What Rev. Daniel Jelsma said:
"One of the most challenging aspects of ministry for me is ministry to families. One of the keys I have found to maintaining good healthy families is promoting healthy marriages. That is why I have encouraged couples I counsel in pre-marriage sessions, marriage counseling, and just as a matter of personal encouragement, to attend marriage enrichment events which teach and promote healthy husband/wife relationships. One enrichment opportunity which I consider to be most beneficial is Worldwide Marriage Encounter.
My wife Renee and I have attended other marriage events, but none was as helpful to us as Worldwide Marriage Encounter. Worldwide Marriage Encounter helped us look at ourselves as individuals, as a couple, as a couple in a relationship with God, and as a couple in relationship to the work in which God has called us to live and serve. We left at the conclusion of the weekend with improved communication skills and a greater understanding of the love we have for each other. We had opportunity to examine the priorities we were living by as a couple which affected our relationship for good or bad. We had opportunity to set priorities and goals for our relationship which fit much better with God’s intent concerning the marriage relationship.
What we discovered and learned on our weekend we wanted to share with others. That is why since 1990 Renee and I, and others, have volunteered our time to present weekends for other couples. That is why we encourage couples to attend Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend. That is why we encourage pastors to attend and for pastors to recommend their people attend.
A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is designed for a couple to work at their relationship. There is a presentation on a particular area of the couple relationship. Following the presentation a question is given on which each marriage partner is asked to reflect. The couple then has time to meet in the privacy of their own room to share what each has learned about themselves and their relationship.
I highly recommend Worldwide Marriage Encounter to you and those who are placed under your care as a pastor. I would welcome any questions you may have about the weekend."