Purpose

The purpose of a Couples’ Retreat is to build godly marriages through a time away from home in an atmosphere of fun, fellowship, and Biblical teaching on marriage. 

Sample Retreat Planning…

• Reserve a hotel or resort location within 1-2 hours driving time of church. Pick a place that is scenic with many things to do in the area (shopping, golfing, sightseeing.
• Begin the retreat on Friday with a dinner and conclude it on Saturday at noon.
• Book a hotel with a large dining area to dine the entire group.
• Reserve smaller rooms to accommodate split sessions and a larger room to accommodate the entire group (you may have to pay to rent additional rooms, or you may just want to stay in the dining room and have your sessions there at no cost).
• Be original and creative. Don't go to the same place every year, or keep the same format every year, or the same speaker. (Various ideas: have each person bring a gift for their spouse, have a Hawaiian Luau, have each couple bring wedding photos, prepare couples’ devotions for the couples to do together.)
• Have a welcome table at the check-in entrance. On the table include: a welcome sign, retreat booklets, name tags, candles and matches, candy, hot chocolate, etc.
• Budget approximately $200 for dinner, the overnight stay, and breakfast. To encourage couples to come, you may want to subsidize some of this cost (our church pays half).
• Have a list of babysitters available to help out those who can't find anyone to watch their children (include teenagers and singles and widows). Ask for people who cannot go to the retreat to sign up as babysitters for others.

Promoting the Retreat

•  Provide pamphlets of the area and lodging where you will be staying.
•  Put a sign-up list out 3 months in advance.
•  Have couples share a testimony of attending a couples’ retreat.
•  Add to your church budget under church activities to help offset some of the costs. It is a great investment of discipleship dollars to disciple husbands and wives.
•  Emphasize that a good marriage is a taste of heaven!

Format

Friday
3 p.m. - Check-in
6 p.m. - Dinner

Saturday