Unmarried Singles Week

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  • Posted By : Sam George
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Did you know that last week was Singles Week. Yea. Only yesterday I came to know about it ! The “National Singles Week” was started by the Buckeye Singles Council in Ohio in the 1980s to celebrate single life and recognize singles and their contributions to society. The week is now widely observed during the third full week of September (Sept. 19-25 in 2010) as “Unmarried and Single Americans Week.”

US Census reports some facts and figures about American Singles.Â
96.6 million – Number of unmarried Americans 18 and older in 2009. This group comprised 43 percent of all U.S. residents 18 and older.
52.5 million – Number of households maintained by unmarried men or women. These households comprised 45 percent of households nationwide.
31.7 million – Number of people who lived alone. They comprised 27 percent of all households, up from 17 percent in 1970.

Notice that singles weeks has been changes to ‘unmarried’ singles week to recognize many unmarried singles in our communities. So now the focus is on those Singles who were never married, widowed, or divorced. Stats above include all forms of singlness.

Recently young lady told me it was harassing to go to her ethnic church as a single. Everyone is bringing marriage proposals and put pressure to get married. ‘They think there is something wrong with me!’ Rise of singlehood is evident in Indian Ameriacan churches. Age of first marriage has also gone up. Also true of other Asian American and ethnic churches as well.

In our recent book (Before the Wedding Bells), Mary & I were persuaded by many youth leaders and pastors to include a section on singles. How to pursue relationships, recovering from relational baggages for the past and dysfunctional homes that you might have grown up, caution to be taken with online mate selection, how to make relationship decisions etc.

I hope a week dedicating to acknowledge unmarried singles would help them to remove the stigma against singlehood and help celebrate this stage of life of people. We must help them to be content with this life stage and fulfill God’s greater purpose thro singlehood.

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