Pre-Marriage Counseling

The elders of the church provide pre-marriage counseling to engaged couples in our church body. This allows an opportunity for a pastor to convey key foundational principles to handle most things you will encounter in marriage. Pre-Marriage Counseling is required to be married at Grace Harbor Church by one of the pastors.

The elders are happy to provide counsel and guidance as you prepare for marriage. However, if you plan to join your fiancé's church when married, we ask you to seek pre-marriage counseling from that church. Your new church will be the context of living out your marriage. This is a great opportunity to begin the process of forming a relationship with your new pastors. It will also allow you to form a network and support system in your new church. 

What to expect

Pre-Marriage Counseling is usually conducted over four 2 hour sessions. Each session requires the couple to complete readings, scriptural exercises and practical exercises. Over the four sessions, the couple will conduct about 300 pages of reading, prepare a working budget, and meet with other couples to learn from their experience.

We ask that you set up pre-marriage counseling sessions before you set a date for your wedding. As the pastors help you prepare for your marriage it is possible they may ask you to adjust your wedding date. Lots of things can come up during marriage counseling which could take extra time to work through. The goal is to prepare for marriage more than a ceremony. As you enter into this exciting phase, we ask that you stay flexible. 

Got questions? Feel free to reach out. Please express your interest in pre-marriage counseling by filling out the form. One of the elders will be in touch with you to set up a meeting.