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Marriage PolicyA Community Marriage Policy (CMP) is an agreement among clergy of all faiths and civil officials, who perform
weddings, to require that couples obtain basic relationship skills (communication and conflict-resolution,
for example) and information (including a premarital inventory). A CMP recognizes the couple will need a
strong foundation for their marriage and also gives them ideas to continue strengthening their relationship
before the wedding. The idea is to “show them the ropes” before they "tie the knot."
A CMP recognizes that the clergy are also in a unique position to provide ongoing help for couples in the form of
marriage enrichment programs and Bible studies. Likewise, every church has couples with strong marriages, who can
help younger couples get started on the right path by acting as mentors. Frequently the more experienced couple
simply needs an invitation to help and the training to do it. A strong CMP will act as a call to the clergy to
help identify and train potential mentor couples. The policy also provides direction for clergy to develop and
implement programs for helping couples experiencing marital troubles.
The civil officials, of course, must recognize the separation of church and state. The civil portion of the
policy is aimed at providing skills and information that are widely recognized in the secular community as a
benefit for couples. |
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