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Nassau/Suffolk, NY Area News

David & Claire Hall

-THE LARGEST WEEKEND given on Long Island in the past 18 years is planned for the Weekend of June 3-5, 2005. Thirty-eight couples (29 L.I. & 9 Brooklyn/Queens & Archdiocese of NY) couples with 8 additional couples on the waiting list! Teams are: Torio, Morasse, Winkler, & Fr. Dan). What a gift for the Winklers - it's their first Weekend as a team! Powerful dynamics already built into the Weekend by the large attendance!

The increased bookings are a result of three major efforts:
  - Pulpit Talks at about 5 parishes in the past 3 months,
  - offering a 2-1/2 hour evening to pastors for their married couples entitled "Making Marriage & Family Work”,
  - combining efforts between Long Island & Brooklyn/Queens to effect better use of pooled resources.

We also believe that the increase in Weekend attendance is the result of a renewed level of prayer each and every month (Rosaries, Novenas, Prayer Groups, Bible Study, and offering Mass each week for increase in Weekend attendance). We hope and pray that this large Weekend will generate excitement, renewed commitment, and more full Weekends.

-27 COUPLES attended L.I. Enrichment Night on May 21st at Our Lady of Lourdes in West Islip to hear three talks on relationship. Three couples told their story...how the Weekend transformed their lives; but also how Community made the values of the Weekend come alive on a day by day basis.

Bob & Marilyn Greene (encountered 34 years) were first to speak of their extraordinary journey, Joe & Linda Cardali (encountered 14 years) talked about the Mass and how the Liturgy of the Word is like the Weekend and the Liturgy of the Eucharist is tied into Community/Body of Christ. Vinny & Isabell McGuire (encountered 25 years) were next to share their journey and how their lives were changed. It was a special evening and all who attended left enriched and convinced that dialogue was the key to keeping the fire burning AND being around other Encountered Couples insured growth and being on track.

-WE PLANNED an Evening of Spirituality, with world renowned speaker Babsie Bleasdale at Our Lady of Lourdes on Monday, June 13th at 7:00 p.m. Babsie's spirituality has been shared around the world and she has spoken directly with Pope John Paul II. While this is not a direct Marriage Encounter evening, it is "sponsored and hosted by WWME" and gives us an opportunity to reach out to the community at large. We provide coffee, cake, and tri-folds after Babsie's talk and a chance to meet scores of M.E. Couples and see our light shine!

- LONG ISLAND WILL host a RECRUITING "Cruise to Nowhere" on the night of August 20th on the S.S. Moonchaser out of Captree Boat Basin. Refreshments, music and a 15 minute talk on the Weekend. Who can resist a romantic moonlight cruise with scores of Encountered Couples in the background and an intimate talk on the Weekend? Then music, dancing, and FUN, FUN, FUN!!! It's a great, non-threatening way, to get the message out about our Weekend and our values. Unencountered couples can rub elbows with us and see that we can dance, we can have fun... and we can change the world!

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