A Christian Declaration of Marriage
“As we celebrate the 2000th anniversary of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, entering the third millennium, we pledge together to honor the Lord by committing ourselves afresh to God’s first institution – marriage.
“We believe that marriage is a holy union of one man and one woman in which they commit, with God’s help, to build a loving, life-giving, faithful relationship that will last for a lifetime. God has established the married state, in the order of creation and redemption, for spouses to grow in love of one another and for the procreation, nurture, formation, and education of children.
“We believe that in marriage many principles of the Kingdom of God are manifested. The interdependence of healthy Christian community is clearly exemplified in loving one another (John 13:34), forgiving one another (Ephesians 4:32), confessing to one another (James 5:16), and submitting to one another (Ephesians 5:21). These principles find unique fulfillment in marriage. Marriage is God’s gift, a living image of the union between Christ and His Church.
“We believe that when a marriage is true to God’s loving design it brings spiritual, physical, emotional, economic, and social benefits not only to a couple and family but also to the Church and to the wider culture. Couples, churches and the whole of society have a stake in the well being of marriages. Each, therefore, has its own obligations to prepare, strengthen, support and restore marriages.
“Our nation is threatened by a high divorce rate, a rise in cohabitation, a rise in non-marital births, a decline in the marriage rate, and a diminishing interest in and readiness for marrying, especially among young people. The documented adverse impact of these trends on children, adults, and society is alarming. Therefore, as church leaders, we recognize an unprecedented need and responsibility to help couples begin, build, and sustain better marriages, and to restore those threatened by divorce.
“Motivated by our common desire that God’s Kingdom be manifested on earth as it is in heaven, we pledge to deepen our commitment to marriage. With three quarters of marriages performed by clergy, churches are uniquely positioned not only to call America to a stronger commitment to this holy union but to provide practical ministries and influence for reversing the course of our culture. It is evident in cities across the nation that where churches join in common commitment to restore a priority on marriage, divorces are reduced and communities are positively influenced.
“Therefore, we call on churches throughout America to do their part to strengthen marriage in our nation by providing:
· Prayer and spiritual support for stronger marriage
· Encouragement for people to marry
· Education for young people about the meaning and responsibility of marriage
· Preparation for those engaged to be married
· Pastoral care, including qualified mentor couples, for couples at all stages of their relationship
· Help for couples experiencing marital difficulty and disruption
· Influence within society and the culture to uphold the institution of marriage
“Further, we urge churches in every community to join in developing policies and programs with concrete goals to reduce the divorce rate and increase the marriage rate.
“By our commitment to marriage as instituted by God, the nature of His Kingdom will be more clearly revealed in our homes, our churches, and our culture. To that end we pray and labor with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
“May the grace of God, the presence of Christ, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit be abundant in all those who so commit and be a blessing to all whose marriages we seek to strengthen.”
*Adopted July 25, 2022 by First Presbyterian Church Session
The Covenant of Marriage
“Marriage is a gift God has given to all humankind for the well-being of the entire human family. For Christians marriage is a covenant through which one man and one woman are called to live out together before God their lives of discipleship. In a service of Christian marriage a lifelong commitment is made by one woman and one man to each other, publicly witnessed and acknowledged by the community of faith.”
“Christian marriage should be celebrated in the place where the community gathers for worship. As a service of Christian worship, the marriage service is under the direction of the minister and the supervision of the session.”
“The service begins with scriptural sentences and a brief statement of purpose. The man and the woman shall declare their intention to enter into Christian marriage and shall exchange vows of love and faithfulness. The service includes appropriate passages of Scripture, which may be interpreted in various forms of proclamation. Prayers shall be offered for the couple, for the communities, which support them in this new dimension of discipleship, and for all who seek to live in faithfulness. In the name of the triune God the minister shall declare publicly that the woman and man are now joined in marriage. A charge may be given. Other actions common to the community and its cultures may appropriately be observed when these actions do not diminish the Christian understanding of marriage. The service concludes with a benediction.”
INITIAL ARRANGEMENTS
The congregation, Session, and pastor of First Presbyterian Church rejoice with you as you plan for the celebration of your marriage. It is hoped that this booklet, which outlines the wedding policies of our church and answers typical questions about weddings, will assist you in planning
MEETING WITH SESSION
The prospective bride and groom will plan on meeting with the Session of First Presbyterian Church to hear the Christian testimonies of both the bride and groom. As a church, we will only conduct ceremonies when both the bride and groom are committed Christians. We believe that marriage is more than a contract, but involves a covenant that both the man and woman make with each other and with God.
MEETING WITH THE PASTOR
Ordinarily the pastor of First Presbyterian Church must officiate at all weddings performed in the church. The First Presbyterian Church Session is the final authority in all matters pertaining to the wedding service or to the use of the building.
The pastor will meet with the wedding couple on several occasions. At the first counseling session discussion may concern events leading to the decision to marry and setting goals conducive to a successful marriage. The second meeting may focus on specific aspects of the wedding service.
DATE SELECTION
The church calendar will be consulted to reserve tentative dates and times for the wedding and rehearsal. Announcements should not be made nor printed materials ordered until written confirmation of dates and times is received from the church. Confirmation will be provided within two weeks of initial application.
Thank you for your inquiry about a wedding at First Presbyterian Church. Use of the church for weddings is governed by Session, which has adopted the policies outlined in this brochure. Compliance with the policies is required of all wedding participants and guests.
MUSIC
Music selected for the wedding shall be appropriate for a service of worship and shall meet the approval of the Session. The congregation may join in singing hymns and other musical forms of praise and prayer.
THE REHEARSAL
A wedding taking place in the Sanctuary requires a rehearsal in the Sanctuary. About one hour is allotted to each wedding rehearsal. If possible, all members of the wedding party (the parents of the bride and groom, the attendants, the best man and ushers) should attend the rehearsal and, of course, they are expected to arrive promptly at the appointed hour.
RECEPTIONS
The Fellowship Hall is available for receptions. Catered food may be served from the kitchen but use of kitchen equipment is permitted only by those authorized by the session of First Presbyterian Church. Access to the Fellowship Hall should be arranged through the church office.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Pastor, as representative of the Session of our church, is charged with the responsibility of overseeing the use of church property and facilities. This requires that the Session’s policies prohibiting smoking in church buildings and prohibiting the consumption of alcohol anywhere in the building or on the grounds be strictly observed by wedding participants and guests alike. Should the prohibitions be ignored, the wedding may be delayed or even cancelled.
*Adopted by First Presbyterian Church Session on July 25, 2022