National Marriage Week

This year her majesty celebrates 6O years of marriage though (like many of us) her children's marriages haven't lasted.

National Marriage Week starts today.
PRESS NOTICE

Political leaders issue new statements in support of marriage as leading political, religious and academic figures gather to launch The Tenth National Marriage Week.
The Houses of Parliament will play host at 11, am on Monday February 5th for the official launch of the Tenth National Marriage Week 2007 (7-14th February). Speakers at the launch will include; Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Anastasia deWaal, Head of Family Policy at CIVITAS. Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks. Broadcaster and novelist, Anne Atkins, and Chair of Centre for Social Justice, Rt Hon’ Iain Duncan Smith MP. David Cameron Leader of the Conservative party will be supporting National Marriage Week by speaking at the Fourth relationship Skills Conference on Tuesday February 6th.
In a statement of support for Marriage Week PM Blair said “Like millions of people I can vouch for the benefits that marriage can bring to your life. It can be a tremendous source of happiness and stability as well as providing a loving environment to bring up children … marriage continues to play a vital role in the health and strength of our society. It is good to have a chance to recognise and reflect upon its importance”.
Seeking to capture something of the flavour of modern marriages, Marriage Week in partnership with www.2-in-2-1.co.uk is launching the first “This is my Marriage” blog. Click on it through www.nmw.org.uk
Speaking at the launch event on Monday Iain Duncan Smith will say “Every single piece of evidence points unequivocally to the benefits of marriage to society and to the individual. Successive governments have ignored and placed disincentives in the way of those who face financial and peer group pressures not to marry. It time for British governments to set the balance right.”
Local events will be occurring throughout the UK as supporting organisations galvanise their networks, partners include; Mothers Union, CWR, Church of England, Marriage Care, CARE, 2-in-2-1, The Marriage Co

Married couples 'give stability to society'
Evening Standard

The Archbishop of Canterbury has attacked the "north London chattering classes" for failing to appreciate the benefits of marriage.
Dr Rowan Williams criticised opponents of the institution for failing to recognise married couples as heroes who give stability to society.
Speaking at parliament at the start of National Marriage Week, he said they could not see the wider cost to society of marriage breakdowns.
"What we're up against is a society that has painfully low expectations of relationships," he said. But his words will be interpreted as a swipe at New Labour as north London is seen as the birthplace of the party.
Two of its main architects - Tony Blair and Alastair Campbell - lived there in the Nineties and it is home to many in the liberal media.
The prime minister and Gordon Brown, both in strong marriages, are big supporters of the institution but also keen to support cohabitees.
However, some ministers have admitted the number of divorcees around the Cabinet table has made it difficult for the government to champion marriage.
Divorce
Ministers including Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, divorced and currently separated from her second husband David Mills, have argued marriage should have the same moral status as cohabiting.
Other Cabinet divorcees include Commons Leader Jack Straw whose first marriage was dissolved in the mid-1970s.
Trade Secretary Alistair Darling had a brief first marriage. In 1986 he married again, to Scottish journalist Maggie Vaughan.
Twice-married Education Secretary Alan Johnson said last year that the traditional 1950s family had encouraged prejudice against single parents.
Williams said many in the chattering classes were "trading off the inherited capital" of previous generations who worked at marriage and stayed together.

Promote Marriage not Weddings says Mothers’ Union

The Mothers’ Union (MU), which commits thousands of volunteers to marriage and relationship support initiatives across the UK each year, is calling for more to be done to support couples in building healthy, lasting relationships.
Contrary to popular belief, and despite significant social changes, marriage is thriving and continues to benefit both the couple and society. Research has shown that married couples are more likely to be happier, healthier and wealthier, and demonstrates marriage to be important to society’s stability and to the well being of individuals and families.
Yet marriage is also viewed as romantic rather than beneficial to couples, families and communities. With the most common time for a marriage to face breakdown now being at around 7 years, and the highest divorce rates amongst the 25 – 29 year age group, it is apparent more needs to be done to support couples throughout their marriage. This is particularly important when they face life-changing stress points such as having children, or economic hardship.
Nearly 90% of all young people still aspire to marriage. It is still faith-based charities and clergy that provide the majority of marriage preparation and support to a wider spectrum of relationships. It is clear from the increased numbers of single-parent or cohabiting relationships that more must be done at an institutional level to resource and support successful long-term relationships as stable foundations for families and society.
"Whilst considerable focus is put on weddings, and on marriage preparation", said Rosemary Kempsell, World Wide President of MU, "We believe that more could and should be done to affirm married relationships and provide ongoing support to marriages before they run into problems."
Government too is placing an increasing burden of taxation and dual working ethic on couples. This leads to greater stresses on marriage and acts as a deterrent to marriage – to the detriment of relationships and society. The MU believes that more could be done by State and Church alike to support couples, both those married in church and those married in civil ceremonies. "We would like to see more investment in supporting and promoting the enormous value of stable relationships."

For National Marriage Week the MU is launching For Better Not For Worse a new MU Booklet outlining the trends and statistics concerning marriage and relationships in the UK today. It urges the Government, the Church and all those working in the marriage and relationships fields to promote stability and ongoing support within relationships. It emphasises the many positive benefits of healthy marriages for the couple, families and society and encourages further debate in this fundamental area of our life.

MY WIFE AND I

Later this year my wife and I will be celebrating our Golden Wedding and have known each other, through the church, since childhood. I thank God for every moment of our relationship and the enrichment of life that it has given me.

This is probably why during most of my active ministry I was also happy to serve a multitude of couples as a Relate Counsellor.