Marriage Task Force: A Model
Judith Washington and Janice Mauras
Washington and Mauras took attendees through the process the Spiritual
Assembly of New York City employed in delegating to a task force the
responsibilities of meeting with couples wanting to marry and couples
whose marriage is in trouble.
The Assembly, they said, carefully selected task force members for
their personal qualities, gave the body a clear mandate, and allowed
it six months to deepen and prepare before meeting with any couples.
A clean line of communication is maintained through an Assembly liaison
and periodic meetings, said Washington and Mauras.
Of course, the Assembly reserves final decision-making to itself in
any marital situation, said Washington and Mauras.
Attendees were handed materials that laid out all these steps. They
also were treated to a mock session in which two audience members played
a husband and wife requesting a year of waiting. The “couple”
played the situation for all it was worth—even wrestling for the
microphone at one point. Fortunately, said Washington, such acrimony
has been absent from sessions with real couples.
—Tom Mennillo, reporter
