| Better Marriages North Carolina 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. Better Marriages North Carolina 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 a|
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healthy,
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 establishment of the parent organization, 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, North Carolina has grown to include marriage enrichment groups across the state.
Most recently, following the lead of the national
organization (Better Marriages), our state organization
has undergone a name change, becoming known as Better
Marriages NC, and continues to operate with one of the
largest state memberships nationally. Better Marriages
North Carolina has presented an annual marriage
enrichment conference for four decades, frequently
during the month of February. Additionally, North
Carolina is the home of the Better Marriages national
office, located in Winston-Salem, NC.
Coming Event: 2024 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
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Revitalize Your Relationship with Our Passion and Play Weekend!
Are you ready to infuse more passion and play into your relationship? We understand the desire to reconnect and have fun together, and we're here to help! Join us for an unforgettable weekend filled with exciting activities designed to bring you closer together. Check out a few of the choices we are planning to make available to you on Saturday afternoon around the graphic above. How will you decide? Get to know your leadership team by scrolling down to see some photos and impressive credentials. We know you will enjoy getting to interact with not only the leaders, but the other fun couples who have already registered to be there.
** Event Details: **
- ** Date: ** September 6-8, 2024 - ** Registration Fee: ** $240 per couple (registration closes August 30) - ** Fee includes meals on Friday night, Saturday lunch, and Saturday dinner. - ** Location: ** DoubleTree Hilton RTP, Durham, NC ** Special Offer: ** If you've never attended a Better Marriages of North Carolina weekend retreat, conference, or getaway weekend, you're eligible for our special first-time attendee rate of just $120 per couple! This offer is limited, so act fast to secure your spot. ** Accommodation: ** Your getaway registration does not include hotel arrangements, but we've secured a special discounted rate of $119 per night (a total of $270.13 for two nights, including taxes) at the DoubleTree Hilton RTP. This rate includes breakfast for two each morning and must be booked by August 7th to guarantee the rate and room availability. Use the "Book Now" button below to reserve your room online or call the hotel directly at 919-941-6000 and request the "Better Marriages 24" rate. Don't miss that August 7th deadline. ** That's everything you need to know! ** Spaces are limited, and our special discount won't last long. Register now to ensure you and your partner can join us for a weekend of connection, laughter, and lasting memories.
** We can't wait to see you in September! **
  Note: Saturday afternoon choices are still being added and all choices suggested above may not be available depending on weather, space limitations, and the availability of the providers. Consider the current list representative of some of the options from which you will be able to choose. |
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Friday Night Session Leaders
| "Hinsons and Liebermans" |
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Chuck Hinson and Renée Colclough-Hinson have been married for 40 years and involved in Marriage Enrichment since their 6-month anniversary. They love attending
and sharing leadership at events all over the USA and have led events in South Africa as well.
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Larry and MJ Lieberman have been members of ACME/Better Marriages for over 20 years. They have been married for 42 years.
They are a certified leader couple and look forward to the next Better Marriages getaway and to presenting with Chuck and Renee.
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Saturday Morning Speakers
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"Michael and Myra Holmes"
From Yorktown, VA, Michael and Myra serve as members of the Better Marriages National Board of Directors, both
on the Human Resources Committee. Michael serves as Secretary and is on the Executive Committee. They have also
served on the Better Marriages Training and Certification Committee and presented workshops at the International
Marriage Enrichment Conferences. Michael and Myra are authors of the book Fighting for Your Military Marriage,
published in 2020.
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Saturday Evening Speakers
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"Ken and Vernita Griffith"
Ken and Vernita are happy to serve on the Better Marriages National Board of Directors. They have been connected to Better Marriages since 2007 and are lifetime members.
They also serve as the marriage ministry leaders for their church and enjoy planning creative and enriching events.
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Sunday Morning Speakers
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"Jean and Lee Cheese"
Lee and Jean from Atlanta, Georgia were married in 1992. They are former members of the National Board of Directors for Better Marriages
and have served on the Better Marriages GA Board since 2013. They have been Leadership trained with Better Marriages and have delivered
several workshops at local Get Away Conferences.
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Past Event: 2023 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
| "Love is Something you Do" |
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During the weekend of September 8-10, 2023, couples who wanted
to grow their relationship gathered for a weekend
of skills building and fun in the Research Triangle Park area of Durham, NC. |
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Past Event: 2022 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
| "Pandemic Recovery Great Date" |
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Better Marriages NC hosted an online event
APRIL 2, SATURDAY, 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time
featuring
CLAUDIA AND DAVID ARP, MSW
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The main event was followed by an excellent training opportunity:
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Past Event: 2019 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
| "Reaching New Heights" |
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During the weekend of April 26-28, 2019, couples who wanted
to grow their relationship gathered for a weekend
of skills building and fun in Montreat, NC. |
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Past Event: 2018 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
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This event was
held in Raleigh/Durham NC in March of 2018. The
online brochure can be reviewed below.
