The Order for the Service of Marriage

ENTRANCE

GATHERING

GREETING

Pastor to people:
Friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of ____ and _____ in Christian marriage. The covenant of marriage was established by God. With his presence and power Jesus in his sacrificial love, gave us the example for the love of husband and wife.
____ and ____ come to give themselves to one another in this holy covenant.

DECLARATION BY THE MAN AND THE WOMAN

I ask you now, in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into covenant with one another through the grace of Jesus Christ.

Pastor to the woman:
____, will you have ____ to be your husband, to live together in holy 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 may live?

Woman: I will.

Pastor to the man:
____, will you have _____ 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?

Man: I will.

RESPONSE OF THE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE

Pastor to people:
The marriage of ____ and ____ unites their families and creates a new one. They ask for your blessing.

Parents or other family representatives may respond:
We rejoice in your marriage
and pray God’s blessing upon you.

After the Declaration of Consent, if there is to be a giving in marriage, or presentation, the Celebrant asks:

Who gives (presents) this woman to be married to this man?
or
Who presents this woman and this man to be married to each other?

To either question, the appropriate answer is, “I do.” If more than one person responds, they do so together.

Pastor to people:
Will all of you, by God’s grace, do everything in your power to uphold and care for these two persons in their marriage?

People: We will.

PRAYER

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.

PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE

SCRIPTURE LESSONS

SERMON OR OTHER WITNESS TO CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Pastor: Let us pray.
Eternal God, creator and preserver of life, author of salvation, giver of all grace; Bless and sanctify with your Holy Spirit ___ and ___, 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

EXCHANGE OF VOWS

Man to Woman:
In the name of God, I,____, take you, ____, 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 in death. This is my solemn vow.

Woman to Man:
In the name of God, I, ____, take you, ____, 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 in death. This is my solemn vow.

BLESSING AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS

Pastor:
These rings are the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to us the covenant between Jesus Christ and his people. 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.

Man to woman:
____, 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.

Woman to man:
____, 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.

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE

The wife and husband join hands.

Pastor to husband and wife:
You have declared your consent and vows before God and this congregation. May God confirm your covenant and fill you both with grace.

Pastor to people:
Now that ___ and ___ 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.

SENDING FORTH

DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING

Pastor to wife and husband:
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.

Pastor to people:
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 a God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

RECESSIONAL

_____________________________________________

The Service of the Unity Candle, other readings, vocal and instrumental musical pieces and other expressions may be added in consultation with the Pastor.

Back to Weddings...


	The Order for the Service of Marriage

	Printable pdf version ENTRANCE GATHERING GREETING Pastor to people: Friends, we are gathered together in the sight of God to witness and bless the joining together of ____ and _____ in Christian marriage. The covenant of marriage was established by God. With his presence and power Jesus in his sacrificial love, gave us the example for the love of husband and wife. ____ and ____ come to give themselves to one another in this holy covenant. DECLARATION BY THE MAN AND THE WOMAN I ask you now, in the presence of God and these people, to declare your intention to enter into covenant with one another through the grace of Jesus Christ. Pastor to the woman: ____, will you have ____ to be your husband, to live together in holy 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 may live? Woman: I will. Pastor to the man: ____, will you have _____ 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? Man: I will. RESPONSE OF THE FAMILIES AND PEOPLE Pastor to people: The marriage of ____ and ____ unites their families and creates a new one. They ask for your blessing. Parents or other family representatives may respond: We rejoice in your marriage and pray God’s blessing upon you. After the Declaration of Consent, if there is to be a giving in marriage, or presentation, the Celebrant asks: Who gives (presents) this woman to be married to this man? or Who presents this woman and this man to be married to each other? To either question, the appropriate answer is, “I do.” If more than one person responds, they do so together. Pastor to people: Will all of you, by God’s grace, do everything in your power to uphold and care for these two persons in their marriage? People: We will. PRAYER 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. PROCLAMATION AND RESPONSE SCRIPTURE LESSONS SERMON OR OTHER WITNESS TO CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE INTERCESSORY PRAYER *Pastor:* Let us pray. Eternal God, creator and preserver of life, author of salvation, giver of all grace; Bless and sanctify with your Holy Spirit ___ and ___, 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 EXCHANGE OF VOWS Man to Woman: In the name of God, I,____, take you, ____, 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 in death. This is my solemn vow. Woman to Man: In the name of God, I, ____, take you, ____, 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 in death. This is my solemn vow. BLESSING AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS Pastor: These rings are the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, signifying to us the covenant between Jesus Christ and his people. 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. Man to woman: ____, 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. Woman to man: ____, 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. DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE The wife and husband join hands. Pastor to husband and wife: You have declared your consent and vows before God and this congregation. May God confirm your covenant and fill you both with grace. Pastor to people: Now that ___ and ___ 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. SENDING FORTH DISMISSAL WITH BLESSING Pastor to wife and husband: 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. Pastor to people: 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 a God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. RECESSIONAL _____________________________________________ The Service of the Unity Candle, other readings, vocal and instrumental musical pieces and other expressions may be added in consultation with the Pastor. Back to Weddings...