The Preparation |
This sentence may be used.
God is love, and those who live in love live in God:
and God lives in them.
1 John 4.16
The Minister welcomes the people using these or other appropriate words.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all
and also with you.
This prayer may be said.
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We have come together in the presence of God, to witness the marriage of N and N, to ask his blessing on them, and to share in their joy. Our Lord Jesus Christ was himself a guest at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and through his Spirit he is with us now.
The Scriptures teach us that marriage is a gift of God in creation and a means of his grace, a holy mystery in which man and woman become one flesh. It is God's purpose that, as husband and wife give themselves to each other in love throughout their lives, they shall be united in that love as Christ is united with his Church.
Marriage is given, that husband and wife may comfort and help each other, living faithfully together in need and in plenty, in sorrow and in joy. It is given, that with delight and tenderness they may know each other in love, and, through the joy of their bodily union, may strengthen the union of their hearts and lives. It is given, that they may have children and be blessed in caring for them and bringing them up in accordance with God's will to his praise and glory.
In marriage husband and wife belong to one another, and they begin a new life together in the community. It is a way of life that all should honour; and it must not be undertaken carelessly, lightly, or selfishly, but reverently, responsibly, and after serious thought.
This is the way of life, created and hallowed by God, that N and N are now to begin. They will each give their consent to theother. they will join hands and exchange solemn vows, and intoken of this they will give and receive a ring.
Therefore, on this their wedding day we pray with them, that, strengthened and guided by God, they may fulfil his purpose for the whole of their earthly life together.
But first I am required to ask anyone present who knows a reason why these persons may not lawfully marry, to declare it now.
The minister says to the couple
The vows you are about to take are to be made in the presence
of God, who is judge of all and knows all the secrets of our
hearts; therefore if either of you knows a reason why you may
not lawfully marry, you must declare it now.
The minister says to the bridegroom
N, will you take N to be your wedded wife?
Will you love her, comfort her, honour and protect her,
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?
He answers
I will.
The minister says to the bride
N, will you take N to be your wedded husband?
Will you love him, comfort him, honour and protect him,
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?
She answers
I will.
The minister says to the congregation
Will you, the family and friends of N and N
support and uphold them
in their marriage now and in the years to come?
We will.
The minister invites the people to pray, silence is kept, and the mimster says the Collect.
God our Father,
you have taught us through your Son
that love is the fulfilling of the law.
Grant to your servants
that, loving one another,
they may continue in your love
until their lives' end:
through Jesus Christ our Eord. Amen.
The Ministry of the Word |
One or more READINGS may be used. See Appendix 2.
One or more PSALMS may be used. See Appendix 3.
A hymn may be sung
The Marriage |
N and N, we have heard God's word,
revealing to us the meaning of Christian marriage.
Now, in the presence of God and his people,
you are to join hands and declare your consent
to become husband and wife.
The bride and bridegroom face each other.
The bridegroom takes the bride's right hand in his, and says
I, N, take you, N,
to be my wedded 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,
till death us do part;
according to God's holy law.
All this I vow before God.
They loose hands.
The bride takes the bridegroom's right hand in hers, and says
I, N, take you, N,
to be my wedded 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,
till death us do part;
according to God's holy law.
All this I vow before God.
They loose hands.
These acclamations may be used.
| Minister |
Blessed are you, heavenly Father: |
| All | You give joy to bridegroom and bride. |
| Minister | Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ: |
| All | You bring life to the world. |
| Minister | Blessed are you, Holy Spirit of God: |
| All | You bind us together in love. |
| Minister | Blessed are you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; now and for ever. |
| All | Amen. |
The minister receives fhe rings, and says
Heavenly Father, by your blessing, let these rings
be to N and N a symbol of unending love and
faithfulness. to remind them of the vow and
covenant which they have made this day;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The bridegroom places fhe ring on fhe fourfh finger of fhe bride's left hand,
and holding it there, says .
N, I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
1f rings are exchanged, they loose hands and the bride places a ring on the fourth finger of the bridegroom's left hand, and holding it there, says .
N, I give you this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
If only one ring is used, before they loose hands the bride says
N, I receive this ring
as a sign of our marriage.
With my body I honour you,
all that I am I give to you,
and all that I have I share with you,
within the love of God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The minister addresses the people.
In the presence of God, and before this congregation,
N and N have given their consent
and made their marriage vows to each other.
They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands
and by the giving and receiving of a ring.
I therefore proclaim that they are husband and wife.
The minister joins their right hands together and says
Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.
(see note 9)
A hymn or psalm may be used.
Kneel
The husband and wife kneel before the holy table.
Faithful God,
holy and eternal,
source of life and spring of love,
we pray for N and N saying:
In thankful praise
for sowing the seeds of longing in their hearts
and for bringing us to this day
in the faith and fellowship of Jesus Christ
That their marriage may be life-giving and lifelong,
ennched by your presence and strengthened by your grace
That they may know true happiness together
and bring joy to their families and friends
That in faithfulness and trust
they may give comfort and confidence to each other
That the hospitality of their home
may bring refreshment and joy to all around them
[That the fruit of their love
may be the precious gift of children
That they may nurture their family with devotio
and see their children grow strong in body, mind and spirit
That their love may overflow to neighbours in need
and embrace those in distress
That the power of your Holy Spirit
may lead them in truth and defend them in adversity
That the years of their marriage
shall make their hearts content and their lives complete
Father of all,
in Jesus Christ you open to us
the treasures of your Kingdom;
guide us by your Holy Spirit
that we may receive your redeeming grace
and reflect that perfect unity of love
where you live and reign
Father, Son and Holy Spirit
One God, now and forever.
Amen.
Other prayers may be said here (see Appendix 5)
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray.
Our Father
(Text to be agreed)
The congregafion remain standing.
The husband and wife kneel, and the minister uses the following blessing or one of
those in Appendix 6.
God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep you;
the Lord mercifully grant you the riches of his grace,
that you may please him both in body and soul,
and, living together in faith and love,
may receive the blessings of eternal life. Amen
or
Most gracious God,
Lead them into all peace. If THE EUCHARlST is celebrated, the PEACE follows, and then the PREPARATION
OF THE BREAD AND WINE. A hymn may be sung. The minister blesses the couple and the congregatlon, saying
God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love, defend you on every side,
and guide you in truth and peace; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always.
APPENDIX 1: PRAYERS AT THE CALLING OF THE BANNS
APPENDIX 2: ALTERNATIVE INTRODUCTIONS
APPENDlX 3: READINGS
APPENDIX 4: PSALMS AND CANTICLES
APPENDIX 5: ADDITIONAL PRAYERS AND COLLECTS
APPENDIX 6: THE BLESSING OF THE MARRIAGE
APPENDIX 7: AT THE HOLY COMMUNION
back to The Marriage Service
we give you thanks for your tender love
in sending Jesus Christ to come among us,
to be born of a human mother,
and to make the way of the cross to be the way of life.
We thank you, also, for consecrating the union of man and
By the power of your Holy Spirit.
pour out the abundance of your blessing
upon this man and this woman.
Defend them from every enemy.
Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts,
a mantle about their shoulders,
and a crown upon their foreheads.
Bless them in their work and in their companionship;
in their sleeping and in their waking;
in their joys and in their sorrows;
in their life and in their death.
Finally, in your mercy,
bring them to that table where your saints celebrate for ever in
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(The Eucharist)
If there is no Eucharist, a hymn is sung.
THE BLESSING OF THE CONGREGATION
Amen.