Sunday Worship Experience: 10:00AM (In-Person)
COUPLES’ TALK COUNSELING
Have a more satisfying marriage. Learn how to effectively manage conflict, avoid negativity and meet each other’s needs. Improve your friendship with your spouse and increase intimacy, fondness and respect. Scroll down to meet our Married Mentors and to schedule your free, private and confidential meeting, videoconference or phone conference. Please utilize our Couples Talk form below. Sign up for updates on upcoming events for married couples – Join Real Love Married Couples Group Today.
We also offer a six-week Premarital course for couples that are recently engaged or who are in a serious relationship moving toward marriage. After the course is completed, our Pastors on staff can officiate your wedding. Engaged couples are encouraged to be married within a year of taking the Premarital course. For those individuals who are already married, we offer Couples Talk free marriage counseling.
MEET OUR MARRIED MENTORS
Elders Paul & Dionne McLaughlin, Leaders
Elders Paul and Dionne McLaughlin live in Durham, NC and have been married for 25 years. They have 2 sons, a high school senior and a junior in college. Dionne was born in England to Jamaican parents. Paul was born in Boston to Irish parents. Paul and Dionne were introduced by mutual friends while they were both attending Bishop Thompson’s Church in Boston, MA. They learned how to compromise and be quick to repent. Both of their parents were divorced but they determined that their marriage would stand the test of time. They went on Married Couples’ Retreats, hosted married couples fellowships in their home and read several books on marriage. They enjoy reading, traveling and prayer.
Elders Andre & Kerry Moore, Married Mentors Leaders
Elder Andre and Elder Kerry Moore live in Durham, NC and have been married for 11 years. They are a blended family with adult children: a son and 2 daughters. In 2007, Andre and Kerry were introduced by Pastor Nate while in attendance at an “It’s Just Coffee” event at WOCC. Over the past 10 years, Andre and Kerry have worked to be models for their children, family, and friends around them. After 11 years, they are happier and stronger than ever.
Deacons DeWayne & La’Shawnda Kendall, Married Mentors
DeWayne and La’Shawnda live in Durham, NC and have been married for 16 years. They have a teenage son, Tyler. DeWayne and La’Shawnda are high school sweethearts and met at a local grocery store where they both worked after school. After 22 years together, they are still very much in love and that love grows stronger every day. DeWayne and La’Shawnda enjoy serving in ministry.
Deacons Stacey & Justina Harvin, Married Mentors
Stacey and Justina live in Raleigh, NC and have been married for 8 years. They met at work when they were both (previously married) single parents. They are a blended family and have 5 children. They enjoy going to the movies, arcade, playing spades, dream building, and traveling. They also enjoy reading, discount shopping and cuddling while watching HGTV.
Elders Michael & Terri Holmes, Married Mentors Leaders
Elders Michael and Terri Holmes live in Wake Forest, NC and have been married for 12 years. They are a blended family and have 2 adult children. Michael describes Terri as his Proverbs 31 woman and Terri describes Michael as her Boaz. It is really true that some people will meet their future wife or husband at the church they attend. Michael and Terri met at church and started their love affair with one another. They enjoy completing daily 5:00am workouts together in the gym.
Elders Michael & Anita Perkins, Married Mentors
Elders Michael and Anita Perkins live in Durham, NC and have been married for 22 years. They met on the Praise & Worship team at the church they attended in Atlanta, Georgia. They enjoy serving in the music ministry. Their calling is to serve and to give. They have two children: a freshman in college and a freshman in high school. They enjoy movies and traveling.
Darrell & Toni Jeter, Married Mentors
Darrell and Toni Jeter live in Chapel Hill, NC and have been married for 16 years. Darrell and Toni are natives of Winston-Salem, NC and met in their home church when they were teenagers. Darrell is a Marine and emergency manager. Darrell and Toni have two children. The Jeters desire to encourage and support other couples in their journey together towards a healthy, God-centered union.
Deacons Bailey & Karen Shaffer, Married Mentors
Bailey and Karen Shaffer live in Henderson, NC and have been married for 49 years. They grew up in the same neighborhood in Chicago and married at 17 and 19 years old. During the course of their marriage, they have raised two children. They both have a heart for ministry. They moved to North Carolina in 2017 and joined WOCC Raleigh where we serve as Deacons, and I-Connect team members. Bailey is a Gatekeeper.
Elders Ray & Linda Strother, Married Mentors
Elders Ray and Linda Strother live in Raleigh, NC and have been married for 20 years. Elder Ray and Linda were introduced by family friends. They moved to North Carolina from Boston in 2013. They love to cook, eat good food, mission field outreach and athletic adventures.
Deacons Garvey & Najah Presley, Married Mentors
Garvey and Najah live in Greensboro, NC. They have been married for 15 years and have 5 children and a Golden Retriever. Garvey and Najah met in college after being introduced by a friend. Najah describes Garvey as super charming with an amazing sense of humor. Garvey and Najah have been attending WOCC since 2004. Garvey’s parents divorced when he was a toddler and Najah’s parents were never married so they shared that neither one of them had a good example of what a healthy marriage should look like. Despite those circumstances they knew that they loved each other and could not imagine being with anyone else.
SIGN-UP FOR COUPLES’ TALK
Sign up today to meet with a Married Mentor for a free, private and confidential Couples’ Talk session.