward the gift of the Marriage Encounter Weekend to couples attending a future Weekend through your confidential contribution to help cover their hotel/facility, meals, and supplies costs.  While we rely on the generosity of couples attending weekends to provide future weekends, no couple has ever been turned away from a Lutheran Marriage Encounter Weekend because of lack of funds."

Dress for the Weekend is casual and comfortable--jeans, 'sweats' and slippers are fine.  In addition to comfortable clothing and your personal toiletry items, you may wish to bring a snack (to keep in your room or to share depending upon the weekend).  Specific information for your Weekend will be provided to registered couples prior to the weekend).

After registering for a weekend, you will be contacted with specific facility information and the starting time of presentations. Generally, the weekends start at 7:30 pm on Friday and run through late afternoon on Sunday.

There are no group discussions and couples are not required to disclose any aspect of their marriage to others.  There is an opportunity on Saturday evening and a brief time offered on Sunday to share personal reflections with the group if you wish, but any sharing during these times is strictly voluntary.

All on-line registrations of Lutheran Marriage Weekends are now centralized on one website. www.GodLovesMarriage.org
By linking here, you will exit this site and go to the registration area. As you make this decision, may God bless your marriage and may your marriage be so much stronger because of your decision to spend time working together to make it better and stronger.