The Jesus MeetUp Wedding Ceremony
Greeting and Prayer
We have come together in the presence of our Paradise Father, His Son and our Master, Jesus, our beloved Mother Spirit, all of our unseen friends to witness the joining together of these two beloved people in the committed bonds of wedlock.
The relationship of marriage has always been established by God, and it is sanctioned to be held in honor by all people on our world. It is one of man’s greatest blessings and also one of his most awesome responsibilities. Marriage is not to be entered into lightly, but soberly and deliberately and in reverent honor of God.
[name ________________] and [name_________________] thank you for joining them and sharing in this very special day.
Let us commit this time to the Lord in prayer.
Giving away:
Who is giving this [name] to be married to this [name]?
Parent's Blessing (optional)
A marriage is not only the joining together of two individuals, it is also a joining
together of two families. The care, support, and nurture which have been
extended to [name] and [name] by their families is as important now as it has
ever been. In fact, it needs to be extended now to include another person. Both
families need to be committed to support both partners in this marriage.
__________ , you are not losing a child but rather you are gaining another family member. Do you promise to love and encourage [name] as you would your own? If so, answer, "I will."
__________ , you are not losing a [child] but rather you are gaining another family member. Do you promise to love and encourage [name] as you would your own? If so, answer, "I will."
Passage Reading suggested as instructions from Jesus, our Master:
167:5.7 Jesus said: "Marriage is honorable and is to be desired by all children of our Father. The fact that the Son of Man pursues his earth mission alone is in no way a reflection on the desirability of marriage. That I should so work is the Father's will, but this same Father has directed the creation of male and female, and it is the divine will that His sons or daughters should find their highest service and consequent joy in the establishment of homes for the reception and training of children, in the creation of whom these parents become co-partners with the Makers of heaven and earth. "
Song:
Poem:
Prayer:
(optional--any of these or none of these are fine)
Message [to be created by the officiate]
Statement of Intention
This statement of intent is optional as the vows are an explicit statement of the
intent and commitment to marry. However, they are commonly used before the
vows as a public declaration. They can be used immediately before the vows or
else earlier in the service.
PLEASE JOIN HANDS
---------------, Do you intend to take [name] whose hand you hold to be your
lawfully wedded spouse; and do you pledge before our Paradise Father to love, honor, and protect [name] through sunshine and shadow alike; keeping yourself committed until death shall separate you? If so, answer “I Do”?
------------- Do you intend to take [name], whose hand you hold, to be your lawfully wedded spouse; and do you pledge before God to love, honor and respect [name] through sunshine and shadow alike, keeping yourself committed until death shall separate you? If so, answer “I Do”
Vows
[name], repeat after me:
I [name] take you [name],
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
excluding all others,
as long as we both shall live.
With God as my witness,
I give you my pledge.
[name], repeat after me:
I [name] take you [name],
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,
excluding all others,
as long as we both shall live.
With God as my witness,
I give you my pledge.
Rings
You have chosen to seal your vows by the giving and receiving of rings. The ring
forms a perfect circle, without a beginning or an end, and is thereby a symbol of
eternity and signifies the duration of the commitment you are making. The metal
of which the rings are often made signify the purity and value of the relationship into
which you enter. Let us now exchange these rings.
[name] /[name] You have the privilege of placing this ring on the
finger of this one you love in virtue of the exclusive covenant relationship into which you now enter.
Repeat after me: I give you this ring, as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I
am, and with all that I have, I will honor you.
Lighting of unity candle/Song (optional)
Prayer of Blessing [created by officiate]
Pronouncement
And now, by the spiritual power invested in me as a minister of Jesus, our Sovereign Master, I now pronounce you bonded by the vow of matrimony to one another. You may now seal this commitment with a kiss.
Introduction
[the officiate introduces the couple by their full names]
Recessional
Questions to consider
1. Do we want to include the Parent’s Blessing? If so, are there any special family
dynamics which need to be resolved ahead of time?
2. Do we want to personalize vows or use traditional vows? (If you want
personalized vows, please discuss this ahead of time.)
3. Are there any special people we would like to include in the service itself? (For
example, a friend or relative you would like to have do a special reading or a
prayer of blessing etc.)
4. Have we made plans for songs/music and decided where we want them
included in the service?
5. Do we have any special requests for the content of the message? (special passages? Statements?)
Feel free to share with us your ideas or questions.
To the ideal of marriage
as Jesus has taught us ~ Marin and David