Better Marriages NC Weekend Getaway 2020 

April 17-18, 2020

Doubletree Inn

RDU/RTP Raleigh, NC

"20/20 Marriage Vision"

 

Join us in Raleigh, NC, during the weekend of April 17-18, 2020, for a great weekend of skills building and fun. Seeing eye-to-eye, knee-to-knee, and heart-to-heart will be our theme for this fun-packed weekend together.

 
Have fun on Friday evening as we look back on the high points of our marriage and get to know each other in a fun and relaxing way. Attend workshops on Saturday that will help you meet the challenges of your marriage and assist you in creating a vision that will carry you forward in your relationship.

Register Now! 

Getaway Registration Includes:

• Dinner Friday evening
• Opening and Closing Sessions
• Three Workshops (one during each Workshop Session)
• Breakfast as a part of the hotel registration
• Lunch on Saturday
• The opportunity to spend time growing and enriching your marriage in the company of others dedicated to the same pursuit.

Speakers and Workshop Leaders:

Friday Night Opening  --  “Looking Back”

Our evening begins with dinner with the other participants, followed by an introduction to the weekend.  We will look back at the highlights of our relationship as a couple and an opportunity to share our story with others. We will then shift to an evening of fun and games. 

Carl and Nancy Terry

Carl and Nancy have been married for 44 years and have been members of “Better Marriages” almost from the beginning of their marriage. They are a certified leader couple for over 40 years. They have been a past President Couple of the National Board and currently serve as President couple for Better Marriages NC. Together they are Seminar Directors for Prepare/Enrich, an online assessment for premarital and married couples. Carl has M.S. in Applied Psychology. Nancy has an M.S. in Social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. They live in Raleigh and are active with two MEG’s (Marriage Enrichment Groups) there.

 

 

Julia and Reginald McClain

They have been married for 22 years. The McClain's are a Trained Better Marriages Leader Couple. have conducted workshops and retreats on the topics “Managing Time for Healthy Marriage” and a “Road Less Traveled” to encourage and engage married couples. They have been members of Better Marriages for five years. Reginald is a Maintenance Engineer with Lincoln Harris, and Julia is a Business Services Coordinator at NC State University at Raleigh, NC.

 

Saturday Workshops and Presenters:

Session 1 – 9:00 a.m. 

“At First Sight: An Intro to Marriage Enrichment” 

***This class is highly recommended for all couples who are new to Marriage Enrichment and/or Better Marriages***
Couples who are just starting their Marriage Enrichment journey will discover many of the "Tools" of Better Marriage in this workshop. These essential exercises and fundamental lingo provide a guide for the journey of Marriage Enrichment. We will focus on the "3 C's" which are considered the most vital fibers in the fabric of a marriage - Communication, Conflict, and Commitment to Growth.

 

Kim and Nathan Heinlein

Kim and Nathan have been active with Better Marriages since 2003, starting only 8 months after they were married.  In fact, Nathan had the privilege of growing up watching lifetime Better Marriages members Roberta and Terry Heinlein model what a “better marriage” looks like. They currently lead their local MEG, serve as long-time Communications Couple for the Georgia State Board, and are members on the National Board of Directors. 

 

“Create a 20/20 Vision for Navigating Transitions”

Change is inevitable and at times challenging.  Join us to dialogue (knee to knee) as we invite each couple to explore their past, current and future transitions. This workshop is an opportunity for creating a 20/20 vision to strengthen your relationship. 

Alice and Lee Cames

Alice and Lee have been married for eleven years.  They met on Match.com and attended their first Better Marriages conference in 2009. They completed their Leadership Training in August 2014 in Maine and their Advanced Leadership Training in July 2015 in St. Louis.  This is their third NC workshop. They are avid bicyclists and love to travel. Since moving to Pittsburgh, PA they cycle on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. 

 

“To Infinity and Beyond: Adventures in Retirement” 

 Candy and Doug Murray will invite couples to talk together about some of the stages of retirement: adjusting to life without a schedule, celebrating the everyday adventures, and looking to the future.

Candy and Doug Murray

Candy and Doug live in Weaverville, not far from their daughter, her husband, and their 2-year-old son.  Candy is a retired agent with N.C. Cooperative Extension.  Her area was Family and Consumer Sciences.  Doug is a retired pastor.  He served First Baptist Church in Wilson, NC for 22 years.  Candy and Doug have been members of Better Marriages (ACME) for more than 35 years. 

Session 2 – 11:00 a.m. 

