Challenge

From God's Holy Book we read these words: From the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. And the Lord God said, "It isn't good for man to be alone; I will make a companion for him, a helper suitable to his needs. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife in such a way that the two become one spirit. You wives must submit to your husbands' leadership in the same way you submit to the Lord. For a husband is in charge of his wife in the same way Christ is in charge of His body the church. (He gave his life to take care of it and be its Savior!) So you wives must willingly obey your husbands in everything, just as the church obeys Christ.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. So again I say, a man must love his wife as a part of himself; and the wife must see to it that she deeply respects her husband reverencing, praising and honoring him.

You, ___________, (bride) and you, ___________ (groom), have come to me signifying your desire to be formally united in marriage.

Wedding Vows

(Please join your right hands.)

Pastor -- ___________, in taking the woman whom you hold by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded wife, I require you to promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness and in health, in poverty as in wealth, in bad that may darken your days, in the good that may lighten your ways, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part you. Do you so promise?

Groom -- I do.

Pastor -- ___________, taking the man who holds you by the right hand to be your lawful and wedded husband, I require you to promise to love and cherish him, to honor and sustain him, in sickness and in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days, in the good that may lighten your ways, and to be true to him in all things until death alone shall part you. Do you so promise?

Bride -- I do.

Pastor -- Again from God's Word. A new commandment I give unto you, that you also love one another. Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong. It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out. If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him. Love never fails, for love is of God. And now abides faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

Ring Vows

Pastor to Groom -- What pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?

Groom -- A ring.

Pastor to Bride -- ___________, do you accept this ring as a pledge of the sincerity of his vows?

Bride -- I do.

Pastor to Groom -- THIS RING I THEE GIVE...IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE..OF MY CONSTANT FAITH AND ABIDING LOVE.

Pastor to Bride -- ___________ what pledge do you give of the sincerity of your vows?

Bride -- A ring.

Pastor to Groom -- ___________ do you accept this ring as a pledge of the sincerity of her vows?

Groom -- I do.

Pastor to Bride -- THIS RING I THEE GIVE..IN TOKEN AND PLEDGE..OF MY CONSTANT FAITH..AND ABIDING LOVE.

Pastor -- And may these rings given, be the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites your two hearts in love that has no end.

Light Memory Candle.

Kneel, prayer, solo

Pronouncement

Pastor -- Having pledged your faith in, and love to each other, and having sealed your solemn marital vows by giving and receiving the rings, acting in the authority vested in me by the laws of this state, and looking to heaven for divine sanction, I pronounce you husband and wife in the presence of God and these assembled witnesses. What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

And now may the God of peace prosper and bless your new relationship, and may the grace of Jesus Christ abound unto you now and forevermore.

You may kiss the Bride.

Introduction

And now it is my happy privilege to congratulate and introduce to you Mr. & Mrs. ___________

Solo

Recessional