FAMILY LIFE MINISTRY
PURPOSE AND FOCUS
The Family Life Ministry (FLM) is an integral ministry in Glory House and committed to the outworking of the vision of “Great Light, Great Life and Great Love” by impacting relationships resulting in healthy and thriving families. Our aim is to reach out to all that constitute the family, including singles, engaged couples planning to get married, married couples and parents.
Married couples as a symbol of family entity and its related issues occupy a special niche in our programs and activities and this is aptly captured by the vision of FLM which is “Equipping couples to build greater relationship through our Lord Jesus Christ”. The FLM is committed to bringing couples into a closer and intimate relationship with God by providing tools to enrich, refresh, rebuild and renew marriages through forums and seminars, premarital counseling sessions and events and activities designed to equip and promote desirable family values.
FAMILY LIFE COUNSELORS
A Family Life Counselor (FLC) is a married couple who live together as husband and wife. The counselors are the principal stewards that enable the ministry to conduct its planned activities and programs for the benefit of the whole church. Although counselor’s years of experience in marriage have a bearing on their effectiveness as marriage counselors, they have also been exposed to training to equip them with the skills required to effectively counsel couples using bible based principles.
It is a requirement at Glory House that before a couple is married in church they have to undergo a six sessions of one-to-one premarital counseling session with a designated Family Life Counselor.
BID TRAINING
The “Before I Do” (BID) training program is a short and specific training program that targets church members in a relationship that addresses core generic issues of marital relationship so as to equip trainees with the right information and at the right time to enable them make informed decision when the moment calls for it. The BID training has eight core topics that are covered in twos for four sessions. The topics covered in each session are as follows:
Session 1:
– Biblical foundations of marriage
– Vision, values and expectations
Session 2:
– Gender differences
– Role of husbands and wives in marriage
Session 3:
– Communication and conflict resolution in marriage
– Financial wholeness in relationship
Session 4:
– Sex and intimacy in marriage, co-habiting, pre-marital sex and family planning
– Procedure for getting married in Glory House
All BID classes are interactive and tutors who will either be Pastors, Ministers or Family Life Counselors, create conducive learning environment for participants to share practical ideas and exchange experiences that can benefit and enrich other members in the group.
It is now a requirement that intending couples who wish to be married at Glory House will be expected to first complete all the four BID training sessions in addition to the pre-marital counseling sessions. The ministry recognizes that it is the duty and responsibility of those in marriage either individually or collectively to make their marriage a model of a happy Christ-centered marital relationship to their community, friends and children.
PROCEDURES FOR GETTING MARRIED AT GLORY HOUSE
Glory House has been given full British Statutory Marrying License Status. Subsequently, all registry functions will be held simultaneously with the wedding service at the church premises located at: 2 Tabernacle Avenue, Plaistow E13 8EG. It is essential that the couple put up notices at the Registry in their respective boroughs at least six (6) weeks before the scheduled wedding date. (The Authority certificate must be received in the Church before the wedding can be conducted). Some couples may choose to get married at the registry office and afterwards have a Marriage Blessing in church. It is important to note that the church will not conduct a marriage blessing without first having evidence of a registry office wedding. View our Marriage Guide.
Marriage blessing:
Marriage blessing is conducted where the couple has already had a legally recognized marriage with certificates issued either in the UK or abroad.
Wedding Solemnization:
This is usually done for a newly contracted marriage.
Counseling:
The Family Life Ministry provide a one-to-one marriage counseling sessions with a trained Family Life Counselor who are usually a married couple of good standing in church.
How to make known your plans for marriage:
Letter of intention to be wedded should be accompanied with a Home church family card signed by your Home church leader/department leader. The Home Church Family Card is available to pick up at the help desk. Your letter of intention is either hand delivered to Pastor in-charge of marriages or emailed to familylife@gloryhouse.org.uk.
PREMARITAL COUNSELLING
Premarital Counseling is part of marriage preparation programs which helps to prepare engaged couples for a life-long commitment to each other and to build a marriage based on biblical principles, work through any issues resolve differences and determine if they are ready for marriage.
AFTER THE MOON (ATM)
This is a group of young couples passionate about championing successful marriages under the auspices of GH Family Life Ministry to act as a support unit to young marriages (Day 1- 6 years) of like marital stages. Getting the basis and foundations of marriage right is our focus after returning from the ‘moon’; once the euphoria of planning and sorting out the actual wedding day is out of the way it’s time to face the reality of married life with its ups and down. This is where marriage really commences and at ATM we support each other through the challenges while keeping the fun alive.
Members of this group are periodically assigned to family life counsellors for mentoring, teaching and fellowship.
SEMINARS AND WORSHOPS
The ministry organizes on a need basis seminars and workshops to address relevant topics relating to relationships and family life.
FAMILY TEACHING WEEKEND
This is a church-wide teaching weekend where the focus of teaching and activities is the family unit. All activities are organized around a theme and usually run for three consecutive days starting from Friday to Sunday.
MARRIED COUPLES RETREAT
Family Life Ministry organizes a married couples retreat usually in forth quarter of the year where couples unaccompanied by children go for a fun filled retreat in some exotic locations away from home where they participate in fun filled activities, get to know other couples, sumptuous feeding, word fellowship and the expected wife/husband amorous intimacy. The aim of this couples retreats is to help couples rediscover themselves in a relaxed atmosphere away from the usual home chores, rekindle relationships, bond together, and offer an atmosphere of intimate passion and communication.
FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT & FELLOWSHIP
The movie industry has proved to be a great influence in the lives of many souls therefore the ministry organizes movie night events in the church as one of the ways of impacting people to live for the glory of God.
COMFY ZONE FLC PRESENCE
Family Life Counselors presence at the monthly comfy zone forum organized by ‘Hands of Love Ministry’ is for any member of the congregation in need of counseling.
The Family Life Ministry have put together a schedule of events for 2015 to help make time for one another, learn God’s design for marriage, parent children relationships, learn practical skills for building a Godly family relationships and marriage on purpose to establishing and sustaining a healthy family relationships & marriage.
For more information, kindly contact us via
familylife@gloryhouse.org.uk or bid@gloryhouse.org.uk
