Wedding | Richard Orozco and Juliette Soto

SERVICE OF MARRIAGE

Prior to Service:

Enter Notes Below:

Pre-Service Announcement:

In just a few moments, the wedding ceremony will commence. At the request of the bride and groom, please silence your cell phone and any other devices, and please refrain from taking photos and video during the ceremony. We invite you to enjoy this special time with Ricky and Juliette. Thank you!

Invite ALL to Stand for the Bride

(congregation seated)

Words of Welcome:

To the Father of the Bride:

Who gives this bride to be with this man?

To congregation:

All of us here love both of you so much.

Juliette, I remember the first time that I met you and Ricky. We meet at Drive, our young adult community at Christ Journey Church. Way back then, you said to me: this church feels like a home away from home.

I feel grateful to have witnessed both of you grow and mature into wonderful adults who know stand before me today, ready to make their marriage vows to one another before God and this gathering of witnesses.

Juliette and Ricky, I want you to know that we have also found a family in you, and all of us feel so grateful for you.

This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24 NLT

Today is a most special day!

***[[[Look at audience]]] In fact, all of us have been looking forward to this day for more than a year and a half!

On behalf of Ricky and Juliette, I want to extend to all of you a very warm welcome.

We have gathered together in this most beautiful place in the presence of God to join Richard Orozco and Juliette Soto in sacred marriage, an institution ordained by God, and to be honored by all people.

To you, Ricky and Juliette, may I express on behalf of your family and friends gathered here with you today that we feel such a deep and profound sense of joy to celebrate this sacred union with you.

Word of Explanation:

Through the witness of Scripture, we have learned that God has instructed all of those who enter into this marriage covenant to cherish one another with a mutual love; to share in the infirmities and weaknesses of one another; to comfort one another in sickness, trouble, and sorrow; to provide for one another; and, to partner with one another and the Holy Spirit to bless the world.

It is for this purpose, Ricky and Juliette, that you are standing here today before God, one another, and these witnesses… to become united in sacred marriage and to celebrate the formation of a new family for the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Today, in the presence of your loved ones, both of you will declare your intent to marry, exchange vows, and give rings, all done in the full knowledge of what this sacred union means.

This kind of union - truly, this kind of love - now demands from both of you the highest form of human co-operation and sharing. This marriage covenant is binding until the day that death shall separate you.

Prayer:

Would you pray with me:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the real life and love that only you gave to us through the sacrifice of your son, Jesus Christ. We praise you, and we give you our gratitude, Lord, as we align our hearts and our wills to you.

Thank you for Ricky and Juliette. Thank you for the love that you have formed between them. Lord, thank you for the company of these friends and family members gathered here today. Remain with us now and always. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we make this prayer, Amen.

Declaration of Intent:

Ricky and Juliette, before God and this gathering of family and friends, I am going to ask you to declare your intent to enter into this marriage covenant:

Ricky, will you have Juliette to be your wife, to live together in the holy 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 for so long as you both shall live? If so, then answer, “I do.”

Juliette, will you have Ricky to be your husband, to live together in the holy 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 for so long as you both shall live? If so, then answer, “I do.”

Now, to your witnesses gathered here with you today, do each one of you promise to support Ricky and Juliette in their marriage together, honoring them, encouraging them, and praying for them? If so, then answer with an enthusiastic, “We do!”

Message Scripture Reading:

I would like to read a collection of short passages from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus that teach us about the essential values of marriage. He wrote:

Live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called - one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6

Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one Body. In your anger do not offend. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. 4:25-26

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful in building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as in Christ, God forgave you. 4:29-32

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 5:1-2

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 5:8-10

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 5:21-28

Wedding Homily:

Ricky and Juliette, I want to offer both of you and your witnesses gathered here today a simple, yet profound charge: Serve one another.

In the passages that I just read, carefully hear these words: ‘be humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.’

Truly, this kind of instruction demands the highest form of servanthood from both of you equally on behalf of yourself for the other… rooted in faith… and draped in humility.

The true essence of humility means more than just merely thinking about yourself less. Humility means losing yourself for the sake of the other.

As you follow Jesus together, remember that he did not hold onto his rights and privileges as the Son of God, but in humility, Jesus made himself… a servant.

