My story and marriage retreats

As we are moving towards the Art of Marriage LIVE, I am encouraged to hear of the many couples and singles that are  purchasing tickets and excited about attending.  I am encouraged by churches reserving blocks of tickets and making an effort to attend as a group!  I can remember the first marriage event that Sherry and I went to.  She was excited about going and had found this conference down in GA that was being put on over the weekend.  I tried to find a way to get out of attending as honestly it just didn't seem like the "manly" thing to do and 'our marriage' certainly didn't need 'help.'   I guess I pictured us all in a circle "sharing" or something uncomfortable like that, but it ended up being so much different.  We learned so many things from the speakers that weekend.  Things I had never heard in church.  Practical things that just made sense and made a huge impact in our marriage. That weekend has been a defining moment in our marriage, and every year since we have made sure to disconnect and take time to attend a retreat or marriage event like the one Family Life is leading here in September.  http://www.greatmountainmusic.com/eventdetail.asp?t=i&m=9&d=27&y=2014&evt=1
Thankful to have this great opportunity right here in Macon County. 
God bless
Jason

Art Of Marriage LIVE

We are a month out from the Art Of Marriage LIVE @ the SMCFTPA​ 

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God is bringing together so many Pastors and churches and we are so excited about how the Lord is moving. There are a few questions that are popping up a bunch and wanted to send out a couple of answers to them below. 

​1. Who Should Attend the Art Of Marriage 
The Art of Marriage is not only for the newly married, young marrieds, those who are hurting and discouraged in their marriages, but also for those who want to improve their marriage and make it the best it can be.  This is a great place for couples who want to invest in the marriages of others.

 ​See the note below ​about an untapped resource in our churches. 

​2. ​ Can we still reserve a block of tickets? 

Yes! We encourage churches to reserve blocks.  This is completely risk free and reserved Tickets can be released​a couple of weeks before the event with no financial obligation. Links for promo video resourses are below along with the registration link. ​We also will be happy to provide your church with posters, handouts, and etc as needed. 

• Promotional Video- Youtube version to be used in electronic communication
• Promotional Video - Link to higher quality video to download for churches or other organizations
• Registration Link  -  Connects to SMCPA site for the event.  {Minor changes will be made to the site in the next day or so.  We are adding the event end time (4:00 PM), indicating the ticket price includes lunch and participant manuals, and that discount tickets ($20 each) may be reserved in blocks of 10 or more.
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Unleash one untapped asset in your congregation to  help marriages.

If you will encourage your people to come to the SMCPA Art of Marriage Live event this September  27^th you will expose them to a clear call to invest in other marriages.  The Kemps’ will challenge everyone but especially mature couples,  who have been through deep waters and whom Jesus meet in their crisis, to invest in other couples who are struggling.  These couples are living expressions of hope for marriages in trouble.

On the second weekend in November when the Macon county family and marriage agreement is signed there will be training for the couples whom their pastors have approved to coach other married couples.

Imagine in the fall of this year that you could have 3 or 5 or maybe 10 couples who would be safe people who would reduce the demand on your time and whose life story would bring hope to those who might want to throw in the towel on their marriage.  It is possible that these coach couples would be friends with those who need help and the distressed couple might turn to them for help before you would know that there is a problem.

At the Art of Marriage weekend  we will let you know about resources that you can use in your congregation to further minister to marriages and families as well as point you to resources in the larger community of Macon County where couples  can get immediate help.

So be sure to encourage your mature healthy marriages to go so that they can invest in the marriages of others, others they know from work, in their relational web, as well as in our churches.