ENTRANCE

Mothers are escorted to light family candles.

Pastor and Groomsmen enter

Bridal party enters

GREETING

Friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God

to witness and bless the joining together of

John and Lisa in Christian marriage.

The covenant of marriage was established by God,

who created us male and female for each other.

with his presence and power

Jesus graced a wedding at Cana of Galilee,

and in his sacrificial love

gave us the example for the love of husband and wife.

Lisa and John

come to give themselves to one another

in this holy covenant.

DECLARATION OF INTENTION

John and Lisa,

I ask you now, in the presence of God and these people,

to declare your intention

to enter into union with one another

through the grace of Jesus Christ,

who calls you into union with himself.

to the bride:

Lisa, will you have John to be your husband,

to live together in holy marriage?

Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him,

in sickness and in heath,

and forsaking all others, be faithful to him

as long as you both shall live?

Lisa: I will.

to the groom:

John, will you have Lisa to be your wife,

to live together in holy 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?

John: I will.

{ Rev. Jameson asks Lisa to hand him

her bouquet of flowers, which he puts on a small table}

GIVING AWAY OF THE BRIDE

Who gives this woman

to be married to this man?

(Father or other person) I do. (Or her mother and I)

PRAYER

Let us pray.

God of all peoples,

you are the true light illumining everyone.

You show us the way, the truth, and the life.

You love us even when we are disobedient.

You sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

We rejoice in your life in the midst of our lives.

We praise you for your presence with us,

and especially in this act of solemn covenant;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SCRIPTURE LESSON

Isa 55:6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Isa 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Isa 55:9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa 55:10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

Isa 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Let us pray.

Eternal God, creator and preserver of all life,

author of salvation, giver of all grace:

bless and sanctify with your Holy Spirit

John and Lisa, who come now to join in marriage.

Grant that they may give their vows to each other

in the strength of your steadfast love.

Enable them to grow in love and peace

with you and with one another all their days,

that they may reach out in concern and service to the world;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE MARRIAGE VOWS

( John speaks first )

In the name of God,

I, John

take you, Lisa

to be my wife,

to have and to hold

from this day forward,

for better, for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,

until we are parted by death.

This is my solemn vow.

( Lisa speaks )

In the Name of God,

I, Lisa

take you, John

to be my husband,

to have and to hold

from this day forward,

for better, for worse,

for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and to cherish,

until we are parted by death.

This is my solemn vow.

BLESSING AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS

May I have the rings?

The wedding rings

are an outward and visible sign

of an inward and spiritual grace,

signifying unto all

the union of this man and woman in holy matrimony

through the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let us pray: Bless, O Lord, the giving of these rings,

that they who wear them may live in your peace and continue in your favor all the days of their life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Lisa speaking)

John, I give you this ring

as a sign 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. Amen.

(John speaking)

Lisa, I give you this ring

as a sign 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. Amen.

LIGHTING THE UNITY CANDLE

As a symbol of the covenant

made between Lisa and John,

I would like to invite them to light

their marriage candle at this time.

The marriage candle will remind us of Jesus

who said:

"I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life." John 8:12

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

You have declared your consent and vows

before God and this congregation.

May God confirm your covenant

and fill you both with grace.

Now that John and Lisa

have given themselves to each other

by solemn vows,

with the joining of hands,

and the giving and receiving of rings,

I announce to you

that they are husband and wife;

in the Name of the Father,

and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Those whom God has joined together,

let no one put asunder. Amen.

BLESSING OF THE MARRIAGE

Let us pray.

O God, You have so consecrated

the covenant of Christian marriage

that in it is represented

the covenant between Christ and his church.

Send therefore your blessing upon

Lisa and John,

that they may surely keep their marriage covenant,

and so grow in love and godliness together

that their home may be a haven of blessing

and a place of peace;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us pray our Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it

is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the

glory, forever. Amen.

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING

God the Eternal keep you in love with each other,

so that the peace of Christ may abide in your home.

Go to serve God and your neighbor in all that you do.

Bear witness to the love of God in this world,

so that those to whom love is a stranger

will find in you generous friends.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit

be with you all. Amen.

You may kiss.