THE CELEBRATION AND BLESSING OF A MARRIAGE

At the time appointed, the persons to be married, with their witnesses assemble in the church or
some other appropriate place of their choosing.

 During their entrance, a hymn, psalm, or anthem may be sung, or instrumental music may be
played.

 Then the Clergy, facing the people and the persons to be married, with the woman to the right
and the man to the left, addresses the congregation and says:

 Dearly beloved:  We are gathered together in the presence of God to witness and bless the
joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Marriage.  The covenant of marriage was
established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ blessed this manner of life by his
presence and first miracle at a wedding in Galilee.  It signifies to us the mystery of the union
between Christ and his Church, and Scripture commends it to be honored among all people.

 The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy;
for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity.  Therefore, marriage is
not to be entered into lightly or carelessly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with
the purposes for which it was instituted by God.

 Into this holy union (Stephanie) and (Justin) now come to be joined.  If any of you can show just
cause as to why they may not lawfully be married, speak now; or else for ever hold your peace.

THE GIVING OF THE BRIDE AT THIS POINT:

Who, today, gives this woman to this man to be married?

Father: Her Mother and I do.

 THE DECLARATION OF CONSENT

The Clergy says to the woman:

(Stephanie), will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of
marriage?  Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and,
forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

 The Woman answers:

I will.
 The Clergy says to the man:

(Justin), will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? 
Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking all
others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

 The Man answers:

I will.

 The Clergy then addresses the congregation, saying:

 Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in
their promise of marriage?

 People:                  We will.

THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD

The Clergy then says to the people:

Let us pray.

O gracious and ever-living God, you have created us male and female in your image:  Look
mercifully upon this man and this woman who come to you seeking your blessing, and assist
them with your  grace, that with true fidelity and steadfast love they may honor and keep the
promises and vows they make through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you in
the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.                                                   

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Place me like a seal over your heart,

    like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
    its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
    like a mighty flame.
 
Many waters cannot quench love;
    rivers cannot sweep it away.
If one were to give
    all the wealth of one’s house for love,
    it would be utterly scorned.
THE MARRIAGE

The Man, facing the woman and taking her right hand in his, says

 I, (Justin), take you, (*Stephanie), to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for
better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are
parted by death.  This is my solemn vow.

 Then they loose their hands, and the Woman, still facing the man, takes his right hand in hers,
and says

 I, (*Stephanie), take you, (*Justin), to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day
forward, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
until we are parted by death.  This is my solemn vow.

 They loose their hands.

May I please have the rings?

 The giver places the ring on the ring-finger of the other's hand and says

(*Stephanie), I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I
have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

(*Justin), I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I
honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

UNITY SAND – You cannot separate every grain of sand.

At this time, Stephanie and Justin will assemble their container of Unity Sand, a beautiful
decoration they will display in their home to remind them of the covenant they are making today.

In Genesis chapter 1, we read that God created man in His own image. That means that He
created man bold, strong, to be a leader, to be a protector of his wife and family.
The man’s sand represents the strength, leadership, and protection of the husband. The book of
Ephesians reminds husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, totally and
completely giving himself for her.

Genesis also tells us that the woman was taken from man. The bride's sand represents the beauty
and the many capabilities of the woman, designed with intricate, beautiful detail and is placed
inside the protection of the groom's sand, completing and representing the Two Becoming One,
for now the sand is intermixed, and cannot be separated as it once was before.

The scriptures tell us that a three-stranded cord is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Mark
10:6-9 says,
But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will
leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they
are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Now that (*Stephanie) and (*Justin) have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with
the joining of hands and the exchanging of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife.

You may now kiss your bride.

The Statement of blessing for the couple

May God be with you and bless you, keeping you in the palm of His hand. May you be poor in
misfortune, rich in blessings, and may you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
And, remember, the Force will be with you, always.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my great and tremendous privilege to present to you Mr. and Mrs.
Justin Jones.