Wedding: Do The Things You Did At First

SEATING OF GUESTS

SEATING OF MOTHERS

SONG –

LIGHTING OF SIDE CANDLES BY MOTHERS

PROCESSIONAL

WELCOME (TO GUESTS)

You have been honored by the invitation of a young man and a young woman to share in one of the happiest and holiest moments of their lives. You are their guests and the guests of this church.

The wedding ceremony is not just a social occasion with a religious touch thrown in. It is a service of worship from beginning to end, in which vows are made, prayers are offered, and a blessing is given.

There is a wonderful verse in the Bible that says, "All things are ready. Come to the feast." A lot of preparation has been put into this time, including God's part in preparing to bring Eric & Cyndra together. It is God who has given us life, love, family and marriage. It is only right to invite God into this time and into this family.

PRAYER

Please be seated and bow your heads with me as we pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, we know that you are never an unwanted guest, that you do not come where you are not wanted. We can choose to live our life and marriage with or without you. Father, at this time we invite you into this family. We are here to celebrate the love of Eric & Cyndra. We know that you have brought them together. We pray that you will be the foundation and bond of their love. Help them to grow in their love for one another and for you with every day that passes, accepting one another as a love gift from you. Help them now to sense your presence and to savor these moments. We ask that you be a part of this ceremony, that you look with favor upon it and bless this marriage. We ask this in the name of Jesus our Lord, Amen.

"WHO GIVES THIS WOMAN TO WED THIS MAN?"

SONG: “TWO PEOPLE”

MESSAGE TO COUPLE – SCRIPTURE

Eric & Cyndra, this is your day! The day you have long awaited to begin. This is a day of great delight, not just for you but for all who have watched you both fall and grow in love.

(Take a deep breath and relax. This is meant to be a time of great joy, not a time of great stress.)

Questions about love, marriage and sex were posed to kids ages 5 to 10. Here are a few of their responses:

WHAT IS THE PROPER AGE TO GET MARRIED?

(Judy, 8) “Eight-four. Because at that age, you don’t have to work anymore, and you can spend all your time loving each other in your bedroom.”

WHEN IS IT OK TO KISS SOMEONE?

(Jim, 10) “You should never kiss a girl unless you have enough bucks to buy her a ring and her own VCR, ‘cause she’ll want to have videos of the wedding.”

HOW CAN PEOPLE MAKE LOVE LAST?

(Roger, 8) “Don’t forget your wife’s name. That will mess up the love.”

At your rehearsal dinner, I collected some advice on making love last from some of your friends and family. Here are some of their comments:

Cyndra’s Grandma said, “Live by the golden rule. Never go to bed angry. Kiss and make up.”

Russ said, “I’d say even if you’re not angry, kiss and make up . . . it’s fun!”

Eric, your 5-year-old cousin, Elle, said, “God will help them. And they can kiss and hug a lot.”

Your mom said, “Many babies for Granny Church! Because nothing is greater than the love of children and being a family.”

And your Gram and Granddad said, “Don’t get a dog.”

Eric and Cyndra, I want to emphasize that your success together depends not so much on the set of circumstances you have been provided, the environment, your feelings, or even on finding the right person, as much as it does on BEING the right person.

And now is the best time to lay the proper foundation for a rock-solid marriage.

Nowadays, you can get bombarded with advice given in books, and talk shows, and infomercials about relationships, communication and money management. These are important issues, but God, the maker of marriages, also has given instructions for healthy relationships and marriages, and His teachings have been confirmed by those who have followed them and have been happily married for years.

The best advice I’ve ever read on love is found in Revelation 2:4-5. The context of this passage is about Christians whose love has grown cold for Jesus. But I believe Jesus’ advice on renewing love is the best I’ve ever heard, and it applies to marital love also. Here is what Jesus says, “Yet I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Turn back and do the things you did at first.