Jesus gave up his ‘everything’ - his prestige, his wants, his desires, and his very rights as the Son of God - for the sake of the world whom he loved… for the sake of his bride, the church... and for the sake of each one of you… Ricky, Juliette, and your witnesses gathered here today… and he calls all of those who enter into this sacred marriage covenant to do the very same.

Ricky and Juliette, you are called to love one another with that same kind of humility and service, which, ultimately, beckons both of you to set aside your rights as individuals for the benefit and blessing of the other.

In fact, if you want to know the secret sauce to a successful marriage… it’s not more money… or time… it’s not about more stuff… or even good communication… it’s good old fashioned humble servanthood. That’s it. Everything good in marriage flows out of serving the other.

If you both strive to lose yourself for the sake of the other and make your mission in marriage to serve your spouse, then ironically - and truly, this is the great secret of marriage - your needs will always be met. And the two of you will discover a rare kind of joy in marriage that only a few ever find.

Therefore, I implore both of you to make your “marriage mission” all about serving the another.

Ricky, your marriage mission is to serve Juliette. Juliette, your marriage mission is to serve Ricky.

In doing so, nearly every other aspect of your marriage will work itself out - disagreements, different ideas about how to raise children, who does what household chore. If you consistently and faithfully seek to serve and want the best for the other, then these other issues will feel less like a tidal wave and more like a light ripple in your marriage.

Only the two of you know what serving the other really means.

Over the years, I have witnessed how both of you have grown to love and serve one another well for your marriage ahead of you. I am impressed by your emotional health and self-awareness.

Both of you have learned developed strong communication pathways with each other. And plus, you all just really seem to like each other!

All of these things combined are what make both of a POWERHOUSE COUPLE!

Hold onto those unique qualities that make up the foundation of your relationship, for God has graciously formed them between you and given you the opportunity to bless others in his name.

To bear one another in love means remaining with each other through every argument, every illness, and every joy.

To bear one another in love means always choosing your spouse - always choosing your spouse - ahead of yourself, no matter what person or thing, attempts to drive a wedge between the unity of your marriage.

This here [point to the two of them] from now on is your first priority... always… ahead of jobs, kids, friends, conflict, finances, whatever. This is priority one.

Therefore, as you begin the first day of your marriage and build a new family for God’s glory, always keep these three values from Ephesians front and center:

First is ‘hope.’

A well known theologian once said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

I think every married couple here would agree that finite disappointments, grudges, and conflicts can feel like an eternity in the moment. But in reality, they only last as long as you let them. You decide when conflicts and grudges end. Cherish the kind of hope that’s infinite, and let that be your perspective.

Another value is ‘unity.’

Remain together no matter what!

Both of you are well acquainted with challenges. I can recall so many conversations from past years when you, Ricky, first started down the path of becoming a firefighter, and you, Juliette, first began walking toward your dream of becoming a lawyer and a future judge! Those magnificent dreams don’t come easy! Neither one of you fear challenges. Rather, your security is founded in Christ alone, your cornerstone, who aligns your hearts and to his will and one another.

Christ in you, the hope of glory!

In the midst of whatever challenge either one of you face, always remain united to God, each other, your community - your family and friends - and your church.

***

See these people gathered here? These are your people for better and for worse. Don’t forget that. These are your people who will support you… care for you… and love you... no matter what. Some of them have traveled long distances to be here with you. Hold onto them. Fight for them… in the same way that all of you [[[look at the witnesses]]] must fight for Ricky and Juliette. Don’t give up on them.

Ricky and Juliette, as you make your lives together, make sure to hold onto these loved ones, and you all [[[look at the audience]]] need to make sure that you always hold onto Ricky and Juliette.

***

And finally, always forgive.

Ricky and Juliette, Forgive one another, just as in Christ, God has forgiven you.

Forgiveness requires the most complete commitment to humble servanthood. Without humility, there can be no forgiveness.

Forgiveness leads to freedom, and freedom is joy!

A joy-filled marriage begins with forgiveness.

Ricky, you are to forgive Juliette just as in Christ, God has forgiven you.

Juliette, you are to forgive Ricky just as in Christ, God has forgiven you.

Family and Friends, you are to forgive one another just as in Christ, God has forgiven each one of you.

Juliette, submit to Ricky, respect him and honor him in all that you do. Humbly serve him, bear with him in love, cherish the source of your hope, maintain your bond of unity, and always forgive him when he falls short.

