Wedding

Wedding.059 Thomas & Claudie Cooke, reaffirm 50th

From the pulpit of Bayview Baptist Church, Columbia, SC

PRELUDE: Organist

THOMAS & CLAUDIE WALK DOWN ISLE TOGETHER.

I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE REAFFIRMING OF THE WEDDING VOWS OF THOMAS AND CLAUDIE COOKE.

THIS IS A JOYFUL TIME IN WHICH WE WITNESS THE LOVE EXPRESSED IN CLAUDIE AND THOMAS’ 50 YEARS OF MARRIAGE TOGETHER.

WE CELEBRATE TOGETHER BECAUSE TODAY IS THEIR GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY.

I’M SURE THAT IF THOMAS AND CLAUDIE WERE TO GIVE US SOME ADVICE CONCERNING HOW TO REMAIN MARRIED FOR 50 YEARS; THEY WOULD TELL US THAT MARRIAGE IS A UNIFIED ENCOURAGEMENT OF ONE ANOTHER THAT TAKES A LIFETIME TO FULFILL.

WE ARE JOYOUS TODAY, AND WE CAN SURELY SAY THAT THE BEST EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOD HAS IN MIND FOR MARRIAGE IS FOR A HUSBAND AND WIFE TO GROW IN LOVE WITH HIM, AND TO GROW IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER.

IN THIS, THE HUSBAND AND WIFE CONTINUE TO LEARN OVER THE YEARS, THE MEANING OF COMMITMENT, THE MEANING OF SACRIFICE, AND THE MEANING OF JOY.

BOTH THOMAS AND CLAUDIE SINCERELY THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY, FOR WE ARE ALL BLESSED BY YOUR PRESENCE!

AS WE CONTINUE TO INVITE GOD INTO OUR HEARTS TODAY, LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN PRAYER AS WE ASK FOR GOD’S CONTINUED BLESSINGS UPON THE MARRIAGE, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS OF CLAUDIE AND THOMAS COOKE.

OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY, GRACE AND LOVE. WE’RE IN REVERENCE AS WELL AS IN CONTINUED WORSHIP AS WE PRAISE YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGES AS WELL AS THE BLESSINGS OF MARRIAGE.

I THANK YOU TODAY FOR THE MANY, AND ABUNDANT BLESSINGS YOU’VE BESTOWED UPON THOMAS AND CLAUDIE, AS WELL AS THE BLESSINGS UPON THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS.

IT’S MY PRAYER THAT YOUR BLESSINGS WILL CONTINUE, AND THAT AS WE REFLECT TODAY UPON THE MANY MEMORIES OF THEIR MARRIAGE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD YOU VERY CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS; THANKING YOU FOR THIS CELEBRATION OF LOVE UPON THEIR MARRIAGE. I PRAY THIS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN.

CLAUDIE AND THOMAS HAVE REQUESTED THAT I READ FROM FIRST CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 13, WHICH IS THE BIBLE’S GREATEST CHAPTER ON LOVE.

PLEASE LISTEN TO GOD’S HOLY WORD!

“IF I SPEAK IN THE TONGUES OF MEN AND OF ANGELS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM ONLY A RESOUNDING GONG OR A CLANGING CYMBAL.

IF I HAVE THE GIFT OF PROPHECY AND CAN FATHOM ALL MYSTERIES AND ALL KNOWLEDGE, AND IF I HAVE A FAITH THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I AM NOTHING.

IF I GIVE ALL I POSSESS TO THE POOR AND SURRENDER MY BODY TO THE FLAMES, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I GAIN NOTHING.

LOVE IS PATIENT, LOVE IS KIND.

IT DOES NOT ENVY, IT DOES NOT BOAST, IT IS NOT PROUD.

IT IS NOT RUDE, IT IS NOT SELF-SEEKING, IT IS NOT EASILY ANGERED, IT KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS.

LOVE DOES NOT DELIGHT IN EVIL BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH.

IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES.

LOVE NEVER FAILS.”

MAY GOD ADD HIS BLESSINGS TO THE READING OF HIS HOLY WORD.

WE HAVE SEEN IN THIS PASSAGE FROM FIRST CORINTHIANS THAT GOD’S LOVE IS PERMANENT AND ETERNAL.

GOD’S LOVE LOOKS BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF TIME AND TAKES ETERNITY IN ITS EMBRACE!

THOMAS AND CLAUDIE, I’M SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT MARRIAGE IS CREATED BY GOD, ORDAINED BY GOD, AND IS ONE OF GOD’S MOST HOLY INSTITUTIONS.

AS I VIEW YOUR MARRIAGE AS YOUR PASTOR, I SEE THAT THE REAL LOVE BETWEEN YOU MAKES YOUR BURDENS LIGHT BECAUSE YOU DIVIDE AND SHARE THE COMMITMENTS, THE SACRIFICES AND THE JOYS OF YOUR MARRIAGE AND HOME.

THOMAS, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS OF THE YEAR 1950, YOU ASKED CLAUDIE TO BE YOUR WEDDED WIFE.

YOU PROMISED TO LOVE HER, COMFORT HER, HONOR AND KEEP HER, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, FOR AS LONG AS YOU BOTH WOULD LIVE.

THOMAS, DO YOU REAFFIRM THOSE SAME VOWS TODAY AS YOU CONTINUE TO GROW TOGETHER IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD?

THOMAS: I DO!

CLAUDIE, ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1951, YOU COMMITTED YOURSELF IN MARRIAGE TO THOMAS.

ON THAT DAY, YOU PROMISED THOMAS TO LIVE WITH HIM AS YOUR SPOUSE AND LOVE HIM, TO COMFORT HIM, HONOR, AND KEEP HIM, IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, FOR AS LONG AS YOU LIVE.

CLAUDIE, DO YOU REAFFIRM THOSE VOWS TODAY AS YOU CONTINUE TO GROW TOGETHER IN YOUR FAITH IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST?

CLAUDIE: I DO!

SOLO: “THE LORD’S PRAYER”

THOMAS AND CLAUDIE, IT’S BEEN A GREAT JOY FOR ME AS YOUR PASTOR TO SHARE IN YOUR REAFFIRMING OF YOUR VOWS TO EACH ANOTHER.

SINCE, I CAN’T LEGALLY PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE, I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE YOU, AND ENCOURAGE YOU IN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE TO CONTINUE TO BE ALL THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE.