We, the undersigned leaders of the faith community of Clackamas County, have the unique opportunity and obligation to help strengthen marriages in our community. With this policy we establish community-wide standards for premarital counseling and marriage enrichment resources, which will benefit all marriages and families. Our common mission is to significantly decrease the level of divorce in traditional marriages.
WE BELIEVE:
- That God has established in Scripture the sanctity and companionship of marriage;
- That a marriage created by God is a lifelong and unique covenant between one man and one woman;
- That we have a responsibility to provide the best available premarital preparation to every engaged couple;
- That we have a responsibility to provide ongoing support to strengthen and nourish existing marriages;
- That we can better accomplish these goals together in community better than working separately.
THEREFORE WE WILL:
- Promote sexual purity and abstinence outside of marriage.
- Teach faithfulness within marriage.
- Encourage a courtship of at least one year.
- Expect at least four months marriage preparation.
- Require a minimum of four mentoring sessions, utilizing both Scripture and a premarital inventory.
- Train mature, married couples to serve as mentors to work with seriously dating and engaged couples, newlyweds, blended families, and those experiencing marital difficulties.
- Schedule two post-marital counseling sessions within the first year of marriage.
- Provide marriage enrichment opportunities, such as classes, small groups, and/or retreats, to build and strengthen marriages.
- Cooperate with other faith communities and organizations to share marriage building resources and events.
- Support other faith communities in prayer for marriage and families.
COVENANT
I commit to seek the endorsement of these standards by my congregation and to encourage others to do so, for the glory of God and the good of our whole community.
This Agreement was signed by 157 Pastors and Christian counselors in Clackamas County June 1, 2001, the fourth highest per capita signing in the nation. We are expecting a 10% reduction in the divorce rate this first year. Thanks you for working together to lower the divorce rate in your community and in Oregon.
You can reach Luke Nelson our project director at: luke@fofm.org
Every Marriage Matters, the primary supportive organization for implementing the Clackamas County policy.
