 By Lavern Nissley ECC Relationship Facilitator Fathers. Matter.
Recently, I completed an extensive Fatherhood Care Coordinator training at Pregnancy Resource Clinic here in Springfield, Ohio. The big idea is to come alongside fathers-to-be when their partners come in for pregnancy tests and ultrasounds. It is the time when they are most open to exploring and considering involvement with their offspring. Making this investment of time as a volunteer at PRC extends the two decades of healthy marriage education Ronda and I led at Encompass to a crucial set of participants in family stability - dads. When we talk about strengthening families and communities, one concept consistently rises to the top: Responsible Fatherhood. But what does that really mean—and why is it so vital?
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 By Dr. David Mabry Encompass Executive Director Marriage is a cornerstone of many cultures and societies, and it's no surprise why. Across North America, research continues to show that marriage is one of the most powerful decisions you can make for your health, happiness, and even financial well-being. While it's not the only path to a fulfilling life, there’s something unique about marriage that other types of relationships can’t quite match. If you're wondering whether marriage is worth it or if it's just an old tradition, here’s why you should get married—and stay married.
 By Kermit Rowe ECC Relationship Coach Katana Wolfcomer and Brendan Myers were an engaged couple like all other engaged couples… in love and planning for a lifetime of happiness together. But they also knew they still had challenging issues of spotty communication and wavering trust, complicated by unresolved grief and childhood dysfunction, and it drove them to seek a better way before committing their lives to each other.
They found Encompass Connection Center’s foundational RINGS program, which is focused on strengthening relationship skills through practicing the truths of good communication. I, along with dozens of Clark County pastors, signed an Encompass-inspired pledge about two decades ago that I wouldn’t marry a couple unless they had some premarital counseling. AI-generated statistics support this claim with proven data that explain why: Studies show that completing premarital counseling reduces divorce rates by 31%, with couples reporting a 30% higher marital success rate. That translates into improved communication, stronger conflict resolution skills, and greater emotional well-being and satisfaction within their relationship. Katana and Brendan have even more practical and experiential reasons why:  By Abby Glaser Encompass Community Advocate Most people who know Encompass are familiar with the work we do with couples--that’s certainly one of our core missions! But many people don’t realize that we also work extensively with individuals, meeting them right where they are in life.
One of the programs closest to my heart is a relationship class I’ve been honored to teach at McKinley Hall’s women’s residential program for more than six years. If you’re not familiar with McKinley Hall, they’re an incredible local resource offering hope and healing to those affected by substance use disorders (SUD), empowering people to build healthy, fulfilling lives. The need is great. Across the U.S., rates of substance use disorder among women continue to rise. Women with SUD often carry an even heavier burden: they are far more likely to have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. That history of trauma can increase the risk of PTSD, which is 1.4 times more likely to co-occur with addiction. Recovery, then, is about so much more than just getting sober--it’s about untangling years of hurt and learning how to build safe, supportive, loving relationships.  By Cindee Johnson Relationship Champion and Encompass Partner Our wedding was just a couple of months away. I was a divorced, single mom of two young children. Dave had never been married and had no children of his own. My kids bonded so well with him, and he fully supported my commitment to keeping their relationship strong with their birth father.
One relaxing Friday evening in August 1989, while talking over dinner about our upcoming marriage, the subject of date nights came up. I wondered out loud, “Will we still do evenings like this once we’re married?” “Why, yes, we will.” And yes, we have. And yes, we still do--nearly 36 years later as empty nesters. At the time, we had no idea how meaningful that decision would become.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Executive Director of Encompass Connection Center As we step into August, we’re exploring what it means to do family life through the stages—starting today with marriage in mid-life.
Marriage in the 40–65 range brings unique joys, challenges, and adjustments. Children may be leaving the house or growing more independent. Aging parents may need increasing support. Careers evolve or plateau. Our own bodies, dreams, and identities shift. And yet… something beautiful can happen here. Theresa and I have been married since 1993. We’ve weathered a lot together—raising kids, ministry transitions, career changes, personal growth seasons. What strikes me most as we live in this “mid-life” chapter is not how much we’ve changed… but how essential it is that we keep changing. The key isn’t resisting change. It’s embracing the person your spouse is becoming, and continuing to show up as the person you’re becoming too.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director When you talk with Pastor Jeremy Hudson of Fellowship Church in Springfield, one thing becomes clear: this is a church deeply committed to its community. “We exist to impact our community—and through our community, the world,” he said. “The quality of life for someone in Springfield should go up simply because they share space with us.”
That’s not just a slogan. It’s a conviction that has shaped how Fellowship approaches everything from Sunday worship to weekday outreach. And for over two decades, that conviction has included a strong and growing partnership with Encompass Connection Center. What began as an early alliance back in the Marriage Resource Center days (the name of ECC from 2004-2018) has since evolved into something deeper—something that now models what’s possible when the Church and a trusted nonprofit move in tandem. “Encompass is the phone call we make when someone in our church is struggling,” Pastor Jeremy shared. “We don’t try to reinvent the wheel. They are an extension of our pastoral care.”  Dr. David and Theresa Mabry (center) with their children, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. By Theresa Mabry Encompass Director of Operations David and I had been married for 13 years when we took our first relationship assessment. He was getting ready to begin work at the Marriage Resource Center—what you now know as Encompass Connection Center—and we were invited to help teach relationship classes to couples.
I remember thinking, “Well, they’ve asked the right people! We've been married long enough to teach this stuff with our eyes closed.” Boy, was I wrong.  Mabry family portrait 1976. David is bottom left corner. By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director I grew up as the third of four boys in a rural, working-class family just outside a small Ohio town. To put it simply, we didn’t have much—and I don’t just mean financially. Our home was filled with stress, instability, and frequent conflict. I have few happy memories from those early years. What I do remember most is waking up to my parents arguing and navigating the constant emotional turbulence that came with it.
My mother carried deep emotional pain, and my father—quiet and passive—often disappeared into the background in the face of her outbursts. My brothers and I were largely left to figure things out on our own, often getting into trouble at home and school. We endured emotional abuse and confusion about what family was supposed to feel like. I lived with a constant sense of insecurity and instability. It felt like the ground beneath us could shift at any moment.  By Dr. David Marine Mabry Encompass Executive Director Are you and your partner compatible? We define compatibility as two people sharing like-mindedness and a friendship with one another through all challenges and all the blessings of your relationship while maximizing who each of you may be. “Free to be you and free to me” while working as one. It’s important to be compatible with your spouse so you can work together as a team in all areas of life. With greater compatibility, you will have a greater impact on the world around you. You will experience greater happiness and satisfaction. You will be strengthened in your relationship to push through together when inevitable conflicts and challenges arise.
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HostsDr. David Marine and Theresa Mabry are Co-Directors of Encompass since June 1, 2024. TOPICS
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Funding is provided by Clark County Job and Family Services, Charles L. Shor Foundation, Nehemiah Foundation, Springfield Foundation, Turner Foundation, and private donations and fees.
Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217
Program content is the sole responsibility of Encompass Connection Center and does not necessarily represent the views of the funders.
Encompass Connection Center services are provided to all eligible persons on a non-discriminatory basis. Encompass Connection Center complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning discrimination does not discriminate on the basis of the potential participant's race, gender, gender orientation, age, disability or religion.
Registered 501(c)(3). EIN: 37-1485217