THE CHRISTIAN WEDDING SERVICE
PROCESSIONAL
THE RITE OF HOLY MATRIMONY
M: In the name of the Father and of the †
Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
(Be seated)
The Betrothal Vows
Name, will you take Name to be your wife? Will
you be guided by the counsel and direction God has given in
His Word and love your wife as Christ loved the Church? Will
you be faithful to her, cherish her, support her, and help
her in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?
If so, answer, “I will.”
Groom: I will.
Name, will you take Name to be your husband?
Will you be guided by the counsel and direction God has given
in his Word and submit to your husband as the Church submits
to Christ? Will you be faithful to him, cherish him, support
him, and help him in sickness and in health as long as you
both shall live? If so answer, “I will.”
Bride: I will.
The Wedding Vows
I, Name, / in the presence of God and these
witnesses / take you, Name, / to be my wife. / I promise to
be faithful to you / until death parts us.
I, Name / in the presence of God and these
witnesses / take you, Name, / to be my husband. / I promise
to be faithful to you / until death parts us.
The Blessing and the Exchange of the Rings
Bless † O Lord, these rings, so that
they who wear them may always be reminded of your blessing
and promise, live with each other in unbroken fidelity, and
dwell in your peace and abiding love; in the Name of the Father
and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
C: Amen.
Name - Name, receive this ring / as a pledge
and token of my love and faithfulness / in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Pronouncement of Marriage
Since Name and Name desire each other in marriage
and have acknowledged the same here publicly before God and
the world, in testimony of which they have given each other
their hands and rings, I pronounce them joined in marriage,
in the Name of the Father and of the Son † and of the
Holy Spirit. What God has joined together, let man not separate.
THE MARRIAGE PRAYER
Let us pray. Almighty God, who created man
and woman and who has joined together this husband and wife
in Holy Marriage, thereby signifying the sacramental union
of your Son Jesus Christ to his Bride, the Church, we beseech
you of your infinite goodness, not to allow your blessing
and ordinance to be set aside or disgraced, but to evermore
protect and preserve it, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
C: Amen.
GOD’S SERVICE OF THE WORD
(Rise)
PROCESSIONAL HYMN
The Introit (Cantor)
The God of Israel join you together, and may
He be with you even as He had mercy on two that were the only
begotten of their fathers: Grant them mercy, O Lord, and finish
their life in health and joy. Blessed is every one who fears
the Lord, Who walks in His ways. Glory be to the Father and
to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen. The God of Israel join
you together, and may He be with you even as He had mercy
on two that were the only begotten of their fathers: Grant
them mercy, O Lord, and finish their life in health and joy.
C(sing): Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have
mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us.
P: Glory be to God on high.
C(sing): And on earth peace, good
will toward men. We praise you, we bless you, we worship
you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great
glory, O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father almighty.
O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord
God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sin
of the world; have mercy on us. You take away the sin of the
world; receive our prayer. You sit at the right hand
of God the Father; have mercy on us. For you only are holy;
you only are the Lord. You only, O Christ, with the
Holy Spirit, † are most high in the glory of God the
Father. Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C (sing): And with your spirit.
P: Let us pray. (The Pastor prays the Prayer
of the Day.)
C: Amen.
(Be seated!)
The Old Testament Reading: Genesis
2:18-24
After the Reading:
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Cantor: Your wife shall be like a fruitful
vine
In the very heart of your house,
Your children like olive plants
All around your table.
The Epistle Reading: Ephesians 5:22-33
After the Reading:
M: The Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
(Rise)
Cantor: Alleluia. Alleluia. May the Lord send
you help from the sanctuary: And strengthen you out of Zion.
Alleluia.
The Gospel Reading: Matthew19:1-6
After the Reading:
M: The Gospel of our Lord.
C: Praise be to you, O Christ.
(Be seated)
The Homily
The Chief Hymn
(Rise)
The Creed
P: I believe in one God,
C: The Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven
and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God
from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten,
not made, being of one substance with the Father. Through
him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation,
he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake
he was crucified under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was
buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with
the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated on the
right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to
judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no
end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the
giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who
in unity with the Father and the Son is worshiped and
glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe
one holy Christian and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one
Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection
of the dead and the life † of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
P: Let us pray. Receive our prayer, O Lord,
for your holy Church throughout the world, especially for
those who are orthodox and profess the Christian and Apostolic
Faith. Grant grace to her faithful pastors, and bishops, and
grant her peace, protection, guidance and unity. Lord, in
your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Be mindful also of all those present, who
offer you this sacrifice of praise and whose faith and devotion
are known to you. Pour upon them your continual mercy so that
they look to you for the salvation of their souls and for
help in every need. Lord, in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Remember, O Lord, all those who suffer any
need or adversity, those who sorrow and grieve, those who
are sick or hospitalized, those who are in trouble, and those
who have requested our prayers (Pause for private intentions).
