WORC Update... even in our constantly changing world, fundamental concepts often remain the same.

The French have a saying. Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Marriages face many challenges in 2025. The world is different in many ways than when we were married in 1974, but the basic hopes, dreams and desires for married couples have not changed.

Knowing we had our own personal prayer couple for our Weekend and being greeted by them on Sunday afternoon drew our Weekend to a close in a meaningful way, set us on a trajectory for connecting to Community. In most of the areas which draw people together, we were very different from Alex and Jan – they were older; their children were teens, ours a toddler. We did not live in the same town, have similar careers or share a church home. What we did share was a desire to nurture our transformed marriages. 

As we became active in a Core, we realized a primary strength of the Marriage Encounter program was Community. As we move into the second 50 years we still believe this to be true.

Community is not the same as friendship or church. Community exists to intentionally encourage and strengthen its members. Community reminds us we are not alone. In Community we celebrate the joys of our lives. We listen and pray for each other when we are in the inevitable tough seasons of life. Community holds us accountable, challenging us to be intentional about nurturing our couple relationship, proactively fighting the drift into complacency. Community creates an environment which encourages us to grow as a couple. We began our couple devotional habit a number of years ago after being challenged during a Core program.  

In our 40 plus years of UME involvement there have been many changes in how Community is introduced to the Weekend couples. Luggage carriers, Sing offs, Afterglows, Reunions have undergone many changes. The current Weekend Outline brings the Weekend couples and Community together in worship to complete the Weekend.   

In a constantly changing world the fundamentals concepts of the Weekend remain the same because the basic needs of married couples remain the same. In 1974, our fledgling marriage needed the love, support and nurture of a community of caring couples. 51 years later our marriage still needs the love, support and nurture of a community of caring couples. As our ministry moves forward into the next 50 years, we believe future couples will need the love, support and nurture of a community of caring couples. We give thanks knowing “we’ll never find another US!”

Carol and Jerry Webb,

Chaircouple WORC