Wedding Ceremony

WEDDING CEREMONY

(Note: This Ceremony was prepared for a small wedding without Musicians or singers. All the musical tracks where previously recorded on a special CD and are in Order)

PROCESSION OF USHERS AND BRIDAL PARTY

MUSICAL PROCESSION —TRACK 1

PROCESSION OF FLOWER GIRLS, RING BOY, BRIDE AND PARENTS

MUSICAL PROCESSION —TRACK 2

Bride stops while Minister speaks to congregation

Statement of Purpose

"We are gathered today in the presence of God to give thanks for the gift of marriage, and to witness the joining together of __________&__________. In various traditions, marriage is a sign of our Creator’s intention for wholeness in all creation. Out of the chaos, God brought order. That creative purpose is still at work. The joining together of two persons into one unique, intimate, and creative unity in marriage is therefore not only a symbol but also a demonstration of the well-being, the purpose of human society. And so marriage is truly a celebration of God’s good work in creation

The uniting of two individuals from two separate families and backgrounds to establish a new family is an important and memorable event. For us, attached as we are to _________& to ________ by special bonds of love and affection, the uniting of these two people in heart and body and mind, is an occasion of great significance which we can all celebrate.

Marriage is not a casual event, nor is it simply a private affair between two individuals. Marriage is to be entered into responsibly and prayerfully. This marriage brings together this day two individuals, two families, and two communities of faith. It is then, in the midst of a troubled and broken society, a sign of hope. It deserves and needs the support of a wider community. Today is a time for family and friends to share in their commitment to each other by offering _______ & _______our continued support, love and best wishes in their lives together.

SHORT PRAYER

Let us pray: O Lord our God, source of all blessing, in happiness and joy we thank you for the gift of marriage, which we celebrate today. May you give _______ & _________ the ability to rejoice always in their love. May you fulfill every worthy wish of their hearts. May you open their eyes to the beauty and the mystery of the love they hold for each other, every day as today. And may their life together embrace and nurture the promise of this ment, so that all who know them will call them truly blessed. Amen.

The Giving of the Bride

(To BRIDE’s Father): Who is giving this woman to be married to this man? (Father answers: “Her mother and I do.”) (He takes Bride’s right hand and places it in Groom’s left hand.)

MUSICAL INTERLUDE WHILE THEY GO UP THE PLATFORM—TRACK 3

GREETINGS (Addressing the crowd)

Marriage is not a casual event, nor is it simply a private affair between two individuals. Marriage is to be entered into responsibly and prayerfully. This marriage brings together this day two individuals, two families, and two communities of faith. It is then, in the midst of a troubled and broken society, a sign of hope. It deserves and needs the support of a wider community. Today is a time for family and friends to share in their commitment to each other by offering _______ & _______our continued support, love and best wishes in their lives together.

MESSAGE

A young businesswoman was approached by a real estate agent who wanted to sell her a home. "A home?" she said. "Why do I need a home? I was born in a hospital, educated in a boarding school, courted in an automobile, and married in a church. My husband and I work in office buildings. On weekends we spend our mornings playing golf and our afternoons playing bridge at the club. Evenings we go to the movies. And when I die, I’m going to be buried from a funeral parlor. I don’t need a home. All I need is a garage."

You can buy a garage. You can buy a house. You can even buy a house and a garage. But you cannot buy a home. A home is something that exists quite apart from whether you have a house or a garage. A home is not only where you live, but how you live. A home is how you abide. Another word for home is abode, which is derived from the verb abide.

The man and the woman in the Garden of Eden did not have a house or a garage, but they had a home in the sense that they had a relationship based on the providence and grace of God. They were created by God to be flesh and bone of one another. It was only after they had sinned and were driven from the Garden that they actually had a house, but then they faced the challenge of making that house into a home that could survive in spite of their sin.