Wilson and Hayley's Wedding

Order of Service

Precessional

Wedding Party

Processional of the Bride

Charge to the Congregation

Giving of the Bride

Word of Prayer by Seth King

Charge to the Couple

Wedding Vows

Exchanging of Rings

Time of Prayer/Worship

Declaration of Marriage

Presentation of the Couple

Recessional

Charge to the Congregation

Good afternoon!

What an amazing opportunity to be gathered together to celebrate Hayley and Wilson as they experience one of their few major milestones in their journey together.

Thank you all for making the effort to be here. This is a day that we do not take lightly, yet we rejoice in something that is a glimmer of God, Himself.

Before we begin, I’d like to shed light on a purposeful role that we all collectively get to participate in today.

Hayley and Wilson are about to make a covenant between themselves and God. This covenant is a sign of His grace and redemptive plan.

Their journey of life has intentionally brought them to this point.

And the best part of it all is that we all get to witness it. My prayer is that we are blessed during this time together, that we are edified in the union of Hayley and Wilson, and that ultimately, God would be glorified in it all.

Giving of the Bride

At this point, I would like to ask, “Who gives their blessing for this woman to be married to this man?”

“We do.”

Word of Prayer

As we start, I would like to begin with a time of prayer.

Hayley, Wilson… Hear these words that I am about to voice to the Lord on your behalf.

I have been praying for both of you ever since I got to know you.

Would you join in prayer.

Father, what a joy it has been to watch Hayley and Wilson navigate their life leading up to this point. Both of them love you. They desire to know you and to serve you. Their love for people resemble the love you have for your children. In this moment, we will see two become one, publically committing their lives to serving each other as they serve other people. May the vows that are pledged, the prayers that are prayed, and words that are spoken be glorifying to You and you alone. May this marriage be a lighthouse to a dark and hopeless world. May this marriage shine bright the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Charge to the Couple

Wilson, Hayley… I am so excited about this day for you.

You both have endured a lot, you have grown, you have endured hardship, and you have experienced many blessings along your journey.

There is not a soul here who would not agree with me when I say that you two are some of the strongest people I know.

You both have stories and a past that has refined you and created you to be the person that you are today- the couple we all love so dearly.

One of my favorite things about your relationship is the loyalty that you display.

You both are loyal to your people, your tribe.

I remember when we first became friends! We shared stories from our past adventures, journeys, and especially the people in our life we call family.

I want you guys to take a second. Look around at your people. Soak this in. They are here to support you, to encourage you, to proclaim their loyalty and commitment to seeing you both flourish in God’s will for the rest of your years…

However, the best thing about your relationship is the solid foundation that it is built upon.

You both are completely unashamed about your desire to know God and make him known.

Hayley, your love and commitment for the local church has been a bright spot in our conversations.

Wilson, you have had a pretty demanding job this past year. Even in the midst of it, you would still drive an hour home, slide into the service to worship King Jesus, and get back in the car to drive back to work.

I need you both to know that in order for this marriage to be forever-lasting, God-honoring, and a light to this dark world, there is no other commitment you can make that is of most importance!

As disciples of Jesus, we have the privilege of talking to God. He is our PERFECT and Heavenly Father.

He hears because He cares.

I could stand here and read the traditional charge and talk about love, commitment, and the joys of marriage.

You both have been counseled well, you know truth, and you love truth.

Therefore, let me challenge you in a different way…

There is only one thing the disciples asked Jesus to teach them about.

It wasn’t loving people, performing miracles, partaking in sacraments, or anything of that nature.

It was concerning prayer.

Luke 11:1 ESV

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.”

If you look throughout the scriptures, you will notice that not only does Jesus treasure the privilege and power of prayer, but he ties it to something you both have a passion for…

When you look closely at the way Jesus prays, He is always praying in the midst of four landscapes. Each landscape presents a particular purpose…

Jesus prays in the mountain tops, by the water, in the desert, and in the garden… How awesome is it that we are in the midst of those things today…

Mountains are a place of joy, revelation, and awe. You know this to be true- it is like you enter another world when you climb a mountain and breathe the pure oxygen in the air!

Jesus made five treks up different mountains in the gospel of Matthew and each one led to a moment of transformation.

As you both climb mountains throughout your life, it will bring a sense of humility. Cling to that humility. Encourage one another. When you reach the top, you will find more peaks to climb.

It is in that place you will have a greater sense of who God is and how small we are…

The climax of the book of Job is God speaking from the whirlwind, asking Job, “Who are you to inquire after meaning?” or “Where were you when I created the mountains?” The mountains teach us that the quest for meaning falls short. Our mission in life is not so much to understand the “whys” of existence or suffering or death, but to live the mystery of existence and suffering and death and to please God.

