Community Marriage Policy "Strengthening Marriage... Supporting Children"

A community marriage policy is a set of agreed-upon guidelines for premarital preparation and community support for marriage. A policy shouldn't criticize individuals who are members of or were reared in single-parent families. Nor does it assume that anyone should endure an abusive situation. A policy's purpose is to empower couples for healthy, life-long marriage and to raise the standard of two-parent families in the community. Here is the marriage policy that the Greater Grand Rapids Community has embraced:

For Clergy and Congregations:

• Encourage a courtship of at least one year.
• Promote chastity outside of marriage and faithful marital relationships.
• Expect a thorough premarital preparation process of at least four premarital counseling sessions using religious instruction, a premarital inventory, and intensive education.
• Encourage enrichment opportunities designed to strengthen marriages and intervention services  for stressed marriages.
• Train mature married couples to serve as mentors to those who are engaged, newlyweds, or experiencing marital difficulties.

• Examine, each within our profession or line of work, ways in which our current policies and practices may unwittingly undermine marriage formation and stability.
• Implement changes in our work and relationships that will more effectively support marriages and families.
• Volunteer our time, expertise, influence, and resources to support initiatives that promote marriage and stable families.