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| "Do You Hear Me Now: Communicating
Your Way to Intimacy" |
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Michael
& Myra will share their communication
highs and lows throughout their 40-year
relationship and 37 years of
marriage. Today they may look like
the perfect couple, but they’ve come a
long way since they said, “I do.” During
this presentation, they will share how
they stumbled upon a path toward intimacy
and oneness. |
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| About the Presenters: Marriage Facilitators Michael and Myra Holmes have been courting for 40 years and have survived and thrived more than 37 years of marriage. They are Certified Professional Life Coaches, Certified Better Marriages Leader Couple, Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitators, and Co-Marriage Ministry Servant Leaders at Six Mount Zion Baptist Temple. In addition, Michael and Myra present marriage/relationship seminars for the Hampton Department of Social Services Healthy Family Partnership and Mary Immaculate Hospital. They have coached and mentored hundreds of couples over the years. Michael served 27 years in the U.S. Air Force before he retired in May 2006 in the rank of Colonel. Myra and Michael reside in York County, VA. Mike and Myra enjoy helping couples learn how to give and receive love. |
Saturday Workshops
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"Speaking to be
Heard: Are you talking to ME?!" with Jim and Johnne Armentrout Communicating is not a science—it’s an art. And we all have our own style of the art of communicating. So how do we make our style of speaking, including the non-verbal signals we all have and use, effectively heard by our spouse? We’ll explore some styles of communicating and some tips on how to be as effective as possible. Be ready to explore your own styles of couple communicating and be ready to be open to some changes in that process. |
| About the Presenters: For nearly 40 of their 49 years of marriage, Jim and Johnne have been involved in Better Marriages. They have experienced the depth and breadth of Better Marriages from a local Marriage Enrichment Group to the National Board of Directors. Having presented at many Better Marriages national conferences, state conferences and local chapter meetings, their experience in presenting the topics of concern to conference participants in a creative and entertaining manner is well known to previous attendees. Johnne is still doing private counseling on a part-time basis and Jim continues to use his legal training as a consultant to a utility contracting company. The families of their 3 children, which include 8 grandchildren, all of whom live within 10 minutes of their home in Winston-Salem, keep them busy with a most important aspect of life—family. |
"Listening to Understand" with Hal and Roberta Melton The ASSUMPTION that words spoken are understood, even with the full attention of the listener, can frustrate communication (in the least) and even lead to misunderstanding that hurts our relationship! Let's have some fun demonstrating this phenomenon and then look at some ways to enhance understanding (and thus minimize misunderstanding). |
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| About the Presenters: Hal and Roberta Melton celebrated their 43rd anniversary of marriage this year. They are proud parents and grandparents. Both are still working - Hal as associate pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Raleigh and Roberta as practice manager at Internal Medicine and Pediatric Associates in Cary. They are a Better Marriages Leadership Couple and enjoy leading a thriving Marriage Ministry in their church as well as doing retreats for others. |
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"Speaking + Listening = Dialogue" with Eddie and Sylvia Robertson In Better Marriages, Dialogue lets couples join their speaking and listening skills hand in hand, knee to knee and heart to heart. Dialogue can be used for multiple purposes: checking in, exploring, problem solving, affirmation. It can be used by one couple at home or, when witnessed by others, is a wonderful source of cross-learning when couples share experiences and not advice. This workshop is intended for first timers and for those who have enjoyed using dialogue for many years. |
| About the Presenters: Eddie and Sylvia Robertson are a Trainer Couple for Better Marriages. They are Editors of the Leaders' Forum, authors of Wonderful Wednesdays; 52 Conversations for Couples, and facilitators of the Virtual Marriage Enrichment Group, first Tuesdays at 8 pm Eastern Time. Their blogs are posted at www.eddieandsylviarobertson.com and on Eddie and Sylvia Robertson Marriage Enrichment on Facebook. |
Past Event: 2017 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
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Couples from Charlotte to
Burlington and points in between gathered for a
wonderful dinner and program in February of 2017
at the Village Inn and Events Center in Clemmons,
NC. The Program based on Gary Chapman’s book on The
Five Love Languages was led by MaryJane and
Larry Lieberman. The food was delicious and the
program was even better. All present were grateful
to Jean Brewer and other organizers of the event
for providing a great evening of fun and
fellowship. |
Past Event: 2016 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
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More than 40 couples gathered
for a wonderful weekend in April 2016 at the Lake
Junaluska resort to explore the topic of "Buidling
a Healthy Marriage." Seven speaker couples
presented various topics that helped
partners consider the importance of creating
healthy or healthier marriages.
More information about the program is available in
the brochure linked here. |
Past Event: 2015 North Carolina Organization's Marriage Enrichment Event
| A great group of couples enjoyed a fantastic
conference/retreat in Cary on March 6-7, 2015 to
explore the theme of "Unplug to Connect:
Disconnecting from Distractors to Enhance Your
Relationship." In addition to top-notch presenters
and meaningful opportunities to enjoy inentional
dialogue, the event featured fun time for
socializing and sharing between couples. You can
see more about the program by reviewing the
brochure here. |
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
| President Couple |
Candy and Doug Murray 828-450-5098 Weaverville |
| Past President Couple |
Carl and Nancy Terry Raleigh |
| Vice President Couple |
Hal and Roberta Melton Raleigh |
| Secretary Couple |
Chris and Ron Musgrave Winston-Salem |
| Treasurer Couple |
Chris and Ron Musgrave Winston-Salem |
| Directors at Large |
Beth and Jim Flanagan Raleigh |
| Chuck and Renee Hinson Winston-Salem |
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| MJ and Larry Lieberman Charlotte |
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| Dave and Sue Long Weaverville |
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Marriage Enrichment Group Contact Couples
| Charlotte |
Larry and MJ Lieberman 704-232-0891 or 704-534-1988 |
| Durham |
Tom and Polly Harris 919-682-6971 |
| Raleigh The "NUTMEG" |
Carl and Nancy Terry 919-556-2696 (Carl) 919-559-2827 (Nancy) |
| Raleigh Trinity Baptist Church (4 groups) |
Van and Julie Daughtry 910-590-6373 |
| Raleigh/Durham |
Jennifer Taylor and Sam Tannous 919-402-7622 |
| Winston-Salem |
Jean and Ray Brewer 336-978-8611 or 336-972-6941 |
| Zoom Marriage Enrichment Group |
Carl and Nancy Terry 919-845-4825 Doug and Candy Murray 828-450-5098 |