Trinity Christian Fellowship will sponsor a marriage retreat beginning on Friday, Jan. 13, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and continuing on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., led by Pastor Larry H. Ellis and his wife, Jan.

"Dr. Emerson Eggerichs' teaching on love and respect will be the basis for our marriage retreat," says Ellis. "It is biblically based and profoundly insightful. Many thousands of couples have had their marriages rejuvenated and have experienced a rebirth of joy in their unions as a consequence of Dr. Eggerichs' conferences throughout the United States. Jan and I will facilitate the discussion and application of these teachings. At a time when many marriages are under great stress, these biblical insights are an answer to prayer that will give hope and wholeness to many."

Love and Respect Ministries founder Dr. Eggerichs explains the ministry by saying, "We believe love best motivates a woman, and respect most powerfully motivates a man. Research reveals that during marital conflict a husband most often reacts when feeling disrespected, and a wife reacts when feeling unloved. >

"We asked 7,000 people this question: When you are in a conflict with your spouse or significant other, do you feel unloved or disrespected? > Eighty-three percent of the men said 'disrespected.' Seventy-two percent of the women said 'unloved.' Though we all need love and respect equally, the felt need differs during conflict, and this difference is as different as pink is from blue!"

The marriage seminar scheduled by Trinity is another step taken by the Ellises to reach out to minister to young couples who are rearing young children. "When we first accepted the call to this church, we knew we wanted to reach out in different ways to families," says Ellis. "I deeply love to preach and minister to all of our members, but in today's culture, with its increasingly corrosive moral values, our youngsters are being put in harm's way. For that reason, Jan and I - along with the enthusiastic support of our members - want to make our support of families a top priority. We must address their needs if the health of our families and community is to be sustained."

Noting the growing number of military spouses who attend Trinity's Wives of Warriors Military Support Group, Ellis mentions the number of older church members who enjoy being "grandmas and grandpas" to these families during "date night" and other WOW activities.

The marriage retreat will be held in Trinity Hall with a pizza dinner served on Friday evening and lunch provided on Saturday. Child care will be provided.

For more information, call (910) 215-5775 or Victoria Jacobs at (910) 420-2550.