Marriage Ministry

At PCC we believe that Marriage unites one man and one woman in a lifetime commitment to each other (Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19:4-6).  Marriage provides for intimate companionship, pure sexual expression (Genesis 2:25; Ephesians 5:31-33), procreation, and reflects the relationship of Christ and the church (Genesis 1:28; Proverbs 5:15-19; 1 Corinthians 7:1-5).

A marriage that thrives and honors God, however, takes work from both the husband and wife in the context of the Body of Christ, allowing others to come alongside during times of adjustment, struggle and pain. To that end, PCC offers several ways for couples to work to enrich and strengthen their marriages during good as well as hard seasons.

• The Consortium Marriage Retreat: A biennial event we hold jointly with the Consortium of churches to which we belong.  It’s a relaxed weekend in the company of other couples who are pursuing God’s purpose for marriage. Generally held in late February or early March, this is an overnight retreat at a local hotel, with a main speaker(s) who is an expert in the field of marriage.
• Discipleship Classes: Included in the course offerings of Sunday morning discipleship classes will be the occasional option of a class focusing on marriage. An example of a class offered is Paul Tripp’s What Did You Expect?.
• Pre-Marital Counseling: In addition to planning for the big day, it is extremely important for couples to prepare for marriage itself. In premarital counseling a pastor or counselor will help a couple to identify how they unite their lives together as husband and wife. The Bible and other resources will be used to help the couple think through and discuss various topics including finances, conflict resolution, family, parenting, intimacy, and also roles and responsibilities. Pre-marital counseling is a requirement if you are going to be married by a PCC pastor or at our facility.
• Marriage Counseling:  When the struggles in your marriage are serious, PCC’s pastors and counselor on staff can walk with you through tough times. Contact the office (757-867-8530) to get in touch with a pastor or Chris Hamilton, counselor on staff (757-870-0149) for more information or to schedule a meeting.
• Marriage Mentors:  Marriage mentors at PCC are couples who walk alongside a husband and wife who need some marriage encouragement and/or enrichment. While a couple can seek out any couple whose marriage they admire and want to learn from, PCC recommends the following couples as those who are particularly gifted to come alongside those who want to grow in their marriage relationship.

Scott and Heather have called PCC home since 2018 and have been married for 25 years. They have two daughters in college.  Scott works as a financial planner and loves helping people with budgeting.  In Scott’s free time, he enjoys running while Heather enjoys connecting with other women on a deeper level, but also loves traveling and time with family.

Scott and Heather feel blessed that others have poured into their marriage over the years and would love to do the same for others. The Lord has called them to this ministry in this season and they desire to be used by Him for His glory.

Mike and Jamie have been married for 20 years and have three children. Mike is a dedicated elder and USAF officer, while Jamie enjoys teaching fitness classes and serving as a PCC Financial Assistant and Women’s Ministry leader. They enjoyed 16 exciting years as an Air Force family, living on three continents, before setting in Yorktown in 2018. They began attending PCC soon after moving to the area.

Jamie combines her caring and gentle disposition with her hard work ethic and attention to detail to fulfill her myriad of roles. Mike enjoys coffee with the bros and has a passion for counseling that has led him to pursue further education through the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF).

Together, Mike and Jamie aim to run their household with grace and love, but not without a laundry list of tough lessons learned over the years. They recognize how easy it is to slip into unhealthy relationship practices and have a deep desire to help others recognize those tendencies early. They hope to help couples build habits that cultivate marital oneness.

Jon and Jessica met in college and were married shortly thereafter. By God’s grace they have endured through 21 years of marriage with the help of friends, family and church community. Fellowship with other couples has always been a means of encouragement, refinement and conviction of selfish tendencies.

Jon and Jessica have always sought to be in a Christian community that is honest and open about the challenges of marriage so that God can bring true heart level change. They are convinced that every married couple goes through tough seasons and that God uses relationships with other couples to bring healing, transformation and hope.  They desire to bring healing and joyful hope to every married couple with whom they meet.

John and Tracey have been married 44 years and are passionate about marriage enrichment opportunities that help couples to thrive. They believe marriage enrichment is for all couples, not just those who are struggling. John and Tracey became active in marriage ministry 24 years ago, initially to improve their own marriage. Their growth lit a fire for them to help other couples (both premarital and married) avoid the same challenges they experienced.

As a couple in their 70’s with two adult children and two grandchildren, they have vast life and work experience.  Tracey has worked in both the medical and mental health fields, including work as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. John serves as an elder at PCC, after having directed the Newsome-Bailey Project and having served as an Air Force pilot. They love to help couples navigate a variety of areas including commitment and faithfulness, parenting adult children, helping older parents, transitioning to retirement, staying strong and connected through health issues, and changes related to aging, grief and loss, and finishing well. They give God the credit and glory for helping them to navigate the many milestones and hurdles of life. They are eager to continue serving God in their community as long as they are able.