The pastors of the Fresno area have an agreement that we will all require substantial counseling before we will marry a couple. This was accomplished for two reasons:

First, premarital pastoral counseling helps couples deal with relationship and spiritual issues that are so necessary for a full marriage. Though many couples, especially younger ones, feel no pressing need for counseling, the need is real and premarital counseling has been proven to be an effective tool.

Second, unchurched couples were calling from church to church in order to find pastors that did not require counseling. We now, virtually all of us, require counseling. We do this because we want to be part of the solution not part of the problem, vis-à-vis divorce in America. We do it also because we are pastors, not "hired guns". We perform weddings out of love for the couple, not for monetary gain.

At Immanuel, there is no charge for the pastor. It is my calling to be your pastor and part of that calling is to perform the wedding services of those in the community of Easton who wish to be married at Immanuel and through this, begin their relationship with us.