Staff Report

In 2005, there were 43,308 marriages and 22,076 divorces in Alabama, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When divorce takes place, it affects not only the couple involved, but their children, immediate family members and friends.

First Baptist Church, Fairhope is launching a new ministry next week to assist people in the Fairhope community who are currently going through separation and divorce as well as those having difficulty adjusting to being divorced.

“DivorceCare is an international non-denominational Christian support program that has been around since about 1995,” said program coordinator Larry Hipsh.

The structure of DivorceCare contains three main elements, Hipsh said. Each week starts with the presentation of a 30-40-minute video seminar featuring top experts on divorce and recovery subjects. According to the DivorceCare Web site, these videos are presented in a television magazine format and include real-life case studies and on-location video. Topics will include: What’s Happening to Me? The Road to Healing, Facing My Depression, Facing My Loneliness, Forgiveness, Financial Survival and New Relationships, to name a few.

Next, the care group discusses the topic they just viewed, Hipsh said, with the focus on “What did you learn?”

The rest of the evening is spent sharing “about problems individuals encountered during the week,” he said. “Of course, we open and close each session with prayer.”

While the course length is 13 weeks, folks can join at any time and stay longer than 13 weeks, if they feel the need, Hipsh said.

The care groups will be limited in size to 10-12 participants plus a facilitator.

“We have two facilitators, a male and a female and other leaders are available for additional groups,” he said.

DivorceCare will meet 6-8 p.m. each Thursday in the church library, 360 S. Section St.

“We plan on this being an ongoing ministry,” Hipsh said. For more information, contact Hipsh at 490-3006.