“Setting Your Sights on Health and Wellness”

Wellness is more than exercise and dieting. It is a compilation of many elements frequently illustrated in the form of a “Wellness Wheel.” There are many different versions of the Wellness Wheel, but most contain the same basic elements such as: Environmental, occupational, spiritual, physical, social, emotional, financial, and intellectual. Through meditation, couples dialogue and information from “Blue Zones – the Science of Living Longer” by Dan Buettner and “Natural Healing – Prevent Illness and Improve Your Life” by the Mayo Clinic, couples will be able to personalize their wellness goals and create their own “Couples Wellness Wheel.”

Kathy and Jim Weidner

Jim and Kathy have been married since March of 2001 and joined ACME/Better Marriages shortly after their wedding. Over the years they have been on the NC Board, assisted with planning many of the NC Conferences/Getaways. They have presented at conferences/Getaways on health-related topics They have served as president couple of the NC Better Marriages as well.

 “Roadmap for Managing Conflict and Disagreement in Loving Relationships”

Conflict!!  Who needs it?  Who wants it?  Yet, even when relationships are close and loving, couples do not always agree.  Sometimes it’s a “slow burn” disagreement and other times it may be an outright “melt-down”.   The good news is that when conflict and disagreement are well-managed, they often lead to growth and greater closeness as a couple.  This workshop is designed to provide practical insights for maintaining affection and respect for one another while navigating the twists and turns of conflict and disagreement.

Julian and Pat Harwell

Julian and Pat have been married for 51 years and have served on the Better Marriages of GA Board for 5 years.  Julian has been active in the insurance and financial services for over 50 years and Pat is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who recently retired from a 40-year career in private practice.  Julian and Pat have presented workshops on “Conflict Management” and “Positive Communication about Finances” at the last four GA Better Marriages Getaways. They currently serve as Secretary Couple and Program Couple for GA.  

“In Focus: Are Our Eyes on Thrive or Get By?” 

We cherish the intimacy of dialogue at our annual getaways. Back home, necessary logistics can soon rob us of that nearness. Let’s explore various ways of dialogue to help us thrive as a couple, all year.

Eddie and Sylvia Robertson

Eddie and Sylvia are a Trainer Couple for Better Marriages. They are Editors of the Leaders' Forum, authors of Wonderful Wednesdays; 52 Conversations for Couples, and facilitators of the Virtual Marriage Enrichment Group, first Tuesdays at 8 pm Eastern Time. Their blogs are posted at www.eddieandsylviarobertson.com and on Eddie and Sylvia Robertson Marriage Enrichment on Facebook.

 

Session 3 – 1:30 p.m.

“The Power of Vision”

A clear vision allows us to see where we’re going. Awareness of our destination helps ensue we’re on the right path.  During this workshop couples will reflect on what they’ve accomplished and will look forward to goals they want to pursue in the next 5, 10, 20 years. Together, couples will create a vision board that visualizes their future goals. 

Michael and Myra Holmes

Michael and Myra have been courting for 42 years and have survived and thrived more than 39 years of marriage.  They are Certified Professional Life Coaches, Members of the National Board of Directors for Better Marriages, Certified Specialists in Marriage Enrichment, Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitators, and Co-Ministry to Marriage Leaders at Six Mount Zion Baptist Temple. Michael and Myra founded Life M8Z and focused its mission on meeting the needs of married couples, engaged couples, couples thinking about marriage, committed couples, and couples preparing for their next marriage.  

 

"Focusing Our Vision Through the Fog of Unforeseen Challenges:  Seeing Steppingstones Instead of Stumbling Blocks"

Life Happens, and sometimes good or bad "surprises" can thrust us into a "storm" of life, leaving a foggy view ahead.  When 20/20 Vision is a real challenge, all the skills of communication we have learned and begun to use will be needed to help us make our way through, seeing a path of steppingstones instead of stumbling blocks. Hear personal testimonies of how communication skills and being a part of a MEG was lifesaving to some.

Hal and Roberta Melton

Hal and Roberta celebrated their 43rd anniversary of marriage this year.  Hal served on staff at the Baptist State Convention of NC for 14 years and just retired after 19 years as Associate Pastor for Missions, Senior Adult Ministry and Marriage Ministry at Trinity Baptist Church. Roberta is the practice manager at Internal Medicine and Pediatric Associates in Cary.  They are a Certified Better Marriages Leadership Couple. They established an ongoing lay-led Marriage Ministry at Trinity Baptist, Raleigh prior to retirement. Have led annual Marriage Retreats for their church as well as many other churches over the years.

Closing- 3:45 p.m.

LOOKING FORWARD

Going forward from today, what do we want to take with us from our time together as a couple.  Sharing positive affirmations with each other.

Accommodations