| "Receive this ring as a token of wedded love and trust" |
Peace Lutheran Church, Galion, Ohio
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which you as a couple will approach with greater happiness, joy, and
anticipation than the wedding service and the events which surround
it. We are lookingforward to assist you too. There is hardly an occasion
which you as a couple will approach with greater happiness, joy, and
anticipation than the wedding service and the events which
surround it. There is also hardly a responsibility which many of you
approach with greater apprehension than the planning and
preparation of your Christian wedding worship service. Jokingly,
I would say that this decision it is even more important than serving
their country in the military. In the military you
have a certain time of enlistment. In a marriage it
is a life long commitment! Together the journey
you are about to take with another person is not
unlike the journey we are on that has to do with
eternal life...a much longer life than this.
So we ask what is the purpose that we come together in this place
called Peace Lutheran Church? Realizing the seriousness of this decision, it is good to
consider two questions. The first is why get married in this community of faith? Secondly,
"what is a Christian marriage?"
The first question of "why get married in this community of faith," appears to be the easiest
to answer. I am a member here. (That is one determining factor.) I like the way the church
looks. Driving past we thought it was a beautiful church. My parents or grandparents were
members here. My distant relatives belong here. All of these are answers.
The pastoral ministry is to care for the spiritual needs of this community of faith. The
community of faith that gathers for worship includes the people of God who are active in
their faith through worshiping Him and who have been received as members through the
Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The beautiful appearance of the church, although a wonderful
legacy from the saints of the past here, becomes an opportunity to raise deep spiritual
questions at this significant crossroad in a couples life, and their decision to be married.
Just what is a Christian marriage?
Like the clothes we wear, or the furniture we place in a house, they contribute little to what
we are. There is something much deeper for a Christian marriage. This brings us to the
second question, "what is a Christian marriage?" It is initially, a Baptized Christian, active
in their faith. We define "active" as people of God who attend worship regularly, received
the Sacrament of Holy Communion regularly, and expect to continue to do so as a married
family. It is people of God who are aware of God's love for them, and who have decided to
ask for God's involvement in their marriage from the very beginning and to bless this
union. This is worship! It is a Christian Marriage Worship Service.
This marriage worship service is unlike others. It is especially designed to place the
foundation of marriage on the person of Christ. Should the couple be blessed in having
alone, it has become a journey together with Christ in the intimate context of the church
family.
This brings us to the pastoral care aspect of planning your Christian marriage. A couple
should plan their marriage worship service in consultation with the pastor at a minimum of
six months in advance. Baptismal certificates should be located and brought to the office.
During this time the pastor is more than willing to assist a couple to have a very meaningful
wedding worship service. Pastoral Counseling consists of approximately six sessions and
should be completed well in advance of the date of marriage. There should be no
assumptions made as to the pastor carrying out the marriage until this is completed. Also
commitments made for use of the church until the pre-marital counseling is completed
should be avoided. Planning ahead and consulting with the pastor will assist in assuring
adequate time for reserving places for receptions, and possibly unnecessary loss of deposits
because of assumptions made unwisely.
A Christian marriage worship service is unique since "marriage is a holy estate, ordained of
God..."
As a worship service, the dress, and music are important. A worship service is not meant to
be a re-enactment of, i.e. Medieval costumes, roller skating, sky-diving, or a hootenanny
events. What we do is to glorify Christ. It is to celebrate our Lord's entry into this union
through marriage. A time of rejoicing, and thanksgiving. The pastor and church musician
are here to assist in doing just that!
Peace Lutheran Church rejoices in your decision, and our prayers continue to be with you as
you enter this Holy Estate of Matrimony. Together in the worship service of marriage, once
again we realize God's purpose to live for, God's people to live with, God's principles to live
by, God's profession to live out, and God's power to live on each day.
The Church looks forward to celebrating your new life together in community with His
Church.
anticipation than the wedding service and the events which surround
it. We are lookingforward to assist you too. There is hardly an occasion
which you as a couple will approach with greater happiness, joy, and
anticipation than the wedding service and the events which
surround it. There is also hardly a responsibility which many of you
approach with greater apprehension than the planning and
preparation of your Christian wedding worship service. Jokingly,
I would say that this decision it is even more important than serving
their country in the military. In the military you
have a certain time of enlistment. In a marriage it
is a life long commitment! Together the journey
you are about to take with another person is not
unlike the journey we are on that has to do with
eternal life...a much longer life than this.
So we ask what is the purpose that we come together in this place
called Peace Lutheran Church? Realizing the seriousness of this decision, it is good to
consider two questions. The first is why get married in this community of faith? Secondly,
"what is a Christian marriage?"
The first question of "why get married in this community of faith," appears to be the easiest
to answer. I am a member here. (That is one determining factor.) I like the way the church
looks. Driving past we thought it was a beautiful church. My parents or grandparents were
members here. My distant relatives belong here. All of these are answers.
The pastoral ministry is to care for the spiritual needs of this community of faith. The
community of faith that gathers for worship includes the people of God who are active in
their faith through worshiping Him and who have been received as members through the
Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The beautiful appearance of the church, although a wonderful
legacy from the saints of the past here, becomes an opportunity to raise deep spiritual
questions at this significant crossroad in a couples life, and their decision to be married.
Just what is a Christian marriage?
Like the clothes we wear, or the furniture we place in a house, they contribute little to what
we are. There is something much deeper for a Christian marriage. This brings us to the
second question, "what is a Christian marriage?" It is initially, a Baptized Christian, active
in their faith. We define "active" as people of God who attend worship regularly, received
the Sacrament of Holy Communion regularly, and expect to continue to do so as a married
family. It is people of God who are aware of God's love for them, and who have decided to
ask for God's involvement in their marriage from the very beginning and to bless this
union. This is worship! It is a Christian Marriage Worship Service.
This marriage worship service is unlike others. It is especially designed to place the
foundation of marriage on the person of Christ. Should the couple be blessed in having
alone, it has become a journey together with Christ in the intimate context of the church
family.
This brings us to the pastoral care aspect of planning your Christian marriage. A couple
should plan their marriage worship service in consultation with the pastor at a minimum of
six months in advance. Baptismal certificates should be located and brought to the office.
During this time the pastor is more than willing to assist a couple to have a very meaningful
wedding worship service. Pastoral Counseling consists of approximately six sessions and
should be completed well in advance of the date of marriage. There should be no
assumptions made as to the pastor carrying out the marriage until this is completed. Also
commitments made for use of the church until the pre-marital counseling is completed
should be avoided. Planning ahead and consulting with the pastor will assist in assuring
adequate time for reserving places for receptions, and possibly unnecessary loss of deposits
because of assumptions made unwisely.
A Christian marriage worship service is unique since "marriage is a holy estate, ordained of
God..."
As a worship service, the dress, and music are important. A worship service is not meant to
be a re-enactment of, i.e. Medieval costumes, roller skating, sky-diving, or a hootenanny
events. What we do is to glorify Christ. It is to celebrate our Lord's entry into this union
through marriage. A time of rejoicing, and thanksgiving. The pastor and church musician
are here to assist in doing just that!
Peace Lutheran Church rejoices in your decision, and our prayers continue to be with you as
you enter this Holy Estate of Matrimony. Together in the worship service of marriage, once
again we realize God's purpose to live for, God's people to live with, God's principles to live
by, God's profession to live out, and God's power to live on each day.
The Church looks forward to celebrating your new life together in community with His
Church.