Be their sure defense and their help in every need. Lord,
in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: O God, who appointed that woman be formed
from man so that she might be an inseparable helper comparable
to him; and who, by knitting them together, taught that it
should never be lawful to put asunder those whom you by Holy
Matrimony have joined: look with mercy upon Name and Name;
that, in accordance with your holy Word, this man may sacrificially
love his wife, even as Christ loves his Bride, the Church
and gave himself for her, loving and cherishing her as his
own flesh; and also that this woman may be loving and faithful
to her husband even as the Church receives in faith and gratitude
all good things from her Lord. Lord, in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Look with favor upon all the homes of our
land. Embrace husbands and wives, parents and children, in
the arms of your love. Bless our homes that they may ever
be a shelter for the defenseless, a bulwark for the tempted,
a resting place for the weary, and a foretaste of our eternal
home with you. Lord, in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: In communion with the Church of all times
and places, we honor the memory of the blessed patriarchs,
prophets, evangelists, apostles, confessors, martyrs, and
all your saints, including the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus
Christ, our God and Lord. And although we are undeserving
sinners, be pleased to grant us communion and fellowship with
those in heaven whose victory with celebrate on earth. Into
their company we implore you to admit us, not weighing our
merits, but freely pardoning our offenses. Lord, in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: We also pray that you would remember our
loved ones who have gone before us with the sign of faith and now rest
in the sleep of peace (Pause for private intentions). Grant
to these, and to all who rest in Christ, a place of refreshment,
light and peace. Lord, in your mercy:
C: Hear our prayer.
P: Graciously receive our prayers, deliver
us and preserve us through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever.
C: Amen.
GOD’S SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION
Solo: Draw Near and Take the Body of the Lord
P: The Lord be with you.
C (sing): And with your spirit.
P: Lift up your hearts.
C (sing): We lift them up unto the
Lord.
P: Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God.
C (sing): It is good and right so
to do.
P: It is truly good, right and salutary that
we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you,
holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus
Christ, our Lord. Therefore with angels and archangels and
with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious
name, evermore praising you and saying:
(Kneel!)
C (sing): Holy, holy, holy Lord
God of heavenly hosts; heav’n and earth are full of
your glory. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest. †
Blessed is he, blessed is he, blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord. Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
THE EUCHARISTIC PRAYER by the Pastor
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION by the Pastor
P: Through him, with him, in him, in the unity
of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty
Father, now and forever.
C (sing): Amen.
P: As our Savior has commanded and taught us,
we are bold to pray:
ALL: 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
forever and ever. Amen.
P: Deliver us, O Lord, we beseech you, from
every evil past, present and to come; and graciously grant
peace in our days that by Your compassionate aid, we may ever
be free from all turmoil and shelter from all sin, through
ö Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end.
C (sing): Amen.
P: The peace of the Lord † be with you
always.
C (sing): Amen.
P: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world!
C (sing): O Christ, Lamb of God, you
take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us. O Christ,
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world; have mercy
on us. O Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the
world; grant us your peace. Amen.
(Be seated!)
The DISTRIBUTION of Christ’s Body and Blood
Cantor: Behold, thus shall the man be blessed
who fears the Lord. Yes, may you see your children's children.
Pleace be upon Israel!
(Rise!)
P: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
C (sing): And his mercy endures forever.
P: Prayer of Thanksgiving by the Pastor
C (sing): Amen.
The Nuptial Blessing
P: Almighty God bless, preserve and keep you;
the Lord mercifully behold you with his grace; the Lord fill
you will every spiritual blessing, so that, living together
in his love in this life, you may enter with joy into his
heavenly home; in the Name of the Father and of the Son +
and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you.
C (sing): And with your spirit.
P: Bless we the Lord.
C (sing): Thanks be to God.
P: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord
make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord
look on you with his favor and † give you peace.
C (sing): Amen. Amen. Amen.
RECESSIONAL
