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We are reaching out to you and those who have taken a large or small stake in our ministry since it began in 1981. We need your assistance in spreading the word and encouraging people to attend an important national event in March here in the Chicago area.
We have served the broader Catholic community locally and nationally in a variety of areas of outreach, as well as the constituents of the Healthy Marriage Initiative a decade ago. Still our hearts are in serving black families through our ministry of encouragement and empowerment.
As the heading above states, we are hosting the first National Black Catholic Marriage and Family Symposium at theHyatt Regency Schaumburg. The dates are March 4-5 with a pre-conferene that begins on March 3. This gathering will be much more than a conference but a symposium where participants will do much thought-sharing, both facilitated and informal.
We have lined up an impressive crew of speakers and facilitators. Go towww.marriageonalampstand.org to see the line up.
This initiative is an unprecedented collaboration among Black Catholic leaders and Catholic Family Life Ministry leaders. This Symposium is a pioneer initiative that will help fill some systemic gaps in providing effective outreach to African Americans by Catholic family life ministries. Fueled by the National Black Catholic Congress’Pastoral Plan of Action, Article IX, “Getting Married and Staying Married,” and the National Association of Catholic Family Ministers’ establishing a board position that focuses on African-American outreach, this initiative has broad support nationally.
Noted theologian Fr. Bryan Massingale will articulate a theology of marriage and family through a lens of social justice and in the context of the African-American Narrative (cultural, historical, and spiritual).Dr. Linda Malone-Colón of Hampton University and the National Center on African-American Marriage & Parenting (NCAAMP) will present the sociological imperative for a specialized outreach to African Americans. We (Andrew & Terri Lyke) will present a pragmatic strategy for effective outreach, which will be based on our 35 years of ministry and 40 years of marriage.
We intend to publish the outcomes of the facilitated conversations. It will be a document for the Church to use to better engage its Family Life initiatives with African Americans.
Partnering with us are the National Association of Black Catholic Ministers (NABCA), the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers (NACFLM), the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC), and ArusiNetwork.
We need this important gathering to be well attended. We ask you to help us promote the event by encouraging the people you know, couples (married or unmarried), pastoral ministers, catechists, and anyone who is a stakeholder of marriage, to participate. You may download a promotionalflyer by clicking here. Download a bulletin ad by clicking here. Register online by going to the website: www.marriageonalampstand.org.
There will be pre-conference certified training sessions, and free seminars. See the table below for pricing details.
Visit www.marriageonalampstand.org for bios and descriptions of presentations. The fruits of this initiative will be parishes and families more engaged. Such engagement strengthens families and thereby strengthens communities.
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od old days when humor didn't have to start with a four-letter word: Can't you just hear him saying these and then ending the program with a big smile and a "God bless!"
