Marriage/Family

In 1996, John & Lois Meyer began teaching Marriage Enhancement Classes. John & Lois had a passion to help couples learn to communicate and resolve conflicts in their relationship. They understood the power of a shared spiritual life and desired to help each couple experience the blessing of prayer and a spirit formed identity. John & Lois are both in their mid-70's and they continue to meet with couples!

In 1999, Dennis Stranges joined the staff of VCC as the first Marriage & Family Life Pastor. His passion was to build a program to reflect a life-on-life approach to ministry. Ministries such as Fully Engaged (Premarital Classes), Heart2Heart Mentoring (married couples meeting with premarital couples), Begin Again (a restoration model for couples in crisis) are a few that Dennis began. Dennis now serves as a pastor at the Sunbury Vineyard.

Ron Hitchcock was hired as the Marriage & Family Life Pastor in 2003. His vision is to develop a Marriage & Family Life Resource Center that reaches into the community, region and world with resources for marriages and families. The Life in Motion Relationships Inventory (LIMRI) is now available on-line for premarital and married couples. The LIMRI assesses nineteen different areas of relationship and parental satisfaction. The Journey to Oneness is a resource for premarital and married couples. Couples learn how to prepare for marriage and married couples learn to take the necessary steps to restore a crisis marriage.

Kelli Messick (Pastoral Coordinator) and Judy Niemie (Parent Partnership Coordinator) have been serving on staff for 6 years. Stan Carlyle (Team Builder) has been serving with Begin Again for 6 years and has been on staff for 1 year. There have been over 100 couples that have served as coaches over the past 7 years to premarital and married couples. Kathy Biondi has been serving as the wedding administrator for the past 2 years.

The Marriage & Family Life Ministry offers the following ministries
  • How2Become1 Classes - For engaged, dating and single adults
  • Heart2Heart Coaching - Engaged couples are matched with a married couple for 4-5 sessions.
  • Marriage Coaching - Married couples are matched with a husband/wife team using the Life in Motion Relationships Inventory
  • Parent Coaching - Parents and single parents are matched with parent coaches using the Life in Motion Relationships Inventory
  • Just Me & The Kids - A program for single moms and dads and their children
  • Step-Family Support Group
  • Adoption Support Group
  • Marriage & Family Life Roundtables - Pastors from other churches meet to share resources related to Marriage & Family Life Ministry
  • Marriage Conferences
  • Parent Conferences
  • Monthly Marriage Seminars
  • Begin Again & Begin Again Follow Up Support Group - Partner with couples as they restore their marriage.
  • Crisis Marriage Restoration Plan - 10 week restoration ministry
  • Parenting Classes
  • Labor of Love - childbirth preparation series