The Joy of Love and Marriage
The Marriage Enrichment Ministry strengthens marriages in the Church and provides support to all couples called to the holy vocation of marriage.
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To register for the Marriage Enrichment Ministry, please sign up for flocknote below!
Welcome!
The Marriage Enrichment Ministry (MEM) will support all couples called to the holy vocation of marriage. We support those married in the Catholic Church, or would like to be, and also interfaith couples. All couples are welcome to join the ministry. We want to foster a community of mutual support and offer date nights, programs, and events that affirm spousal love, provide continual learning, and encourage spiritual growth.
View MEM CalendarDate Nights
Every couple is called to grow and witness in love for God and one another. We offer Date Nights every few months with refreshments, inspirational talks, and guest speakers, different themes and topics, interactive discussions, fellowship, and prayer to enrich marriages. If engaged or married, you will not want to miss a Date Night at the parish.
Programs & Retreats
In the fall and spring, we offer marriage programs (4 to 6 weeks) such as: Better Together, Witness to Love, ‘United in Love, United in Christ’, 10 Great Date Nights, Joined by Grace, Beloved-The Beatitudes, Finding Happiness in Marriage, Joyful Ever After and other wonderful programs! Programs take place on Friday evenings at 7:00 pm with a potluck dinner and fellowship! This is a great way to meet other couples at the parish.
In the fall and spring, we also have a mini-marriage retreat that takes place on a Saturday starting with 9:00 am Mass, followed by refreshments and then a 1.5 to 2 hour presentation by a guest speaker.
Marriage Events
There is a beauty in coming together for fellowship in small groups and meeting others in their homes. Coming together allows couples to make friends with other couples, be a catalyst for spiritual growth, provide an intimate prayer setting, can offer “accountability partners,” and support. The Marriage Enrichment Ministry also partakes in community service and outreach projects at the parish and for Christ House (Catholic Charities) making meal kits.
Throughout the year and during the summer months, we continue meeting in group settings to connect and pray with other couples. Our fellowship events include our family gathering at Peterson’s Ice Cream and playing lawn games in Clifton; our annual Heroes Hike and meeting at Bunnyman Brewing; family gathering at Peachwave; bingo night, local tours, hikes, movie nights, theater outings, game nights, and small group gatherings in backyards/decks.
We also meet at a local coffee shop for a MEM Catholic Coffee Connection. Each month a new Flock Note is shared, too (subscribe here). We also offer Natural Family Planning (NFP) support.
For those interested in marriage enrichment books, in the spring and fall, we read a book and then come together once for fellowship to talk about the book with Fr. Hayes. We also have a MEM Library with marriage enrichment books for couples to borrow.
MEM Calendar
Teams of Our Lady
These couples are part of a group called Teams of Our Lady. They have made a commitment to meet monthly to pray together, share with one another, and grow in their marriages.
“Teams provides a proven method of increasing and improving prayer life, which will help couples grow closer to God and each other. At the same time, their family will reap the benefits as well.”
For more information contact Lou and Sandra Volchansky, svolchan@verizon.net
Wedding Coordinator Ministry
The Wedding Coordinator Ministry was created to assist the priest, deacon, bride, and groom before the wedding, during the rehearsal, and during the marriage ceremony. Tina Ward, Wedding Coordinator, helps you to plan the logistical aspect of your wedding and to answer questions about flowers, photographers, and other wedding planning details for your wedding at the parish. Tina can even do a walk-through with you and share planning resources. On the day of the rehearsal and wedding, Tina is present to assist, as well as another volunteer and Carol Denny (Greeter)
Contact Tina Ward at wedding@nativityburke.org.
All music coordination is planned with Carole Fischl, Director of Music Ministry. She is also the pianist/organist for your wedding. You can also choose to have a cantor and harpist (if having a harpist, a sound technician must also be present).
Engaged Sponsor Couple Ministry
The Engaged Sponsor Couple Ministry is a peer-to-peer ministry whereby married couples share their own experience with engaged couples in our parish. Each engaged couple is connected with a sponsor mentor couple, and they tend to meet 1-2 times, more if wanted.
Mentoring involves active listening, deep sharing, empathy, compassion, and accompaniment. The sponsorship is a beautiful friendship with another couple at the parish. The foundation is set with trust, caring, and gentleness, meeting couples where they are in a nonjudgmental manner. Couples usually meet at the sponsor’s home, at a restaurant, or at the parish. Our sponsor couples are: John & Cheryl, Rich & Karen, Jake & Marsha, Joseph & Lona, Deacon Kelly & Joyce, John & Anna Lisa.
Once a year, we also like to bring the currently engaged and newlyweds (married in the last three years) together for a fellowship gathering together.
Contact marriage@nativityburke.org for more information.
Meet our Marriage Enrichment Ministry Coordinator
Anna Lisa Licud is a wife of 15 years and a mother to a rising seventh grader at Nativity Catholic School. She has been a catechist for the Religious Education program since 2019 and is involved with the Walking with Purpose bible study, the Seven Sisters Apostolate, and the Traditional choir. Prior to joining the Nativity parish, Anna Lisa was a lector and catechist for several years at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. Anna Lisa is also a board certified advanced practice provider working in several specialized intensive care units at a large urban hospital since 2006. She received both her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing from Georgetown University.
Over the years, Anna Lisa witnessed the life-giving impact of marriages in forming strong, loving families from both sets of grandparents who were married more than 50 years, from her parents who are married almost 48 years, and from her in-laws who were married 40 years. She and her husband, John, hope to one day be able to celebrate similar milestones, while knowing that sustaining a healthy relationship takes a lot of work and support. The Marriage Enrichment Ministry at Nativity has helped strengthen their marriage and they hope to help others do the same.
Contact Anna Lisa at marriage@nativityburke.org
Meet our Marriage Enrichment Ministry Outreach Coordinator
Jennifer Sturgeon is a mother of two boys attending Creighton University and an active-duty Army wife. While living in the Netherlands, she works virtually as the Marriage Enrichment Ministry (MEM) Outreach Coordinator. Her Master’s degree is in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma, focusing on family and children. Her postgraduate certificate in Human Services focuses on social community service and outreach from the School of Counseling and Human Services. She earned her Master Catechist Certification from Christendom College Graduate School; her Certificate in Theology is from Notre Dame’s McGrath Family Life Institute. From Belmont Abbey College, she earned a parish Leadership Certification. She loves to build community and have others come together in faith-filled fellowship. Contact Jennifer for the monthly MEM Flocknotes (newsletter), Facebook page, and marriage enrichment resources.
Contact Jennifer at jsturgeon@nativityburke.org