THE CELEBRATION AND BLESSING OF A MARRIAGE

For Brittan and Dennis Smith 08/12/2012

 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 (Brittan) and (Dennis) 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 DECLARATION OF CONSENT

 The Clergy says to the man:

(Dennis), 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?

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 The Man answers:

I will.

The Clergy says to the woman:

(Brittan), 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 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 Clergy then addresses the Father of the Bride, saying:

Who today gives this woman to be wed?

Father: Her mother and I do.

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In 1st John 4:7-16, the Apostle John tells to love one another, for
love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of the Lord and
knows Him.

The one who does not love does not know God, for He is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent
His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through
Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent
His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides
in us, and His love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has

given us of His Spirit.

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the
Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him,
and he in God.

We have come to know and have believed the love which God
has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in
God, and God abides in him.

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Let us Pray

Father God, creator and preserver of all life, author of salvation,

and giver of all grace:  Look with favor upon the world you have
made, and for which your Son gave his life, and especially upon this
man and this woman whom you make one flesh in Holy Marriage. 

Give them wisdom and devotion in the mundane, ordinary things of

everyday life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a
counselor in struggles, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy.

Grant that their wants and desires may be so knit together in your
will, and their hearts in your spirit, that they may grow in love and
peace with you and one another all the days of their life. 

 Give them grace, when they hurt each other, to recognize and
acknowledge their fault, and to seek each other's forgiveness and
yours.   

Make their life together a sign of Christ's love to this sinful and
broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness
heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.   

Give them such fulfillment of their mutual affection that they may
reach out in love and concern for others.   

Grant that all married persons who have witnessed these vows may
find their lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed.   

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Grant that the bonds of our common humanity, by which all your
children are united one to another, may be so transformed by your
grace, that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven; where,
Father you live and reign in perfect holiness, now and forever. 
Amen.

Communion Ceremony :

The bride and groom would now like to take their first communion
together as husband and wife.

*Piano stops playing

Unity Cross Ceremony

At this time, Brittan and Dennis will assemble the Unity Cross, a
beautiful sculpture they will display in their home to remind them of the
covenant they are making here 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 outer form of the Unity Cross represents the strength, leadership,
and protection of the man. The book of Ephesians reminds husbands to
love their wives as Christ loved the church, totally and completely
giving himself for her.

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Genesis also tells us that the woman was taken from man. The bride's
piece of the Unity Cross 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 cross, completing the sculpture and
representing the Two Becoming One.

To complete this sculpture, representing the couple's covenant, we are

placing three pegs to hold it together. These pegs represent the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, showing God's place in this covenant and
the security and completeness that only our Heavenly Father can give.

The scriptures tell us that a three-stranded cord is not easily broken

(Ecclesiastes 4:12). Matthew 19: 5-6 says, "For this reason a man will
leave his father and mother and be untied 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."

THE MARRIAGE

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

Dennis, please repeat after me:

 I, (Dennis), take you, (Brittan), 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

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Brittan, please repeat after me:

 I, (Brittan), take you, (Dennis), 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.

The Presentation of the rings

May I please have the rings?

The Clergy may ask God's blessing on a ring or rings as follows

 Bless, O
Lord, these rings to be a sign of the vows  by which this
man and this woman have bound themselves to each other; through
Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

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

Dennis, please repeat after me:

Brittan, 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.

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

Brittan, please repeat after me:

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Dennis, 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.

  Then the Clergy joins the right hands of the husband and wife and says

Now that (*Brittan) and (*Dennis) have given themselves to each

other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and
receiving of a ring, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

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.

I now pronounce you husband and wife. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is

my great and tremendous privilege to present to you Mr. and Mrs.
Dennis Smith.

The Clergy will then give the invitation to the reception.

Bessie Smith Hall