Retrouvaille of Lansing at 4007 Wildwood, Lansing, MI 48910 US - Our Logo History

In the late 1970's, a retrouvaille couple and a professional photographer set off on a Saturday with a mission. They traveled to a beautiful natural setting on Lake Ontario east of Toronto known as the Scarborough Bluffs. Their plan was to find a huge rock where Bruce and Marg would pose back-to-back, fists clenched. The intended message of the picture was "Is Your Marriage on the Rocks?".

As they prepared to be photographed, they noticed a distant lifeline along the shore of the lake. From their perspective, the cross appeared to be in the foreground, the ring and rope in the background. They were instantly struck with the symbolism of tossing a lifeline to hurting couples. They knew that God had helped them find a symbol worthy of the impact of the Retrouvaille ministry.

The stanchion in the form of a cross is a recognizable symbol of Christianity throughout the world. It is the sign of Jesus Christ in our midst; of His redemptive mission and of His healing power. The cross also represents the church, the people of God, the community of believers who are called to help one another along the journey. The life preserver is a circle, a ring. These symbols mean many different things to different people. To us, the circle represents God: "I am the Alpha; I am the Omega" - no beginning, no end - infinitely and eternally. The circle also represents the ongoing cycles of romance, disillusionment, misery and awakening present in most marriage relationships. The ring is a rich symbol of matrimony, the unbroken bond of unity and love which is the goal for all married couples.

The lifeline, that stout rope, is the very essence of the Retrouvaille program. If the life preserver without a rope were tossed to a couple in the stormy seas of marital discord, they would receive a measure of hope for a time, and at least temporary relief from their difficulties. Essentially, however, they are still left to their own devices (flotation, that is) and remain in danger of tiring and sinking. Through the stout rope of the Retrouvaille program, their life preserver remains firmly anchored to the stanchion on shore. With the help of Retrouvaille, they can inch their way to safety until such time as they reach solid footing at the base of the cross. There, they might experience the goodness of our loving God and begin to understand the hopes and dreams our Creator has for each one of us. There, they might experience, maybe for the first time in their lives, the support of a caring community - the frontline volunteeers in the Retrouvaille ministry and the ongoing support of other couples on a similar journey.