A letter from Diane Hayward-Wright,
LMT member and ordinand

Dear Friends,

As we enter the season for wedding I thought I would offer you a recipe for a happy marriage....

Take two people who love and revere each other, two people who are content in each other's company and who want to spend the rest of their lives together. Add into that relationship mutual respect, faithfulness, trust and loyalty, leave to grow and develop.

Marriage is intended to be a creative relationship, where husbnad and wife support each other in good times and in bad. This is never easy, so to help with success add a good amount of "God's blessing".

Never forget that marriage will constantly need attention. If left unattended a slow deterioration in the realtionship, a growing apart and a breakdown of cummunications will result. To ensure continuing happiness, tend daily, with a mixture of loving words, attentive listening, respect and saying sorry.

Please don't think that everything will stay the same. After the first flush of love and desire reality may set in, but remember that anything this wonderful is worth working at. Enjoy the good times and come together often.

Now, with all recipes, success can't be guaranteed, sometimes the end result is nothing like you expected. Don't despair and don't give up, help is at hand. First share how you are feeling with each other, honour and respect each other always, pray together and invite God to be part of the difficult times as well as the good times. Don't forget that, at your marriage serivce, your friends and family promised to help and support you - take them up on that offer.

This recipe is not a guarantee for a long and lasting relationship. That is up to each and every individual who stands before God and makes that commitment. There will be times when you want to walk away, to be free of the promises you have made; but stop and think. Talk things through, seek help, never stop giving and loving, never stop asking God to be part of your marriage, forgive each other, admit you make mistakes and keep love alive and fresh.

May God bless all who are to be married in the coming months - and all of those already married.

Diane Hayward-Wright