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Gulf States Couples Attend Retreat at Shocco Springs

On October 26-28, 2007 a dozen couples from the Gulf States Conference, assembled at Shocco Springs in Talladega, for a seminar planned for enrichment of family life and relationships.  Judging from the interaction, involvement, and responses of the couples, the retreat was an inspiration and a welcome refresher course for all.

Dr. E. Adolphus Pembleton, the presenter, selected as theme Love in Action and underscored it with the text “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builder’s labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).  He insisted that successful marriages are triangles with God at the top and husband and wife at the base corners—all in intimate communication and interaction; indeed, he emphasized that husbands are kings and wives, queens, and when each partner treats the other with appropriate tenderness, love, and respect, problems will be opportunities for improvement in communication and a heightened prayer life, not occasions for failure.

Couples present represented marriages as recent as March 2007 and as early as July 1967, and spouses ranged in age from 28 to 76.  The retreat was the first for eleven of the twelve couples present, but for all it was a “fantastic learning experience.”  Representing the views of all present, one couple said, “It was good to be in a place where God is at the center of things, not at the fringes.” 

 And as though to silence those who believe that such retreats are valuable only for couples whose marriages are in trouble, one spouse declared, “ I have a perfect husband, so the idea that the retreat is for couples in trouble does not fit us and is not really true.  This retreat was perfect for us.” Another said, “I came to this retreat to find a way to improve myself, not for my spouse’s benefit.”  One couple came to the retreat to celebrate their wedding anniversary, and speaking for all, a participant declared, “This has really been a mountain top experience for me.”  The seminar ended with a solemn ceremony during which ten couples renewed their marriage vows.

One regret surfaced during the summing up session-- that many couples in our conference who could have benefited from the retreat did not attend.  Anita Pembleton, Gulf States Conference Director of Family Ministries and convener of the retreat, anticipates that couples will have another opportunity to attend a Gulf States Conference Couples’ retreat in the fall of 2008.