Celebrating Commitment, Love and Everyday Faithfulness
Marriage is one of life’s greatest gifts — a relationship built on love, commitment and the steady, everyday choice to walk alongside one another through every season. It’s worth pausing now and then to appreciate that bond: the shared memories, the quiet acts of care and the deep companionship that grows over time. With National Spouses Day falling on 26 January, we’re reminded to take a moment to celebrate the beauty of marriage — not through grand gestures, but through simple expressions of gratitude and affection that honour the person we have chosen to journey with.
Marriage and Family: A Gift and Responsibility
The Church of England recognises the family as an important part of God’s design for a flourishing society. While the Church continues to hold its own conversations about relationships and family life, our central commitment remains clear:
‘to support couples and families — in all their diversity — with care, compassion and practical help.’
Marriage brings seasons of sunshine and seasons of winter. It can be filled with deep joy, but also moments of strain. Every relationship is unique, yet all need encouragement, understanding and opportunities to grow.
Wherever you are in your journey — newly married, many decades in, or facing a particularly difficult season — the Church seeks to walk alongside you, offering guidance and hope rooted in God’s love.
Strengthening Relationships: Helpful Resources
Our pastoral team are always happy to meet, listen, chat and pray in confidence. Find out how that can be arranged HERE. There are also many trusted places to find support, encouragement and ideas to help you nurture your relationship:
Couples Blog – Articles offering insight, inspiration and practical advice for everyday relationship life.
Podcasts – Thoughtful discussions on communication, conflict, faith, intimacy, and more — with questions to help couples talk openly.
Facing Challenges – Resources on topics including illness, miscarriage, retirement, domestic abuse, and other life events that can place pressure on a marriage.
Marking the Day
If you’d like to acknowledge National Spouses Day at home, consider keeping it simple: a handwritten note, a quiet dinner, a walk together, or a moment to say “thank you” for the daily, often unseen ways your spouse supports and loves you.
As a church family, we celebrate and honour all those who have made the courageous commitment to love faithfully, sacrificially and with grace. May this day be a gentle reminder of the gift of companionship — and of God’s faithfulness to us in every season of life.