Introduction to the
Weekend
Page 1 of 6
(Revised June, 2006)
Introduction Presentation Outline
Time: Approximately 15 Minutes
Purpose:
A.
To welcome the encountering couples and put them at ease.
B.
To introduce the encountering couples to Marriage Encounter.
C.
To encourage and motivate encountering couples to get into the weekend.
I.
Warm Welcome
A.
Introduce greeting couples.
B.
Introduction to the facility – the layout and use of the facility. (If done by
facility representative, encourage them to be brief).
C.
Introduction of weekend team and encountering couples.
II.
Introduction to Marriage Encounter
A.
History of Marriage Encounter – National and local history
B.
Description of Marriage Encounter
III.
Brief Personal Testimony of your Marriage Encounter
Weekend
A.
Couple or clergy can share.
IV.
Five Minute Break (Team Option)
Page 2 of 6
(Revised June, 2006)
Introduction Presentation Overview
Purpose:
This is the first presentation given on the weekend. The purpose of this
presentation is to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere to set the encountering
couples/clergy at ease (Personalize wherever possible). In this presentation we
also introduce those encountering to the facility and share our Marriage
Encounter weekend experience.
Time:
This presentation is approximately 15 minutes. It usually begins (Friday evening
at 7:30 PM or Saturday morning at 7:30 AM) or after all the encountering couples
has arrived. If anyone arrives after the presentation begins, one of the team
couples should see them afterwards and briefly explain the content of the
presentation that they missed.
Handouts:
Each person receives a notebook and pen. Each couple receives a folder. These
are placed on the chairs before the presentation begins.
Questions To Help Develop The Talk
(Please do not answer simply yes or no. Briefly but thoroughly explain.
Use the answers that most strongly reveal your feelings.)
Welcome:
How can I best express how happy I am to have everyone here?
Introduction:
What was my reaction at being asked to introduce ourselves at the beginning of
our weekend?
Page 3 of 6
(Revised June, 2006)
Introduction Presentation Content
I.
Warm Welcome
Introduce self, spouse and clergy. Welcome the encountering couples/clergy to
the facility and the weekend.
A.
Introduce greeting couples.
1.
2.
B.
Introduction to facility – layout and use of facility.
1.
2.
3.
NOTE:
C.
Briefly explain who the greeting couples are and their role on the
weekend.
Thank them for their help and ask them to introduce themselves
and share when and where they made their Marriage Encounter
weekend. (Greeting couples will leave. Wait until all greeting
couples have left before continuing the presentation).
Introduce facility representative, if present, so they can extend
words of welcome. (Wait until facility representative has left before
continuing the presentation).
Give location and information about the conference room,
drugstore, snack table, rest rooms, cafeteria, emergency phone
calls and showers (if applicable).
Other areas to cover: changing chairs, wearing nametags, asking
the couples to stay indoors and the facility’s smoking/non-smoking
areas.
If using the Abbey, include the fact that this is the home of the
Norbertines. Explain that we must be respectful of their home and stay
in our designated area, which is the first and second floor of this
Introduction of the weekend team and encountering couples
1.
2.
3.
Explain to the couples how we are going to introduce each other.
We will give our name, our spouse’s name and his/her special
quality for the day. Then introduce yourselves and clergy as an
example.
Ask the couples to introduce their spouse in the same way. Identify
the Team couples for the weekend. NOTE: Remember to
strategically place (1) team couple in the front row so they are the
first couple to model the introductions.
Thank the couples for introducing themselves. Tell them why we
introduced ourselves in this manner – to help us focus on each
other as a couple. Reassure the couples that they will not be asked
to speak before the group again. Share our reaction to introducing
ourselves on our weekend.
Page 4 of 6
(Revised June, 2006)
II.
Introduction to Marriage Encounter
A.
History of Marriage Encounter – National and local history
SUGGESTED READING ON HISTORY FOR TEAM
The Marriage Encounter Movement dates back to the late 1950’s. In Spain, a
newly ordained Spanish priest was challenged by a young couple who wanted to
find a way serve God and man within their marriage. This experience helped Fr.
Gabriel Calvo to recognize the need today’s couples have to deepen their
relationship and to realize the tremendous potential that exists in every marriage.
Shortly thereafter, Fr. Calvo devoted himself to what was to become his special
mission, the apostolate that has spread throughout the world as Marriage
Encounter. He developed a process whereby couples learn to reflect upon
themselves as individuals and then as a married couple. The goal, briefly, was
for couples to form an honest, trusting relationship and use that a springboard to
reach out to the community.
In 1962, 28 couples from poor, working class families in Barcelona, spent a
weekend together to try this program. That was the first Encuentro Conjugal. (In
Spanish that word has the implication of finding, recognizing, discovering as well
as meeting again). In August of 1967 the first English language version of
Marriage Encounter was presented at the National Christian Family Movement
Conference at Notre Dame University. It was the beginning of Marriage
Encounter in the United States. By the end of 1969, 70 weekends had been
presented here in the U.S.. As of today, approximately __________ couples
have made a marriage encounter weekend.
In April 1971 Marriage Encounter reached Milwaukee. With the loving help of
many Milwaukee couples and couples who lived in Green Bay but had made
their encounter weekends in other communities (such as Appleton, Milwaukee,
Chicago and New York), the first Green Bay Marriage Encounter was held on the
weekend of May 21-23, 1976. The first three weekends in Green Bay were given
by team couples from Milwaukee. The fourth Marriage Encounter weekend
scheduled in January 1977 was given by Green Bay’s first team. This is Green
Bay’s
__________ Marriage Encounter weekend and there are over
__________ couples and religious encountered in this area.
B.
Description of Marriage Encounter
1.
Encounter comes from the Spanish word Encuentro which means
a discovery or a meeting again; to discover again the meaning of
marital love.
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(Revised June, 2006)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
III.
Explain that this is a work weekend. Encourage the couples to
participate fully, not to be observers.
The team does not give the weekend to you, you give it to each
other. You only get out of it what you put into it.
The team is making the weekend along with the couples.
Each couple’s weekend is unique. Don’t compare your weekend
experience to another couple’s on the weekend or to friends who
have already experienced a Marriage Encounter weekend. Make it
your own.
Briefly state Marriage Encounter’s position on an ecumenical
weekend.
(Suggested format)
God is a very important part of this weekend and we look at
marriage in its Christian dimension.
A Catholic priest, Father Gabriel Calvo, originated Marriage
Encounter; but it was designed for all couples, regardless of
Faith. It was put together in order to improve communication
between couples as well as to focus on the presence and power of
the spirit of God that can be found within marriage and family.
As Team couples, we will be sharing from our own experiences.
Each of us will represent our own level of Spirituality as a part of
who we are. We will make no apologies for any religious language
that may be used or beliefs that we may have. We are not here to
preach, convert or evangelize our particular faiths. We ask you that
you translate any concepts or terms that you may hear that make
you feel uncomfortable or that you find inappropriate for you into
terms that fit your own life experiences or your own spiritual
vocabulary. For example, GOD to you may be Yahweh, a higher
power or a supreme being. The word Sacrament may mean a
covenant or holy matrimony. We make these suggestions simply
because we want you to be as comfortable and open to the
messages of the weekend as possible without being hindered by
any religious terminology.
Brief Personal Testimony of your Marriage Encounter
Weekend
Try to encourage and motivate the couples/clergy to get into the weekend.
Briefly summarize what your Marriage Encounter weekend did for you. Focus on
the positive outcomes.
IV.
Five Minute Break (Team Option)
Team may decide to take a five minute break or continue on with next
presentation.
Page 6 of 6
(Revised June, 2006)