Parents Matching Convocation and Matching Advisor Training
The National Blessing and Family Ministry, in partnership with the Columbus Church, is hosting a Parents Matching Convocation (PMC) and Matching Advisor Training from July 11 to 13, 2014, at the Columbus Family Church in Ohio.
The PMC is a wonderful opportunity for parents to understand the Matching process, learn from those who have matched their children successfully, network with other parents and consider potential Matching candidates. More information on the fees, registration, accommodations, how to prepare or update candidate profiles, and other details can be found at bfm.familyfed.org.
Participants in this PMC will receive the brand-new, vastly improved 2nd edition of the Family Matching Handbook (in English or Japanese). They will learn about the Matching websites, the international Matching process and other resources to support them in matching their children. They also can meet Matching Advisors who are prepared to assist and support them.
If you are a parent of a Matching candidate, the blessed sibling of a candidate, or a parent interested in learning more about the Matching process and your role in it, the PMC is for you! To register for the PMC, visit www.blessedfamilies.org and click on the pink PMC registration banner on the right side, above the Matchbook logo. Be sure to register by June 24 to get the early-bird price!
Passionate about supporting happy and healthy marriages and families? Looking for a way to help individuals and families in the Matching process? Consider receiving training to become a Matching Advisor.
A training and certification for prospective Matching Advisors will be held Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12, 2014, together with the PMC in Ohio. The MA Training will be held Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., with additional sessions integrated with the PMC Friday evening and Saturday until 6:00 p.m. The training will be conducted by Crescentia DeGoede and Debby Gullery of the Blessing and Family Ministry in the USA, and other Senior Matching Advisors. The training is free for qualified participants. Lunch and snacks are included on Friday. Participants are encouraged to remain for the Saturday evening and Sunday session of the PMC, which ends at 2:00 p.m.
The ideal MA should feel called to this ministry, be trustworthy, a good listener, a patient communicator, and happily blessed in marriage. He or she also should have available a few hours per week to devote to this ministry on an ongoing basis. Advisors will be trained to help candidates and parents develop a clear plan for the Matching process, assist them in finding potential candidates, and support them through the process as needed. The BFM will provide the handbooks, interview forms and support materials, and will train and certify Matching Advisors, according to the international guidelines. Advisors work according to their own schedule and availability, and should freely develop their “gift” for this ministry. But they should work according to the international guidelines, and connect to their local or district pastor and Family Ministry.
To participate in the training, register online at bfm.familyfed.org. You must pre-register in order to participate in the training. You will be prompted to fill out some basic information and a questionnaire, and upload a recommendation letter from your local or district pastor. If you plan to participate in the entire Parents Matching Convocation from Friday, July 11, in the evening to Sunday, July 13, in the afternoon, please indicate this on your registration form. (Additional registration on blessedfamilies.org is not necessary). Matching Advisor Training participants can attend the PMC for a total of $50 per individual, to be paid at the door (a savings of $50 off the regular early-bird price). Arranging accommodations is the responsibility of each participant. Information about possible accommodations can be found here.