Franciscan Fertility Education and Support
December 2019 Newsletter
Our Tuesday morning groups, Embracing Motherhood and Strong Wives, Strong Marriages , will be ending at the end of December . We are planning to begin a new group next fall. If there are certain aspects of fertility, NFP use, motherhood, and marriage with which you would like additional support, please let us know!
Upcoming Group Dates
Tuesday, December 3 (9-10:30am) Strong Wives, Strong Marriages

Tuesday, December 10 (9-10:30am) Embracing Motherhood

Tuesday, December 17 (9-10:30am) Strong Wives, Strong Marriages

Our Embracing Motherhood group is ideal for women with a child under one year of age (even if you also have others who are older!). Once your child is out of that age range, you can transition to the Strong Wives, Strong Marriages group. Women are welcome to attend both groups, if desired.

Groups will now have a $5 suggested donation per session. Lap and nursing children are always welcome. Please email us if you have any questions, or if you would like to arrange childcare for older children during that time.

These groups will be ending at the end of December . If you've been thinking about coming but haven't made it out yet, now's the time to join us!
NEW! in the midst Infertility Support Retreat

Have you experienced difficulty getting pregnant or repeated miscarriages? Join us for a full day retreat for couples struggling with the effects of both primary and secondary infertility. This includes couples who have been unable to conceive, couples who have experienced pregnancy loss, and those struggling to add more children to their families. We encourage couples to attend together to process grief related to infertility and develop strategies to strengthen their marriage in the midst of such a difficult time.

Our three areas of focus include Grief and Loss in the midst of Infertility, Strong Marriages in the midst of Infertility, and Fruitfulness in the midst of Infertility.

This will be offered as a full day retreat on March 7, 2020 from 10am to 3pm at our Lowell campus. Lunch will be included.

Questions? Please contact Laura Chapin at lchapin@lifeprocesscenter.org.

Upcoming Natural Family Planning Class Dates
Creighton Model FertilityCARE
Intro Sessions

February 10, 2020 7-9pm (Lowell)
March 16, 2020 7-9pm (Lowell)

To register, contact Georgia Schmitz.
SymptoPro
3-Session Class

March 30, April 13 and 27, 2020
5:30 to 7:30pm (Grand Rapids)

To register, contact Laura Chapin.
NEW! Introduction to Natural Family Planning

Are you looking for basic information about Natural Family Planning (NFP), also known as a Fertility Awareness Based Method (FABM) of family planning? This introduction will cover the basics of how FABMs work and will highlight the differences between methods to help you choose the best fit for you! You will not learn the specifics of charting but will be able to make an informed decision when you select a course of instruction. This is a great option if you just want to learn more or need to fulfill an Introduction to NFP requirement for marriage preparation. $20/individual or $30/couple. Clergy interested in learning more about NFP may attend for free.

The next  Introduction to NFP/FABMs  will be held:
January 23, 2020 6:30-8pm
May 19, 2020 6:30-8pm

Pre-registration is required. Please email Laura Chapin to register.
FFES Fall 2019 Flyer
Books and Resources Discussed in Recent Groups

The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
How to Heal Your Marriage and Nurture Lasting Love by Dr. Gregory Popcak
Love Nudge Phone App
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