"Informational Session"...schedule periodically!

Outline for church leaders .................by Rob Ruhnke

Things to have ready: Name Tags. Have coffee, soft drinks, and light snacks available. As couples arrive and sign in, they get a packet of materials that includes:

For Better and For Ever (2 copies).....1 book for each person...one for him and one for her.
Family Planning: Exploring the Options by Charles & Beth Balsam (Liguori Publications). This book is a resource designed for Catholics...see link at Natural Family Planning for additional links that would be helpful for Protestant and secular NFP resources.
Parish policies, e.g., signing up church, selecting clergyperson, planning liturgy, etc.
"Marriage Questionnaire": Basic data for Prenuptial questionnaire (name, address, etc).
Outline for "Introductory Session."
Form for Question Box. (to encourage questions they may be hesitant to ask) This is optional, of course, but can be very helpful for shy folks!

While folks are waiting for the meeting to begin, direct couples to fill out "Marriage Questionnaire" (a simple form for getting basic basic information ~ name, addresses, etc ~ about the couple and prospective wedding date, if they have a wedding planned) and show them where to put the completed questionnaire. Explain how to write any questions on the "Form for Question Box" and put it in the Question Box.

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Part One: What kind of questions have your brought to this evening? (Note: Leader accepts and deals with questions from the group and also those in the Question Box. The goal is to establish a positive and open dialogue between the parish leader and the couples considering marriage. The person who leads this part MUST be skilled in dealing with questions in a manner that encourages adults to ask questions.)

Part Two: The leader goes on to cover the following content (unless it was already dealt with in Part One). This content should be presented as a conversation/dialogue with the group (NOT a lecture "at" them).

Freedom to marry issues/questions/processes. (Note. This is critical information!)
Aim at encouraging them to take fuller responsibility for their marriage. E.g., if the current divorce rate is 50%, what can make a difference?
What role does religion play in marriage? What kind of conversations have you had about passing on your values to your children?
What kind of conversations have you had about "family planning?" What do you know about the various methods of family planning? How would you learn more?

Part Three: "Walk" through the content of the packet

Introduce For Better and For Ever as a resource for private/couple study and dialogue. Make sure to go over how the book is to be used (Study, write, share). Ideal is to go through the whole book BEFORE you decide you are ready to set a wedding date.
Also refer to Hendrix's Keeping the Love you Find, a Personal Guide.
Point out the various church policies about marriage preparation, liturgy planning and other policies.
Ask if anyone has more questions......

Part Four: Wrap up with a prayer. Make a point of saying, "I will be available for those who have additional questions you may prefer to ask privately."