JAY — Faith Way Baptist Church has announced the start of a new marriage and family support program known as BLISS Ministries. The church, at 66 Hyde Road, will host the meetings at 5 p.m. Sunday afternoons. The first meeting was held Sept. 16.

BLISS is open to all area husbands and wives and poised to have a positive impact for all couples who attend. Dr. Chris Grimbilas, who heads the program, says the program is needed to help families fill the voids that work to disintegrate relationships within the family unit.

“Families today face new challenges that have only developed in the last decade. There are more families struggling financially because of debt, employment problems or both,” said Grimbilas. “Extended family relationships present unique interpersonal challenges. Young people today face issues both in and out of school that many parents have no idea how to handle. Couples have higher levels of stress and much more complicated schedules that wreak havoc with marital communications and intimacy. Who is there to help these couples? This is why BLISS is a much needed ministry.”

What BLISS is not, according to Grimbilas, is another church service. This program is designed to be driven by those who attend. Designed to be casual and relaxed, the goal is to use a discussion based format to not only learn what areas of life are causing folks the most stress, but also to put forth practical principles that will help couples overcome challenges and draw closer together in the process.

Michelle Grimbilas, who will be working with her husband in BLISS, said, “If one couple is facing a challenge, there are more couples, maybe a lot more, who are having the same problems. There’s so much out there that families are hit with that can pull husbands and wives apart. We want to give them ideas that will help them draw closer to each other.”

Dr. and Mrs. Grimbilas say they know where to find the advice that will help these couples. “It’s all in the Bible,” said Dr. Grimbilas. “Most people don’t think about it, but Jesus came from a poor family with half-brothers and half-sisters. Many don’t realize that the Bible gives a lot of practical information on how to handle money. It’s all there and it is very down to earth. It’s not about church. It’s not about theology. It’s about life. We just want to be a blessing.”

Dr. Grimbilas is the associate pastor at Faith Way Baptist Church. He holds his Masters of Theology degree with an emphasis on family counseling as well as his doctorate in theology. He and his wife Michelle have been married for more than 26 years and have five children. Michelle has her bachelor’s degree in religious education and more than a decade of teaching experience.