In the mountain tops of life, look to God and pray.

All throughout scripture, water represents relationships, power, peace, and the need for trust.

Before Jesus went to Jerusalem, He made a small fishing village his headquarters for ministry! Capernum

He was purposeful in this. It was not only a days walk from his home, but was also the center for all trade in the region of Galilee.

After journeys up and down the mountain, you both know that water is the source for strength and refreshment.

It is by water that Jesus taught many crowds who were looking for such things!

There will be days you need strengthening, you need encouragement, support, and nourishment.

When you gather together I want you to pray with this simple truth..

John 4:14 ESV

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Jesus is your living water. From this water, not only will your days on earth be strengthened, but your assurance of eternal life is confirmed.

Dig your wells deep. Rest by this water. Depend on these rivers. Pray for his nourishment.

There will be days that you, as individuals, will need to draw from those wells. This will be particularly necessary when you find yourself in the desert.

The desert isn’t a bad place! Jesus wondered into the desert through the guidance of the Holy Spirit after being baptized.

It is usually after mountain top experiences and the refreshment of His living waters that the Lord uses time in the desert.

This is a place, or a time, of silence and solitude.

We all need this. In this place is refinement! It is during these conditions that we are created and conformed to be more like who God originally created us to be!

The Greek word for desert used in the gospels when referring to Jesus is also the word used to to describe a quiet place or a place set apart.

You each will have this experience. Sometimes together, or maybe alone.

This is your prayer- “Be still and know that I am God.”

The final landscape where Jesus spent time in prayer is my favorite landscape…

The garden.

The Garden brings about an awareness of God’s creation.

Why is this pivotal for us? Remember, everything that has breath may praise the Lord.

After God created all things, He called it good!

Marriage is Biblical on many accounts. One particularly is how the scriptures use marriage as a metaphor for God’s covenant for all of creation, including me and you!

All throughout the gospels, creation was used in every way.. From trees, to the seas, Jesus was hyperly aware of the goodness of God’s creation.

It is creation that He gave us to steward. It is each other He has now given you to serve.

Prayer is pivotal. It is powerful. It is an exercise of service. It is an expression of love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

To love is to serve.

Hayley, Wilson, outserve each other. Constantly. Pray for one another. Pray together.

Love God, and love People.

Love you both.

Wedding Vows

Now, we approach this sacred time of making your wedding vows. In the vows, you commit to each other a life that seeks to serve and glorify the Lord together.

Wilson, I will start with you...

I, Wilson Pappas

take you, Hayley Hadlock,

to be my wedded wife,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer or poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and cherish you,

as long as we both shall live.

Do you promise to hold to these vows?

I do.

Hayley, if you would repeat after me:

I, Hayley Hadlock

take you, Wilson Pappas,

to be my wedded husband,

to have and to hold,

from this day forward,

for better or for worse,

for richer or poorer,

in sickness and in health,

to love and cherish you,

as long as we both shall live.

Do you promise to hold to these vows?

I do.

Exchanging of Wedding Rings

The wedding ring is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual commitment, signifying to the world the union of you both, through the Church of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Wilson, place the ring on Hayley’s finger and repeat these vows...

With this ring,

I thee wed,

As a token of my love for you,

In the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Spirit.

Hayley, place the ring on Wilson’s finger and repeat these vows...

With this ring,

I thee wed,

As a token of my love for you,

In the name of the Father,

And of the Son,

And of the Holy Spirit.

Time of Prayer/Worship

Psalm 121 ESV

A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

At this time, we are going to have a special time of prayer over Wilson and Hayley. During this time, the wedding party will gather around Wilson and Hayley as we spend a few moments in prayer together.

While we are praying, would you, yourselves, pray for their protection and provision from the Lord as it is referenced in Psalm 121.

When we are all done praying, we will continue in a mindset or worship as Chris and Caroline lead us during this time…

Declaration of Marriage

Wilson and Hayley, it is my prayer that:

The Lord will bless you and keep you, that the Lord will make His face to shine on both of you

and be gracious to you;

I pray that the Lord turns His face toward you

and may He always give you peace.

Together, as family and friends, we have witnessed the pledging of your love and commitment to each other. We have seen the sealing of your solemn vows of marriage by the giving of rings.

It is, therefore, my joy and privilege to declare you husband and wife.

Wilson, you may kiss your bride.

Presentation of the Couple

Friends and family of the bride and groom, it is my privilege to present to you

for the very first time

Mr. and Mrs. Spiro Pappas!

Recessional

Closing Remarks

At this time, if you are a family member of Wilson and Hayley, I am going to ask you to stay in your seats as we will begin taking photos with each of you.

For the rest of you, you are now dismissed to enjoy the cocktail hour.

Thank you!