Day 1
Marriage Council Launches Video to Highlight Services
Marriage Council Launches Video to Highlight Services
The Church of Ireland Marriage Council has today (Friday May 12) launched a new video and leaflet to highlight its marriage preparation and counselling services. Proposing the Council’s report at General Synod in Wexford, chairperson the Revd Jonny Campbell–Smyth, encouraged clergy and others who support couples to refer people in need of counselling services.
Mr Campbell–Smyth told members of Synod that since last year’s meeting the council had carried out a critical review which has resulted in them defining their aims and objectives for the next three years.
“With the best will in the world, we have recognised that whilst the members of the Council know how we help the wider Church in marriage preparation and support, many rectors and leaders on the ground are not aware of who we are, what we do and how we can support them. Therefore a significant part of our strategy for the next three years is to make the resources of the Council more known and more accessible. The Council today will be launching its promotional video with the intention of communicating this at all diocesan synods in the next year,” he commented.
He added that accessing the Marriage Council’s resources by church leaders was key to the future and said they planned to work with RCB staff to make them more easily accessible via the Church of Ireland website. They are also exploring ways in which they can provide online courses on behalf of dioceses or rural deaneries. Also, in addition to helping couples who are looking forward to their wedding day, they are looking at ways to support couples who are remarrying, dealing with serious illness or recovering after the death of a spouse.
The video can also be viewed on Youtube.
A motion on membership of the Marriage Council, electing Ms Kay Clarke to serve, was passed by Synod.