January - Angela Moody (Americorps Vista working with resource development/participant recruitment/event planning and Jenny Hamilton (Administrative Assistant) join the MRCMV team.
0 Comments
January - Lavern and Ronda attend partner meetings for the Dayton Project and are encouraged with the scope of anticipated impact. February - Marriage team at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church hosts Sweetheart Dessert Dance. April - PREPARE Group launched for 4 premarital couples with Steve and Joy Sherman facilitating. Work Smart & Live Well 101 launched to train employees in relationship skills with 40 attending at Courtyard by Marriott. Lavern and Ronda lead Renewal Meetings at Shiloh Mennonite Church in Madison County. May - PREPARE Facilitator Certification Training launched (Lavern and Ronda have acquired seminar director ability) with 17 attendees from 9 different churches or agencies. Contract with Developmental Disabilities to integrate RINGS elements into a relationship program (L.O.V.E.), working closely with Bobbi Custer. Received small, but meaningful grant from Catholic Central students/Magnified Giving for investment into young adult programs. June - Lavern and Ronda meet with founders of Casablanca, Kevin & Gloria Lu in California while at NARME; international bridal gown distributors with passion to help couples have strong, Godly marriages. RINGS class at New Hope Church in Dayton as part of Dayton Project. July - Lavern and Ronda participate in 313, 5 day Ride for Missions benefit in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia - a stretching experience, but good ideas for MRCMV's August SF2 Bike Ride. August - Beta training completed on L.O.V.E. relationship program for Developmental Disabilities. Strong Families, Strong Futures (SF2) Bike Ride hosted with about 50 riders, 18 sponsors and 25 volunteers. Starting point was Coffee Depot in Urbana with full route to park in Xenia and back - 68 miles. Well received with great support from various biking groups. Farewell to Colleen Geondeff, Lori Maute and Stephanie Gillespie after many years of faithful service as Title V grant expires. September - First L.O.V.E. group completed at Developmental Disabilities with Bobbi Custer taking the lead and 3 couples attending. October - RINGS class at Bonneyville Mennonite Church in Bristol, Indiana with 21 couples attending. Northern Indiana is where Lavern and Ronda met over 40 years ago. "College Talkback: Sex, Lies and Drama" begins at Fellowship Spring Hill and led by Eli and Abby Glaser. November - Road to Intimacy Marriage Workshop co-facilitated by Tim and Linda Buttrey, Lavern and Ronda Nissley at Grace Crossing Church in Beavercreek with 23 couples attending. Well received and very fulfilling collaboration with the Buttreys. Farewell to Steve Sherman after 5 years as data analyst as his position no longer supported by grants. December - Initial discussion with CitiLookout on exploration of merger with MRCMV. Positive feedback from both boards and plans to continue talking. January - First RINGS class in Champaign County since 2010, led by Steve and Joy Sherman at the Urbana Community Room. Marriage failure stats from highest to lowest since 1999 show decreases of 43.2% in Clark, 40% decrease in Greene and 24.4% decrease in Champaign counties.
February - Lavern and Ronda Nissley take RINGS to Canada! Wainfleet Brethren in Christ Church in Ontario hosts RINGS with 20+ couples attending. Updated MRCMV vision statement to include components of developing marriage and relationship champions. April - Completed online Mentor Training in DigitalChalk for preparing mentor couples. Director's Team attends leadership training at Fellowship Church by David Marquet, author of Turn the Ship Around. Board completes discernment/discussion process on beliefs/actions surrounding same-sex attraction, seeking input from 3 pastors, 2 team members and various external perspectives; the process affirmed understanding of God's original design for marriage to be male and female while resolving to serve all without judgment or discrimination. June - Awarded 2 year contract with Clark County Job and Family Services (received highest score of all proposals!). Supreme Court of US strikes down DOMA and affirms legality of same-sex marriage in all 50 states. July - Entered into 3 phase agreement with First Christian Church to train mentor couples. Lavern and Ronda present Connecting/RINGS Chat workshop at Better Marriages Conference in St. Louis. August - RINGS class hosted by RiverSong Church with 22 couples attending. September - Mentor Appreciation Dessert held at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church, including presentation by Pastor Dan Powell and testimonials from 3 couples who had received mentoring. Medway Church seeks training for their mentor coordinator couple.Federal grant (after 9 years of funding) expires, resulting in 85% decrease in revenue, layoffs and decrease in some services/programs. Farewells to outgoing employees: Rex and Becki Robinson, Joy Sherman, Tanya Funk, Kevin Frank and Derek Ellis. October - Two excellent Springfield News-Sun articles by Kermit Rowe on MRCMV's funding transition and plans for going forward. November - Invited to participate in Dayton Project, an initiative funded by private donors to bring marriage resources into the region. MRCMV to subcontract under anchor entity The Ridge Project. December - Giving Tuesday campaign launched at Rudy's Smokehouse along with Vote and Share appeal to raise donations for keeping resources accessible and affordable. |
Marriage Resource Center History
|