Couples traveled to Portland from as far south as Medford, Oregon, and from the northern tip of Upper Columbia Conference for the North Pacific Union Conference Hispanic Marriage Festival, Feb. 28–29, 2020.
From its inception, this event was intentionally saturated with ongoing prayer. Organizers specifically asked God to rain down His Spirit so attendees would be able to catch a glimpse of God’s heart and His purpose for Spirit-driven marriages.
While many unchurched people may not be immediately open to attending a more traditional evangelistic series, many may be willing to attend a weekend marriage retreat that offers to teach healthy relationship skills that help them create more loving and healthy marriage and family relationships. Several visionary pastors decided to use this event as an opportunity to intentionally invite many non-Adventist couples.
The celebratory weekend included inspirational seminars and practical and easily applicable relationship skills. Couples were empowered to strip away destructive relationship habits and learn practical ways to implement the foundational principles of unconditional love, grace, compassion, and forgiveness. Attendees were challenged to authentically connect with God and each other in order to achieve marital unity.
Families can only be as healthy as the marriage is. The weekend helped couples find ways to invest intentional time, energy and financial resources into their marriages. This investment will help them create stronger, healthier families.
César De León, NPUC vice president for Hispanic ministries and director of family and men’s ministries, says, "Healthy churches, schools and communities are composed of healthy families. We want to help Northwest couples build strong relationships because a healthy home is one where children can grow and develop physically, spiritually and relationally."
No matter their ages, our children, grandchildren and unbelieving communities are desperately yearning to see the love of Jesus played out in loving marriages and families that testify that God’s love is powerful and real and that two very different people can live in harmony by His grace. We pray you will not only consider attending a marriage retreat in the future, but you will plan to invite nonmembers who may be blessed by encountering the Author of authentic, relational harmony.