Ricky, love Juliette and sacrifice for her in the same way that Christ sacrificed himself for the church. The full charge and responsibility of marriage goes to you, my friend. Feel it, receive it, and keep your marriage holy, set apart, and engaged on mission for the glory of Christ in the world!

Humbly serve Juliette, bear with her in love, cherish the source of your hope, maintain your bond of unity, and always forgive her when she falls short.

Keep after the heavenly vision for your marriage, and let your past experiences and present learnings continue to shape your life in Christ, together.

Would you pray with me?

Exchanging of Vows:

We have now come to the moment when Ricky and Juliette will exchange their vows to one another. They will first share the traditional Christian vow to each other and then give their personal written vow. Would you please face each other and join hands:

Ricky, please repeat after me:

I, Ricky,... take you Juliette,... to be my lawfully wedded wife,... to have and to hold... from this day forward,... for better or for worse,... for richer, for poorer,... in sickness and in health,... to love and to cherish,… from this day forward... until death do us part... according to God's holy ordinance... and thereto... I pledge thee... myself to you.

You may now read your personal vows to Juliette.

Juliette, please repeat after me:

I, Juliette,... take you Ricky,... to be my lawfully wedded husband,... to have and to hold... from this day forward,... for better or for worse,... for richer, for poorer,... in sickness and in health,... to love and to cherish,… from this day forward... until death do us part... according to God's holy ordinance... and thereto... I pledge thee... myself to you.

You may now read your personal vows to Ricky.

Exchanging of Rings:

The wedding ring symbolizes both the unending love and commitment made to one another, as well as the unending love and commitment made by God to us.

Ricky, please repeat after me: With this ring,... I pledge my life... and my love to you.

Juliette, please repeat after me: With this ring,... I pledge my life... and my love to you.

Unity Knot:

In their first act as a married couple, Ricky and Juliette will express the unity of their love in the form of a knot, symbolizing their lives into intertwining inseparably into one with Christ at their center.

Prayer of Blessing

Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father, who created love and is defined by love, thank you for establishing marriage for the welfare and joy of humanity. You have said, "it is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helpmate for him." Now our joys are doubled since the happiness of one is now shared with another. Likewise, our burdens now have been halved since the troubles of one is now shared with another. Father, bless Ricky as he becomes Juliette’s husband. May his strength be Juliette’s protection; his character be her boast and pride. May Juliette find in Ricky her haven and security. Lord, may you bless Ricky and continue growing his heart toward your grace and peace.

Father, bless Juliette as she becomes Ricky’s wife. May her tenderness be Ricky’s honor; her love be his boast and pride. May Ricky find in Juliette his respect and care. Lord, may you bless Juliette and continue growing her heart toward your grace and peace.

May you grant them humility toward each other. Unite their hands together to serve you. Father, as they seek your kingdom and righteousness, may all other things be added to them. May they come to know that perfection alone belongs to you, Father. Give them wisdom to minimize each other’s weaknesses, boldness to praise each other’s strength, and clarity to see each other through your kind and patient eyes. Lord, may they never take one another for granted, but always experience that breathless wonder that exclaims, "out of all this world, you chose me." And when life is done and the sun is setting, Lord, may they be found as now, hand in hand, still thanking you for the love they share between each other, until at last one shall lay the other into your arms. This we ask in the name of your son, Jesus Christ, the great lover of our souls...

Ruth 1 Prayer

Ricky and Juliette, I want to invite you to look at each other in the eyes, and repeat after me this prayer from the book of Ruth:

“Don’t ask me... to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go... I will go; wherever you live... I will live. Your people will be my people... and your God will be my God.” Ruth 1:16 NLT

Pronouncement:

Ricky and Juliette, today before your Heavenly Father, each other, your family, and your friends, you made a sacred covenant together, pledging your lives to one another and committing your joint relationship to God. As your community, we have witnessed both of you exchange your solemn vows, give rings, and forever join hands.

By the privilege vested upon me by God, I now pronounce you, husband and wife.

Kiss :

Ricky, you may know kiss your bride.

Benediction:

I would like to invite all of you to stand with Ricky and Juliette and join hands together as we pray a final ancient blessing over them.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

May the Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;

May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.

Amen

Presentation:

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you for the very first time,

Mr. and Mrs. Orozco!