The Seating of the Parents
Air & Hornpipe from The Water Music Handel
The Processional
Canon in D Pachelbel
The Bridal Processional
Trumpet Voluntary Clark
Dr. Schwehm, facing the people and Bride and Groom with Bride to the right
and Groom to the left, addresses the congregation and says:
"Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and
bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The
bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord
Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a
wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery of the union between
Christ and his Church, and Holy 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; and, when it is God's will, for the procreation of children and
their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Therefore marriage is not
to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in
accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God."
"Into this holy union Bride and Groom now come to be joined. If any of you
can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now, or else for
ever hold your peace."
Then Dr. Schwehm says to Katie and Groom:
"I require and charge you both, here in the presence of God, that if either
of you know any reason why you may not be united in marriage lawfully, and in
accordance with God's Word, you do now confess it."
The Declaration Of Consent
Dr. Schwehm says to Bride
"Bride, 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?"
Bride answers "I will."
Dr. Schwehm says to Groom:
"Groom, 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?"
Groom answers "I will."
Dr. Schwehm then addresses the congregation:
"Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold
these two persons in their marriage?"
The People answer "We will."
The Presentation of the Bride
Dr. Schwehm then addresses Mr. :
"Who presents this woman to be married to this man?"
Mr. Webster answers: "I do".
The Ministry Of The Word
Dr. Schwehm then says to the people: "The Lord be with you."
The People respond: "And also with you."
Dr. Schwehm continues.
"Let us pray. O gracious and ever-living God, you have created us male and
female in your image: Look mercifully upon this man and this woman who come to
you seeking your blessing, and assist them with your grace, that with true
fidelity and steadfast love they may honor and keep the promises and vows they
make; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
The people may be seated
Scripture 1
"A Reading from Song of Solomon"
Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7
My beloved speaks and says to me: " Arise, my love, my fair one, and come
away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear
on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is
heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in
blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as
death, passion fierce� as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging
flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one
offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned."
"The word of the Lord." People: Thanks be to God
Psalm
Psalm 128
1 Happy are they all who fear the Lord, *
and who follow in his ways!
2 You shall eat the fruit of your labor; *
happiness and prosperity shall be yours.
3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine within your house, *
your children like olive shoots round about your table.
4 The man who fears the Lord *
shall thus indeed be blessed.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion, *
and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days
of your life.
6 May you live to see your children's children; *
may peace be upon Israel.
Scripture 2
"A Reading from Tobit"
Tobit 8:5b-8
Tobias said to Sarah, " Sister, get up, and let us pray and implore our Lord
that he grant us mercy and safety." So she got up, and they began to pray and
implore that they might be kept safe. Tobias began by saying, " Blessed are you,
O God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name in all generations forever. Let
the heavens and the whole creation bless you forever. You made Adam, and for him
you made his wife Eve as a helper and support. From the two of them the human
race has sprung. You said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; let us
make a helper for him like himself.' I now am taking this kinswoman of mine, not
because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that she and I may find mercy and
that we may grow old together." And they both said, " Amen, Amen."
"The word of the Lord." People: Thanks be to God
How Great Thou Art
Dedicated in loving memory to Mary Gambrell Webster
Oh Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works
Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout
The universe displayed
Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great thou art
How great thou art
Then sings my soul
My Saviour, God, to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art
Scripture 3
"A reading from 1st Corinthians"
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I
am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and
understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to
remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my
possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have
love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or
boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the
truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for
tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know
only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the
partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought
like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to
childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to
face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully
known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of
these is love.
"The word of the Lord." People: Thanks be to God
The Marriage
Groom, facing Bride, takes her right hand in his, and says:
"In the Name of God, I, Groom, take you, Bride, 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."
Then they loose their hands, and Bride, still facing Groom, takes his right
hand in hers, and says:
"In the Name of God, I, Bride, take you, Groom, 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."
They loose their hands.
Dr. Schwehm asks God's blessing on the 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."
People: Amen
Bride places the ring on the ring finger of Groom's hand and says:
"Groom, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vows, 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."
Groom places the ring on the ring-finger of Bride's hand and says:
"Bride, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vows, 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."
Dr. Schwehm joins the right hands of husband and wife and says:
"Now that Bride and Groom have given themselves to each other by solemn vows,
with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce
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."
The Prayers
All standing, Dr. Schwehm says: "Let us pray together in the words our Savior
taught us:"
The Lord's Prayer is then recited by the People and Dr. Schwehm
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
The Layreader then reads several prayers, to which the People respond,
saying, "Amen."
"Eternal 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 Matrimony." People: Amen
Give them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each
may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in
sorrow, and a companion in joy. People: Amen
Grant that their wills may be so knit together in your will and their spirits
in your Spirit, that they may grow in love and peace with you and one another
all the days of their life. People: Amen
Give them grace, when they hurt each other, to recognize and acknowledge
their fault, and to see each other's forgiveness and yours. People: Amen
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. People: Amen
Bestow on them, if it is your will, the gift and heritage of children, and
the grace to bring them up to know you, to love you, and to serve you. People:
Amen
Give them such fulfillment of their mutual affection that they may reach out
in love and concern for others. People: Amen
Grant that all married persons who have witnessed these vows may find their
lives strengthened and their loyalties confirmed. People: Amen
Grant that the bonds of our common humanity, by which all your children are
united one to another, and the living to the dead, may be so transformed by your
grace, that your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven; where, O Father,
with your Son and the Holy Spirit, you live and reign in perfect unity, now ad
for ever. People: Amen
The Blessing Of The Marriage
The people remain standing and Dr. Schwehm says::
"Most gracious God, 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 woman in his name. 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. Lead them into all peace. Let their love for each other be a seal upon
their hearts, a mantel about their shoulders, and a crown upon their foreheads.
Bless them in their work and 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 feast for ever in your heavenly home; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever."
People: Amen
Dr. Schwehm says:
"I now present Mr. and Mrs. Groom Name. You may now kiss the bride."
The Recessional
Bridal March Mendelssohn
The Wedding Party
Parents of the Bride
Names
Parents of the Groom
Names
Maid of Honor Best Man Ushers Others
Names
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