H2H Institute

David & Wende Butcher

Biography

David and Wende were married in 1972 and by the time their 10th anniversary was approaching, they had reached a crisis point in their marriage. Wende was planning to leave and take their three children, aged 7, 5 and 2, and it seemed divorce was imminent. But on November 22, 1981, David had a powerful encounter with God in the car driving home which changed the way he had been living. The change was so dramatic that Wende decided to stay and they began to create the relationship and family life they had not had previously.

In the intervening years, David and Wende have raised their children and are now enjoying their 7 grandchildren. In 2005, David and Wende began to discuss developing an organization that would be dedicated to strengthening marriages in Canada. Believing that any marriage can be rescued, strengthened and improved, David and Wende invest their time and efforts into the preparation, maximization and restoration of lifelong marriages through teaching couples how to be marriage mentors in their local congregations, through presenting and facilitating marriage planning and enrichment seminars, and providing a host of online services that enhance and support their materials.

Credentials

David is currently President of David J Butcher & Associates Inc and has worked extensively within the Christian community to assist churches and para-church organizations with their stewardship and fundraising endeavours. Some of these organizations include Crossroads Christian Communications, Shepherd Village Foundation, and Teen Challenge Inc (Canada). David has his Certified Stewardship Professional designation from the Christian Stewardship Association. He has served on several church boards and is currently chair of For His Children, a charitable organization that supports orphanages around the world.

Wende holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from Queen's University in Kingston and is employed as a secondary school teacher with Peel District School Board. Wende has been involved in various roles in the churches they have attended and is currently on the board at Georgetown Christian Fellowship.

David and Wende have a keen desire to follow the passion God has given them to see new marriages built on a strong foundation with the assistance of a mentoring program, to see struggling marriages strengthened and restored and to see families reinstated so their children once again have the security and assurance that they will not have to fear what tomorrow may bring. It is their belief that a healthy family unit builds a strong foundation for future generations to enjoy.

Background

The new vision for Heart to Heart Marriage and Family Institute was born out of an organization founded by Rev. Lorne Shepherd in the early 1990s. In the summer of 2008, David and Wende entered into discussion with Lorne about his organization, Heart to Heart Family Ministries, and the decision was reached that David and Wende would blend the existing organization with their new expanded vision. The result is a new era for Heart to Heart Marriage and Family Institute, which exists to invest in the establishment, improvement, and strengthening of lifelong marriages.

Heart to Heart Marriage and Family Institute conducts marriage mentor training and marriage preparation and enrichment seminars in church congregations and provides a host of online services that enhance and support marriages. These services include access to professional counselling, a regular blog and a retail store all dedicated to the improvement and support of marriages. In the future, Heart to Heart Marriage and Family Institute will also facilitate and conduct special marriage events such as marriage enrichment retreat weekends, cruises, and will host internationally known speakers and professionals in the field of marriage and relationships.

Endorsement Letters

Rev. David Shepherd - (The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada - Western Ontario District)
David Mainse - (Founder, Crossroads Christian Communications)
Rev. Craig J. Burton - (Superintendant, The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada - Eastern Ontario District)
Rev. David Tapley - (Pastor)

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Rev. Lorne Shepherd, C.P.C

Biography

Lorne Shepherd's ministry has been fine-tuned through years of experience in communications and family counselling. His expertise is earned both through three decades in the television industry and his interaction with people during many years of Christian youth work, teaching and counselling.

Lorne is a veteran of the broadcasting business. He entered his career through radio, spending a year in that medium before moving on to television. He worked in secular broadcasting for 24 years before moving to Christian television with 100 Huntley Street and many other Christian television programmes. Lorne's work in broadcasting earned him many awards for his programming.

While certainly a professional in the broadcasting field, Lorne moved into the area of marriage and family enrichment in the early 1990s and has been teaching and presenting seminars across Canada for many years. In addition to teaching, Lorne is also a professional Christian counsellor.

Lorne has written three books, Love Making His Way. Sex: never a four letter word and Raising Real Children in an Unreal World. His marriage seminars cover many topics necessary to healthy and vital marriages including "Getting Your Priorities Straight", "Marriage - God's Idea", "How to Love", "God's Plan for Our Sexuality", and "Communication".

Lorne and his wife, Doris, have been married 53 years, and have 3 adult children, 9 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

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