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Five Easy Steps To Have an Episcopal Marriage Encounter (EME) Weekend In Your Parish Community
1. Contact the Appropriate Contact Couple:
Eastern United States:
Bill & Lee Gill (203) 888-2043 / bnlcteme@aol.com
Western United States:
Dan & Momi Ince (310) 537-9147 / fsn.momi@netzero.net
Spanish-Speaking:
Ismael y Maria Gonzalez (787) 458-1805 / imgonzalez@ymail.com
** if you cannot reach the couple for your area, contact:
National EME Coordinators:
Dale & Debbie Sands (847) 381-8353 / DebraHeath@aol.com
Q1. Ask what calendar dates are available to schedule and EME weekend.
Q2. Ask for other marriage encounter contacts in your area who can help.
The contact couple will send you a "starter kit" with advertising announcements, posters, brochures, registration materials and draft facility contract.
There is a web page you can access to determine if there is a marriage encounter contact couple/community of any denomination in your area: Click Here For More Information
2. Identify a Facility (hotel, motel, retreat center) to host the EME weekend that meets the contract and pricing requirements:
EME has a standard contract which defines all the requirements for check in, check out, meals and so on. The Contact Couple will help you finalize the contract with the facility and will need to approve the final contract. The Contact Couple will also define what is the standard rate for the facility including meals for your area.
3. Most Importantly, spread the work that an EME weekend is scheduled and invite your family, friends, coworkers and neighbors to attend:
In addition to your inviting efforts,the Contact Couple will notify the National EME Publicity Couple who will send a mailing to about 100 Episcopal Churches in your area three months prior to the Weekend to announce the date, location and information about the EME weekend. We also recommend that an announcement be placed in the Diocesan Newsletter and call churches in your area and offer to give an information talk about EME (A script and video will be provided in the Starter Kit mentioned above).
4. Register the couples who will attend the weekend. A non-refundable registration fee of $45 is required with the application:
When you receive a call requesting information about the EME weekend, send a brochure, which has the registration application included. Make sure you include your name and address to receive the completed application and registration check. The registration checks are to be made out to Episcopal Marriage Encounter and sent to the National Secretary/Treasurer for EME (the Contact Couple will provide the name and address). Once a couple is registered for the EME weekend, please do the following:
Send a confirmation letter to each couple that describes what to bring, where the weekend is, when the weekend begins and ends. (The Contact Couple will provide a draft letter.)
Compile a list of couples that have registered for the EME Weekend and mail to the Weekend Administration Couple (Contact Couple will provide address).
5. A "reunion" will be scheduled on the EME weekend, which includes both community, couples and couples who made the weekend. A standard script will be provided for this event along with other post weekend actions.
Congratulations you did it! And the dream lives on!