Saturday, April 30, 2011

Many of the larger and smaller churches are already planning for the next year’s sermons and church activities. Accordingly, whether you are clergy or lay people involved in your church, we are requesting whenever you start planning for next year that

• If you are clergy, you will give a sermon on marriage on February 12th, the Sunday before Valentine's Day. We also ask you to list your marriage courses on www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org
• If you are a lay person, would you ask your clergy to do the above

Regarding the Royal Wedding, we have linked to:

• a recent op-ed by BJ Weber and Sheila Weber on marriage;
• as well as the sermon by the Bishop of London from the Royal Wedding.

What a brilliant opening:

"Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." So said St Catherine of Siena whose festival day it is today. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves. Many are full of fear for the future of the prospects of our world but the message of the celebrations in this country and far beyond its shores is the right one – this is a joyful day! It is good that people in every continent are able to share in these celebrations because this is, as every wedding day should be, a day of hope. In a sense every wedding is a royal wedding with the bride and the groom as king and queen of creation, making a new life together so that life can flow through them into the future."

The Arch Bishop’s message was a wonderful confirmation of the sanctity and purpose of marriage.

Please take a few minutes to read his sermon and the article by Sheila and BJ Weber. CLICK HERE FOR THE DOCUMENT

All the best,

Chuck Stetson
CEO
Let's Strengthen Marriage
National Marriage Week USA