Neighborhood Ministries

Value of Marriage-The church has also been very lax about promoting marriage. The once growing divorce rate is finally beginning to drop, but it is because fewer people are getting married, not because marriages are lasting longer again. When I taught Sociology at a local community college, I would mention during the presentation on marriage, that I had been married over 30 years. (Now I have been married for almost 56 years) Many students were astounded that I had been married that long. They were even more astounded when I told them I had been married to the same woman. Most had never heard of such a thing. They could not conceive of how a man and woman could stand to live together that long. Many in our churches have been married a long time but it is rarely mentioned. When it was common, there were usually big celebrations when someone reached 30, 40, or 50 year anniversaries. Now it is hardly mentioned. Our church recognizes those with a birthday in the coming month at the start of each month, as some churches do. Other churches may put birthdays coming up in the bulletin. The church should have special recognition for anniversaries as well as birthdays to remind the church and show the children that marriage is important and not to be taken lightly.