Better Marriages North Carolina Council is a group of couples who believe in marriage, know that a good marriage takes some work, and that communication with other married couples really helps improve our own relationships. We are affiliated with Better Marriages, a nonsectarian nonprofit which is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We are not affiliated with any religious denomination. The North Carolina Council invites you to consider making your marriage the best it can be. Help yourself while helping others! |
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Please look through our website and see how you can participate with other North Carolina couples. |
Educating Couples for Vibrant, Lifelong Relationships
We all want the same thing, whether our relationship has just begun or we've been married for years: We want ahealthy, mutually-satisfying
relationship with the one we love. Check us out. We're confident you'll
find something that serves your interests well. Better Marriages North
Carolina exists to serve you as a couple, whatever the stage of your
life and relationship.
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Mission and Vision
Mission
To promote better marriages by providing enrichment opportunities and resources to strengthen couple relationships, increase intimacy, and enhance personal growth, mutual fulfillment, and family wellness.Vision
To create a network of couples building healthy marriages by providing marriage education and enrichment opportunities in partnership with other public, private, and faith-based organizations.History
In September of 1967, and at the age of 60, David Mace moved to Winston-Salem, NC to become a Professor of Sociology with the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University. Previously David and his spouse Vera had jointly served as executive directors of the American Association of Marriage Counselors from 1960-1967, and even earlier during the 1940’s as joint directors of the Marriage Guidance Council in England. They would both move to the United States in 1949 when David would begin his first decade of professorship at Drew University in New Jersey, before finally making their last move to North Carolina.
Following a lifetime of “working for better marriages”, David and Vera would establish the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment (ACME) on their fortieth wedding anniversary in July of 1973. Following their slogan for ACME, “to work for better marriages, beginning with our own”, David and Vera would create an organization that married couples could join to express their support of marriage and grow in their marriage relationship. This emphasis would significantly differ from their earlier focus on counseling and intervention, and instead focus on enrichment and education. According to David Mace:
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“Our hope was that it might be quite natural (with no direct religious, political or professional connections of any kind) and might, therefore, become a coordinating agency for other organizations that were developing programs in this new field; that it might undertake the task of setting standards for leadership; that it might encourage the development of local chapters which could promote in their communities the cause of better marriage.” (Mace, Close Companions, 1982). |
Following the lead of David and Vera, a small group of North Carolina couples, many from the Winston-Salem area, soon joined to establish the Association for Couples in Marriage Enrichment North Carolina Council. With a focus on marriage support groups and education, the North Carolina Council has grown to include local chapters and marriage enrichment groups from Asheville to Wilmington.
Additionally, the North Carolina Council has presented an annual
marriage enrichment conference for three decades, historically during
the month of February. Most recently, following the lead of the
national organization (Better Marriages), our state council has
undergone a name change, becoming known as Better Marriages NC, and has
continued to operate with one of the largest state memberships
nationally. Additionally, North Carolina is the home of the Better
Marriages national office, located in Winston-Salem, NC.
Upcoming Event: 2015 Better Marriages North Carolina's Annual Marriage Enrichment Event
Make sure you save the date for March 6-7, 2015 -- it is the
perfect time for a marriage enrichment event!! Better Marriages North Carolina is planning another great marriage enrichment retreat for March 6-7, 2015. We want you to join us! The retreat will focus on "Unplug to Reconnect: Disconnecting From Distractors to Enhance our Relationships." The retreat will be held at the Embassy Suites in Cary, North Carolina. Registration and program details will follow. Be sure to put this gathering on your calendar now! |
Past Event: 2014 "Let Love Lure You In" Marriage Enrichment Event
A great group of couples escaped to a
romantic
mountain inn for a
weekend filled with education, connections and experiences focused on
enriching their marriages! We gathered on April 4-6, 2014,
at the
Lake Lure Inn, where scenes from the iconic movie Dirty Dancing was
filmed. A highlight of the wonderful weekend was the program facilitated by expert leaders Clay and Jane Turner, who guided couples to help everyone discover the full potential in their marriages. You can check out the print brochure here. |
Past Event: 2013 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
Couples had a wonderful time at the Better Marriages NC's
annual conference on February 8-9, 2013, in Clemmons, NC. Using the
theme of
"Keep It Simple Sweetie," we offered quality sessions
designed to help couples look at their relevant issues.
Presenters were local experienced favorites who present
marriage enrichment in very entertaining and meaningful ways, and
married couples had the opportunity to hear and dance to your favorite
love
songs during the conference! This was a great time to connect with
other couples
committed to their marriages and it was definitely a weekend to
remember. Check out the brochure here. |
Past Event: 2012 North Carolina Retreat and Conference
Thank you to everyone who joined us for a fantastic marriage
enrichment experience in
western
North Carolina on Friday, April 20 to Sunday, April 22, 2012. From
quality sessions designed to help couples look at their relevant
issues, to fantastic local mountain music, dancing and dining where
couples connected with others committed to their marriages, to
exclusive time to enjoy the area's beautiful offerings, this was
certainly a weekend to remember. To see more about the program, take a
look at the brochure
here. |
Past Event: 2011 North Carolina Retreat & Conference
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We had a wonderful time in 2011 at our annual retreat and conference. Using the theme of "Stop in the Name of Love: Relax, Reconnect, Renew," more than 40 couples gathered in Raleigh to focus on enriching their marriages. To see more about the program, take a look at this brochure. |
Visit these links to view a variety of materials for a wide range of couple interests, available from the Better Marriages national website:
Contact Us
North Carolina Board Members
NC COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUPLE Jim and Kathy Weidner Charlotte, NC |
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NC COUNCIL SECRETARY/TREASURER COUPLE Chris and Ron Musgrave Winston-Salem, NC |
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NC COUNCIL PAST PRESIDENT COUPLE Carl and Nancy Terry Raleigh, NC 919-845-4825 nmterry@nc.rr.com |
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NC COUNCIL DIRECTOR COUPLES | |
Jim and Leslie Rhodes Burlington, NC 336-229-6335 JRLLRHODES@aol.com |
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Joel and Joyce Goodwin Salisbury, NC |
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Cranford and Othella Johnson Winston-Salem, NC |
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Elaine and William Matthews Garner, NC 919-229-4456 pastorwmwm@gmail.com |
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Wayne and Turner Tamberelli Rocky Mount, NC |
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If you are interesting in
serving on the board, please contact Kathy and Jim Weidner |
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Marriage Enrichment Group Contact Couples
Asheville, NC
Ann and Dennis Wooten Burlington, NC |
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Jim and Kathy
Weidner Charlotte, NC |
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David Salman and
Nancy Mayer Durham, NC |
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Nancy and Carl Terry Fayetteville, NC |
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J’Metria
& Arthur Anderson Garner and Clayton area, NC |
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Doug Burns and Janet Doughty Raleigh, NC |
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Joel and Joyce Goodwin Salisbury, NC |
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Turner
and
Wayne
Tamberelli Wilson/Rocky Mount/Greenville areas, NC |
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Skip and Jean
Larson Winston-Salem, NC |
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Nancy and Carl Terry Other Areas in NC |