The Ignite marriage conference is returning November 15, and organizers are preparing to welcome more couples than ever before. Hosted at Pleasant Valley Community Church in partnership with Grace Marriage, the half-day event has grown steadily in recent years and is expanding capacity to accommodate up to 200 couples.
“In the past few years, it’s sold out. We’ve actually had to shut off signups,” said Brad Rhoads, Pleasant Valley’s lay pastor of marriage and co-founder of Grace Marriage. “Couples keep coming back because it injects life and excitement into their marriage.”
Ignite differs from a traditional lecture-style marriage conference. Rhoads said rather than listening to speakers for hours, participants spend much of the time in conversation with their spouse, planning, reflecting, and speaking encouragement to one another. Each year features entirely new curriculum, allowing returning couples to gain fresh insights and activities.
“You plan fun things together. You focus on what you appreciate about one another. You have real conversations,” Rhoads said. “It’s designed to create an atmosphere that’s both fun and helpful.”
The event is open to any married couple, regardless of where they are in their relationship. Rhoads said some attendees come with thriving marriages, some are stable but seeking growth, and others arrive hoping to work through challenges. The goal, he said, is to help couples move from maintenance to intentional investment.
“We take care of our finances, our health, our homes. Marriage shouldn’t be the exception,” he said. “It takes investment to grow.”
Ignite will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pleasant Valley. Registration is $45 per couple and includes coffee, snacks, and lunch. Limited childcare is available. Couples can register at pleasantvalley.cc by selecting the events tab.
Rhoads encouraged couples not to let crowded schedules keep them from attending.
“Don’t let busyness be the reason not to come,” he said. “Schedule your life around your marriage — not your marriage around your life.”
