P1: Plenary #1 (9:15-10:00) Calvin and Maggie Odhner

Join Calvin and Maggie for a true grit picture of marriage as it travels over the rocky and rowdy places of life.

Margaret Vanz Odhner, BSN, is a 29 year veteran registered nurse with a specialty in Critical Care.  She is the mother of 5 children and is currently a “stay at home mom” residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Maggie loves people, homeopathy and babies and often can be seen with all three.  With a life and marriage full of failures and success Maggie feels she has grown through the sorrow and joy and is grateful for the unceasing love she feels from her Maker.


Reverend Calvin Acton Odhner, MA, MFT, MDiv., is currently Assistant to the Pastor of the Olivet New Church and School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Together with his wife Maggie (Van Zyverden) they watch/manage a family of 5 that is mostly out of the house but always in touch.  Calvin is enjoying teaching, counseling and preaching in the Toronto church society and looks forward to discovering new ways to spread the church. He is also a self-described guitar-playing-Laureliting-SWETtie-Warrior with a passion for men’s work and healing.

A -------------------- Workshops for Session A (10:15-11:45) --------------------

A 1: Money Smarts - Diana and Reuben Mergen

We will deal with money issues that adults commonly face. (A program for teens is in slot B3.) 

1. Bank on It – an introduction to bank services
2. Borrowing Basics – an introduction to credit
3. Check it Out – how to choose and keep a checking account
4. Money Matters – how to keep track of your money
5. Pay Yourself First – why you should save, save, save
6. Keep it Sage – your rights as a consumer
7. To Your Credit – how your credit history will affect your credit future
8. Charge it Right – how to make a credit card work for you
9. Loan to Own – know what you’re borrowing before you buy
10. Your Own Home – what home ownership is all about

Diana Mergen is a work-at-home mom of two children.  When she is not managing her household she is working for her real estate investment company which she and her husband, Reuben, started in 2008.  Before becoming a mom, Diana worked her way up from being a bank teller to managing operations for 100 banking centers at Bank of America.  During that time, she was featured on WHYY during a Money Smart training program that was geared towards helping those who experienced homelessness get back to work.  She also spent much of her time volunteering at community centers and schools teaching individuals about the basics of money.  It has been Diana’s goal to once again offer this program to those who want to stay in control of their finances.  She encourages those, young and old to come and participate in this hands on training about money!

A 2: Boundaries- Michael and Gwenda Cowley

Boundaries...what are they and do we need them? Robert Frost says that "good fences build good neighbors". Do they? Join us as we discuss and do some role-playing in order to learn more about healthy boundaries. We think ALL relationships need healthy ones...not flimsy ones, not walls. Come explore with us and have a chance to laugh at yourself while you are at it!

Gwenda and Michael met at church camp (Maple Leaf Academy) in 1974. After graduating college and Theological school respectively, they married in 1982. During the span of their 29 years together, they raised 6 kids (two are married). They served the Church in 5 different congregations, especially loving their work at Laurel and Maple camps. Michael is the pastor of the Lord's new Church and Gwenda teaches high school girls about relationships and marriage. They dream of someday building a cabin in the woods...

A 3: Marriage and Codependency- Solomon and Tirah Keal

"If you're happy, then I'm happy. If you're angry, then I'm angry." That's codependency. And yet we also know that true love is experiencing the joy of another as joy in oneself (see DLW 47). So how do we experience that mutual sharing, without losing our individuality and simply depending on our spouse for our own happiness? Angel couples are stronger individuals, as well as having one of the closest relationships imaginable. So how do we find that sweet spot of inter-dependence, which means that our individual happiness doesn't depend on our spouse, and yet we are also able to experience intimate mutual trust, and a sharing of affections? We will share some ideas we've learned from various books. We will also have self-evaluation tools. And we hope to have a discussion with you about this important challenge in marriage.