230624 DL & Mandy Wedding

Marriage Is a Picture of Christ

4:00PM ceremony starts PRELUDE MUSIC 4:00-4:02 ENTRANCE OF MOTHERS (USHERS)

The Ushers seat the mothers (Brides side is left/Grooms side is right)

4:02-4:06 ENTRANCE OF BRIDAL PARTY Groomsmen enter led by DL from side and once complete then the Bridesmaids enter from side or down center

BRIDE COMES DOWN AISLE (ESCORTED)

4:07-4:08 GIVING OF THE BRIDE (Pastor) Who gives this woman to be married by this man?

(Bride’s Father) her mother and I CEREMONY 4:09-4:10 PRAYER Father God,

4:11-4:14 CHARGE

(SMILE) Dearly beloved, we are gathered here, today, to join this man and this woman in the bonds of holy matrimony (GO AHEAD SMILE… THIS IS A GOOD DAY)

Marriage is a holy estate, first instituted by God, all the way back in the Garden of Eden to illustrate the coming union of Christ and His Church.

Marriage is therefore of highest importance and none should enter it lightly, but carefully and deliberately - we are going to do this today...

Into this union, this man and this woman have come to be joined.

Therefore, if any person can now show just cause why these two may not be joined together as husband and wife, let him speak, or forever hereafter hold his peace.

You may be seated

EVERYONE SEATED (skipping) APPROPRIATE MUSIC SOLO (?)

04:14-04:20 MESSAGE

Many passages are preached during wedding ceremonies. Genesis 1 and 2 and the very first marriage. 1st Corinthians 13 on the true definition of love. Ephesians 5 and how wives and husbands ought to conduct themselves with regard to each other…

All of these passages are wonderful and worthy of reflection but perhaps a more personally meaningful passage written by the wisest man who ever lived is:

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 |

Which says:

9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. 11 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.

United you are stronger than apart.

Hand-in-hand, you can help each other. Combined you can comfort each other. Together you can resist the storms that the world is going to throw at you, but DL and Mandy, you can only survive if you do this with Christ. Keep Christ always before you and you will never be severed. He is the third strand in your marriage, the core, the most important part and if you cling to Him, you will never be separated, you will not fray and unravel. Keep Christ as your third strand. Do this intentionally...

Your marriage is a testimony before a dying world that Christ came to redeem that which was lost. God has graciously seen fit to allow you this testimony, do it well and may others give God glory because of it.

SOBER AND SLOW DL, as spiritual head you bear ultimate responsibility under God for loving Mandy as Christ loves the church - ultimately, this includes dying to self and putting her above yourself in all things. This will cost you your life. Do you understand this?

Mandy, you have the responsibility of putting yourself under DL’s authority, imperfect as it may be. You are to submit to him as the church does to Christ. Your testimony will astonish and provoke a world as will the method in which you do it. Do you understand this?

As the world sees you live out your faith together, as they see you die to self and live for each other, as they see you build each other up and not tear each other down they will know that only God could ever make this happen.

As such only God will be glorified and that is ultimately what we are all here for.

04:20-04:23 DECLARATION OF VOWS (Pastor takes bride’s hand and places it in groom’s right hand and asks the groom to repeat the following)

Mandy, may I take your hand?

DL please repeat after me “I, DL, take you, Mandy, to be my wedded wife|To have and to hold from this day forward|For better or worse, for richer or poorer|In sickness and in health|To love and to cherish|Till death do us part

(Groom releases bride’s hand, and bride takes groom’s right hand and repeats after me)

Mandy, please take DL’s right hand and repeat after me...

I, Mandy, take you, DL, to be my wedded husband|To have and to hold from this day forward|For better or worse, for richer or poorer|In sickness and in health|To love and to cherish|Till death do us part

04:23-04:25 EXCHANGE OF RINGS As a token of this covenant, you will now exchange rings.

(The bride needs to give her flowers to the maid of honor. The maid of honor will give the ring to the bride while the best men will give the ring to the groom)

“DL, please take Mandy’s left hand and please repeat after me...”

“With this ring, I do wed, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”

“Mandy, please take DL’s left hand and please repeat after me...”

“With this ring, I do wed, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”

04:25-04:26 PRAYER Father, I ask for a magnificient outpouring of grace upon DL and Mandy. You have already blessed them abundantly, but even more, may their lives together be a reflection of Christ and His Church. May all see and know that Your hand is in their marriage and may You receive all the credit. It is in the precious name of Your only begotten Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, amen.

04:26-04:30 FIRST COMMUNION (WILL NEED ELEMENTS - BREAD/JUICE) Hand DL and Mandy the bread...

The Lord Jesus, in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Hand DL and Mandy the cup

In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder

04:31 THE KISS DL, this is what you have waited your whole life for, Are you ready? You may kiss your beautiful bride.

04:32 PRESENTATION OF BRIDE AND GROOM Dearly beloved, may I present to you Mr. and Mrs. DL Thomas

RECESSIONAL (REVERSE ORDER OF BRIDAL PARTY) Mark makes announcement of when food starts/requests Everyone be there for the prayer. LICENSE SIGNING Signing done by mom for top half, will need XXXXXXXXXXXX 4:40PM -Everyone moves to dinning area  5:00-5:10PM (but sooner if everyone is ready) -Prayer/ eating -cutting the cake/dessert  -Toasts 5:45-6:00 -Bouquet throwing (at earliest convenience) -important dances (only if there's enough time) -Everyone starts dancing