<p> Through the creation of a website, this pilot study sought to clarify the needs of clergy and lay counselors who provide marital preparation services. Research has shown that marital preparation is correlated with an increase in later marital stability and satisfaction and a decrease in later marital discord and dissolution (Carroll &amp; Doherty, 2003; Stanley, 2001; Stanley, Amato, Johnson, &amp; Markman, 2006; Wilmoth, 2006). However, clergy, the primary providers of marital preparation, are often asked to provide a service they have little time, training, or resources to effectively provide. This online resource attempts to bridge the gap between providers and research, offering (a) a comparative analysis of three prominent marital preparation assessment tools (PREPARE, RELATE, FOCCUS), (b) basic summary information of current marital preparation research, and (c) relevant resources for a wide range of couples. Clergy, lay counselors, and professional therapists currently providing marital preparation services were asked to evaluate the clarity, organization, and relevance of the website via a brief online survey comprised of Likert-scale and open-ended questions.</p>

<p>From 2011?2015, The Master?s Touch ministry has been the formal agency for the work of visiting the sick and shut-in at the Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church in New York. The purpose of this study is to determine any correlation between the visitations themselves and the level of local church commitment by the visited family members over these four years. This study is important because persons visited receive the benefits of pastoral care, while the impact on their families may not be as apparent. This research will focus on data from interviews conducted with family members in order to ascertain if there is any change to their level of local church commitment.