Preparing for Christian Marriage: An Inclusive Handbook for Straight and LGBTQ Couples Seeking a Joyful Marriage with Discussion Guide for Clergy

By Steve Wigall

In Preparing for Christian Marriage, the Reverend Steve Wigall offers an inclusive handbook for straight and LGBTQ couples seeking a joyful marriage, which includes a discussion guide to assist the clergy who are working with them. Through his years of Presbyterian ministry experience in the nurture and support of Christian co

• Language: English
• Publisher: SEGR Publishing LLC
• Release date: Dec 21, 2016
• ISBN: 9781619200586

Steve Wigall

Steve Wigall is an ordained Presbyterian pastor, teacher, writer, and spiritual director, honorably retired from the Presbytery of Northern New England. Steve has devoted a major part of his pastoral ministry to the nurture and training of Christian couples. He also spent over a decade involved in the leadership of the ministry of Presbyterian Marriage Encounter - an organization that focuses on the strengthening and enrichment of Christian Marriage. Those years of experience are reflected in this book. Steve was born in Lindsay, California on April the 15th, 1951 and was married in 1974. He graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz, earning an AB in Religion in 1972, and obtained a State Certificate in Elementary Education & Social Science from California State University-Bakersfield in 1973. From September 1974 to May 1977 he studied for and earned his master of divinity at Princeton Theological Seminary in NJ; then in 1978, he earned a postgraduate master's in Homiletics and Historical Theology, also from Princeton Theological Seminary. From August 1985 to May 1987, Steve studied and obtained a Certificate in Spiritual Guidance from the Guild for Spiritual Guidance - Wainwright House, Rye, NY. The program involved training in group and individual Spiritual Guidance and included the study of the History of Christian Spirituality and Jungian Psychology. From 1989 to 1998, Steve continued studying both Christian Spirituality and Psychology at Boston University School of Theology, earning a dual emphasis Doctorate of Theology. His pastoral career started at the United Presbyterian Church of Millstone, NJ, where he worked from January 1978 to January 1987, developing his skills in preaching, teaching, counseling, leadership training, administration, and fellowship building. In 1990, he assumed the position of pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Kennebunkport, ME, continuing to use his skills in leadership training to help build this young congregation. His teaching career included working from 1993 to 1997 at the Northern Essex Community College where he developed and taught courses in World Religions, Psychology, Acupressure, and Yoga. Steve's wide-ranging religious and spiritual knowledge and training have enabled him over the years to concentrate on offering both individual and small group spiritual direction. In 1995, Steve initiated a Spiritual Direction ministry named Spiritual Compass. At the same time, he began serving as Parish Associate at Eliot Presbyterian Church, Lowell MA. He continued this volunteer work until phasing it out in about 2010. Steve further brings Jin Shin Do acupressure training to his work, which speaks to his conviction that Spirit / Body interface and interaction are essential to a healthy Christian spiritual life. He strives to help his clients work toward spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical wholeness as individuals, as married couples, as family members, and as active members of their communities. Steve currently makes his skills available as a resource to the ELCA Lutheran church where he is active as a volunteer in Andover, MA; and to the ministry of the Gay Christian Network (GCN: gaychristian. net) where he volunteers as a General Moderator on their blog site.

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