Reconciling Marital Conflict preparation material

Thank you for registering for Reconciling Marital Conflict training!

As is typical of PeaceWise training events, you will need to plan your time wisely during this training event. We have purposely designed the schedule to be demanding. Please make every effort to arrive on time.   Registration is at 8:10am and we will begin promptly at 8:30am and finish at 5pm.

Appropriate dress at the training event is casual. Please bring a light layer for warmth in case the hosting site has a particularly active cooling system.

Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea are included in your training fee. Please email [email protected] if you require a vegetarian meal or you have dietary restrictions (allergies).

In order to be properly prepared for the course there are some pre-course things we need you to do. These are very important.

All of the pre-course assignments have been designed to help maximise your learning experience. You may already have completed some aspects of this preparation in doing other PeaceWise training before this event.

1. You should already have read The Peacemaker by Ken Sande as part of your preparation for Conflict Coaching.
   This resource is helpful for understanding a foundational biblical theology of resolving conflict and is the basis for all PeaceWise training. It is vital that you have read this book before attending, as the basic concepts are assumed knowledge for this training.
2. Please download the following and do what each dot point says you need to with each of these items:
   • RMC – Role Play Facts
     Please carefully study the enclosed Mike and Sarah Fuller case information. You need to be fully familiar with this information, so that you can easily follow what is happening over the duration of the course. Please note: Although this case is based on an actual case, the names and other identifying details have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the parties. To further guard the integrity of the Christian conciliation process, please do not discuss the details of this case with anyone outside of the class. Practice confidentiality.
   • Download and read What is Christian Mediation?  and our sample Mediation Agreement including the Rules of Procedure that follows that document. Make notes on your Rules, highlighting any information that might be relevant to conciliating the Fuller case.
   • RMC – Preparation for mediation
   • RMC – Policy Regarding Separation and Divorce
   • Reading: Please prayerfully and thoughtfully review the enclosed materials before you arrive:– RMC – A Comprehensive and Intensive Approach to Reconciling Marital Conflict
     – Chapter 4, “Mediation Process,” of the Mediation Self Study Manual provided to you in hard copy when you completed your earlier Mediation Training with PeaceWise (note, if you are doing Mediation Training with PeaceWise immediately before this training, you can read the chapter after you receive the manual at that training)
   • Reflection: Thoughtfully, but briefly, in a letter no more than one page in length:
     Prepare a written “Memo to the Church” that you can use to mail to Mike and Sarah’s pastor to explain how you might serve the Fullers as a marriage conciliator. Pay careful attention to educating the pastor about the mediation process using both of the articles assigned above in the Reading section. In addition, be sure to consider Rule 15 from the Rules of Procedure for Christian Mediation, as well as any other important aspects of the Rules. This assignment will be used during a Table Exercise on the first day and then will be debriefed during a Group Reflection.   You will not be asked to hand in this assignment.

• Please bring:
  • the enclosed resources
  • your completed preparatory assignments
  • a printout of the Rules of Procedure for Christian Mediation (with your notes and underlines)
  • your copy of The Peacemaker
  • a printout of the enclosed Preparation for Mediation document
  • your Bible, notepaper, pens, pencils, and anything else that you believe would be helpful as you serve in a marital conciliation case.

Please familiarise yourself with the Venue. We have noted how to get to your course and parking details on our locations page. Your venue is listed in the initial confirmation email you received from us.

We look forward to seeing you at the training. 🙂

The PeaceWise Team