According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were 15,900 divorces, in Ark., in 2008 and the U.S. Census Bureau also shows a rise in divorces all across America.
The Elrod Center hosts an annual event to slow this trend called Dating, Engagement, Marriage and Family week (DEM). DEM this year will be March 1-6. DEM “is dedicated to educating single and married students alike about the process of building strong relationships. During this week, we make it our goal to create events that cater to your needs to help you develop healthy dating, marriage and family relationships.”- according to the Elrod Center Web site.
According to Ian Cosh, director of the Elrod Center, the week will help couples build healthy relationships.
“None of us can avoid the impact of divorce. We all have a friend, roommate or have personally seen divorce within our own families. DEM will not address the topic of divorce directly, but it will address building healthy relationships.” Building healthy relationships inadvertently prevents divorce. DEM will address each relationship phase that students may go through.
“For our engaged and married couples there will be a dinner, with guest speakers, at the Honeycomb restaurant,” Cosh said. “There will be about 40 couples attending the dinner this year. For our married couples there will be a two day seminar at the end of the week at the Wingate Hotel in Little Rock of which there will be about 20 couples attending the retreat this year.”
Cosh is hoping that God will be in control of the week. “Events like these should be bathed in prayer,” Cosh said. “The hope is people with needs will show up.”
Judy Duvall, assistant director of the Elrod Center, is excited about the upcoming DEM week. “This is a fun week on our campus,” Duvall said. “Our students are of course interested in romantic relationships and we want to give them the tools they need to have strong relationships centered in Christ. We try to have something for everyone. We have an incredible line-up of speakers for the week that students will really enjoy.”
DEM is for more than married couples. “I would encourage all students to take part in the events of this week whether they are in a relationship or not,” said Duvall. “Come to noonday on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Take part in the breakout sessions at the Elrod Center. Be at refuge on Thursday night. All of the events are designed to be help students communicate better and relate to the opposite sex whether they are in a relationship or not.”
Duvall said there would be a few changes this year. “One thing that we are doing differently this year is adding breakout sessions at the Elrod Center on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to give students more opportunities to learn about how to have good healthy relationships with the opposite sex. These sessions will be a fun interactive time with good food to go along with it.”
The breakout session on Monday will be geared towards all students. The break out session on Tuesday will be split into guys and girls groups. The breakout session on Wednesday will be for seriously dating and engaged couples.
DEM will be hosting two free events for engaged and married couples.
“On Tuesday night, March 2, there will be a dinner for couples at the Honeycomb Restaurant here in Arkadelphia. Dr. Guy and Roxanna Grimes from California Baptist University in Riverside, California will be our speakers for the evening,” said Duvall. “On March 5-6, there will be a retreat in Little Rock at the Wingate Hotel. The theme for this year’s retreat is “Conflict Management: The Power of Healthy Conflict.” The speakers will be Dr. Chris and Alisa Grace from Biola University in La Mirada, California. Each year the Elrod Center receives a grant to provide this retreat for married and engaged students at OBU.”
Dan Jarboe will be appearing again this year at DEM.
“Dr. Dan Jarboe, university counselor will speak at noonday with his wife, Kyle, and at two different breakout sessions during the week. He spoke in chapel last year addressing the topic of dating. He was very well received by the students and has a lot of experience in counseling students in the areas of relationships.”
For more information about DEM week contact Judy Duvall at duvallj@obu.edu or visit the Elrod Center’s Web site at www.obu.edu/Elrod.
By Glenn Bolton, Signal Writer
