This month we’re delighted to feature in Woman Alive magazine!
Thom & Ginny Gangway had been married for 9 months when they attended one of our weekends, Ginny told Woman Alive magazine about their experience and what’s involved …
I had only been part of King’s Church in Darlington for three weeks when I was introduced to Thom. It was March 2014 and I was staying with my aunt at the time. One Sunday morning, as we were getting ready for church, she came into my bedroom and boldly said: “You’re going to meet your husband today.”
Later that morning, we were introduced and we went on our first date the following Sunday. For us it really was love at first sight! We got engaged in the Lake District three months after meeting and married in December later that same year. Thom had been praying for a wife for a number of years and was all set on going out to Canada to work when along I came!
Before the wedding we did a marriage preparation course which we both really enjoyed. This was an opportunity to learn more about each other and ensure we were ready to be husband and wife. The couple who led the course are also members of King’s Church and Thom plays in the worship band with one of them, so we knew them, but we really got to know and trust each other through the marriage prep.
They were guests at our wedding and it was them who invited us to consider a Time for Marriage weekend, as they are one of the teaching couples. We jumped at the invite, seeing it as an opportunity to learn more about each other and to spend time with God.
We had booked the weekend quite a few months in advance and, to be honest, had put it to the back of our minds, as it seemed so far away. But suddenly the weekend was upon us and we spent a long, seven hours in the car travelling to the venue in Chepstow, Wales.
The Cwm is an absolutely beautiful place. It is very remote, peaceful and surrounded by natural beauty. From the moment we walked into the house, we immediately felt welcomed and at ease. The hosts truly spoil you with their homely touches, warm welcome and unbelievable food. We were shown to our bedroom by one of the teaching couples – it was called the Narnia room because you quite literally walked through the wardrobe and into a bathroom!
The teaching couples did an incredible job. I could see how enthusiastic they were by the amount of effort they put into preparing for sessions and their openness and confidence instantly put us at ease. It was really great to hear their stories and examples from their own marriages.
The programme was certainly jam-packed, but there was nothing in there that we didn’t find relevant or helpful. The sessions were around an hour each and included teaching and activities….
Read the rest of the article here.
