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Prayer Couple Handbook
As a part of Episcopal Marriage Encounter weekend's mission of renewal in the church we firmly believe in the power of prayer. As such, every couple who attends a Marriage Encounter weekend has one or more people praying for them. During the Marriage Encounter weekend in some areas these prayer partners are revealed through the unveiling of a Prayer Scroll listing all those who are praying for that specific Marriage Encounter weekend. The Prayer Scroll may include names of local people only or may include names from around the world. In other areas each couple is presented with at least one prayer letter from a couple or individual who has been praying specifically for them.
The Mission Of A Prayer Couple:
As a part of our Mission Statement, Episcopal Marriage Encounter believes in ongoing community support for the lifestyle offered during the Marriage Encounter experience. This support begins with the Prayer sponsor. We believe we will never arrive at a place where we have a perfect relationship. There is a benefit when we rely on, and offer our support to, others as we journey toward a more intimate and responsible relationship. As such, the prayer sponsor is asked to begin praying and offering intentions as soon as they receive the name(s) of the people for whom they are praying. The local custom may be to offer mass, grace at meals, burning of a candle, or other forms of intentions. The primary mission of a prayer couple is to offer spiritual support before and during the Marriage Encounter weekend for those whom they have been asked to pray. The ideal is that this support is only the beginning. Following the Marriage Encounter weekend, the support and prayer should continue in welcoming those whom you have been praying for into your local community. This welcoming is done in various ways in different communities ranging from being present for a reception at the closing of the Marriage Encounter weekend to inviting the newly encountered into your home or Spiral Group.
Responsibilities of a Prayer Couple:
Before the Marriage Encounter weekend, begin to pray and offer intentions as soon as you receive the names of those for whom you are being asked to pray. Write a letter (if that is your local custom) to those for whom you are praying. In the letter, tell the couple that you are praying for them and their relationship. You may write specifically how you are offering intentions - prayers, burning a candle, etc. Share your hopes and dreams for an enrichment of their relationship through the tools offered during their Marriage Encounter weekend. Place your letter in an envelope addressed to those for whom you are praying. Where you would normally place a postage stamp write the letters "PC" which stands for prayer couple. Hand-deliver or mail this to the Prayer Couple Coordinator or other designated recipient. If you are mailing your prayer letter place the envelope with the prayer letter into a larger envelope and address it to the Prayer Couple Coordinator or other designated recipient. Please send your prayer letter as soon as you can to help the prayer couple coordinators know they have a letter for each couple.
During the Marriage Encounter Weekend:
Keep the couple in your thoughts and prayers. Recall what you experienced on your Marriage Encounter weekend. Offer your prayers and intentions for your couple, recalling those parts of your Weekend that offered the most challenge or promise for you and your relationship. Some people place the names of those they are praying for on their refrigerator, bathroom mirror or other prominent location and/or they burn a candle to remind them to pray. You might include in your dialogues prior to or during the Encounter questions that remind you of your own experience.
Following The Marriage Encounter Weekend:
Be sensitive to the possibility that they may have experienced something different than you did on your Marriage Encounter weekend or that they may be in a different emotional place in their relationship. Depending upon the customs in your community continue to offer support by doing as many of the following as you can that seem appropriate for your couple. Be at the site of the Marriage Encounter weekend to introduce yourselves and welcome them into your community. Invite the couple to your home or out to some mutually agreed upon location to get to know each other better. Ask them if you can pick them up to take them to the Reunion of their Marriage Encounter and other upcoming Marriage Encounter events in your area. Invite them to join your Spiral Group. Or offer to help them start a Spiral Group. Call them on the phone if they are open to that and send them cards or letters that offer encouragement and possibly dialogue questions. Offer support in whatever way is most appropriate for you and for them.