Wedding: Dustin & Katlyn Stover

Prelude

Prelude

(Music will be playing prior to service)

Seating of Mothers

(Music will initiate the seating after the guests are seated)

The order is as follows:

1. Mother of the Bride.

2. Mother of the Groom: escorted in with father following.

3. Groom: enters and stands before pastor.

4. Bridesmaids and Groomsmen: escort each other to the front (maid of honor and best man are last).

5. Flower Girl and Ring Bearer: ring bearer will walk before the flower girl (the best man will hold the rings in his palm and the pastor will pick them up individually when asking for them).

6. Amanda will light the memorial candle.

Processional

(Music will initiate)

(Father and Bride will come to the altar and remain standing before the pastor)

Welcome

Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today in the sight of God and in the presence of this company to witness the union of Dustin and Katlyn in Christian marriage. Knowing of their love for each and for Christ, I have great confidence that there is a bright future before them.

I have had the honor and privilege of working with this beautiful couple in preparation for marriage, and I have great confidence in their bright future. I can say this because they have expressed their understanding of what God teaches us about marriage and their personal relationships with Christ.

Giving in Marriage

In God's most amazing act of creation, He created beings in His own image. We read of this astonishing event in the first chapter of Genesis: "So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female" (v. 27). Being made in the image of God, the male was not complete when he was alone, so God created the perfect complement for the male: the female. She was to be his life companion, his co-laborer in fulfilling the creation mandate of God: "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it" (v. 28).

In the time of man's innocence, God instituted the estate of matrimony between the first man and the first woman. Marriage was consecrated by God, not only for mutual help and comfort, but also as a means of procreation. In marriage, God gave His creatures, man and woman, the ability - and the mandate - to create life like themselves, life in the image of God.

It is into this holy estate that Dustin and Katlyn have chosen to enter. Not knowing any just reason that these two should not be married, I ask, "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

(The couple will now come together and face the pastor)

Invocation

Let us pray: Father, we thank you for the heavenly character of love - especially when your love exists between a man and a woman. We thank you for your institution of marriage and of the joy and the sense of completion that it brings. We thank you for our redemption in Jesus Christ, as we are made new creatures in Him. We ask now that you bless the union of Dustin and Katlyn, that they may grow to conform to the image of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We ask you to enable this couple to bless you in their marriage in all the days ahead. For it is in your name alone that we pray. Amen.

Statement of Marriage

Dustin and Katlyn, you are about to pledge the most sacred vows that one person makes with another. As you stand before the witness of God and this company, it is important that you give careful consideration to that which you are promising, for you are accountable to both your mate and to God for that which you pledge. It is advisable, therefore, that you carefully consider the vows that you are about to make.

These vows are timeless principles that are found in God’s Word. In these few moments, we will examine the things that you are vowing to do for your mate, regardless of life's circumstances, for as long as you live.

The Apostle Paul gave very simple instructions for the marriage in . He writes, “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, . . . so that he might present the church to himself in splendor . . .. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ . . . let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

You will notice that Paul does not state that a spouse is to wait until the other spouse is fulfilling these commandments; rather, each person is to simply obey these commands. Therefore, you are to fulfill these commands without condition, even when you feel that your mate does not deserve it.

Vows

Dustin and Katlyn, you have listened to this sobering explanation of the meaning of the vows you are about to make. These vows are as binding in adversity as they are in prosperity. They should be broken only by death. If you are prepared to make such a serious commitment, will you now turn, face one another, and join hands.

· Dustin, in taking Katlyn to be your wife, do you so promise to honor, to love, and to cherish her in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in hardship as in blessing, until death alone shall part you?

· Groom responds: "I do."

· Katlyn, in taking Dustin to be your husband, do you so promise to honor, to love, and to cherish him in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in hardship as in blessing, until death alone shall part you?

· Bride responds: "I do."

Exchange of Rings

You will now seal your vows, "to honor, to love, to cherish," by the giving and receiving of rings. The unbroken circles of these rings symbolize a union between husband and wife with God that cannot be broken. This is in accord with God's creation plan, and it brings honor to the One who created you to glorify Him. The precious glistening gold of these rings symbolizes all that is pure and holy in the marital bond. As these metals were refined to fashion these beautiful rings, may God ever refine and purify you both as new creations in Christ Jesus. As you wear these rings, may they ever remind you of your love and of the commitment you have made this day.

(Taking the ring from the best man)

Dustin, place this ring on Katlyn’s finger and repeat after me: "I Dustin, take you, Katlyn, to be my wedded wife to have and to hold, from this day forward. I pledge before God and these witnesses to place your good above mine, now and always, no matter the circumstances. I promise to honor you, to love you, and to cherish you until death do us part. Joyfully and willingly, I commit myself to you, and to you alone."

(Taking the ring from the best man)

Katlyn, place this ring on Dustin’s finger and repeat after me: "I, Katlyn, take you, Dustin, to be my wedded husband to have and to hold, from this day forward. I pledge before God and these witnesses to place your good above mine, now and always, no matter the circumstances. I promise to honor you, to love you, and to cherish you until death do us part. Joyfully and willingly, I commit myself to you, and to you alone."

Prayer

Let us pray: Gracious Father, thank You for creating us in your image. Because of this, we are able to know you and to know what true love is. We see in this couple a deep and abiding love for each other and for you. We have witnessed the giving of vows and rings in this sacred hour. Through your power and blessing, we ask you to enable these two to keep their vows, to be renewed daily in their love and commitment, to walk in mutual faith, to build a strong and lasting marriage, and to live by confidence in your grace. As they grow in conformity to Christ's image, may you receive glory through the marriage of Dustin and Katlyn. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Marriage is something that God ordained and even takes great delight in. However, you must realize that if God is not the center, your marriage will be imbalanced and will lose its regulation. Solomon writes in , “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” In this passage, Solomon compares two together to a threefold cord; for where two are closely joined in holy love and fellowship, Christ will, by his Spirit, come to them and make the third cord. They that dwell in love, dwell in God, and God in them. With Christ in the center, your marriage becomes a strand of three that is not easily broken. When a husband and wife place Christ in the center of their marriage, a spiritual dynamic is released that far exceeds what two people can accomplish on their own. Life will certainly test this marriage, but with Christ at the center, it cannot be broken.

(Unity ceremony)

Declaration of Marriage

Dustin and Katlyn, 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 and receiving of rings. It is, therefore, my joy and privilege to declare you husband and wife. Dustin, you may kiss your bride.

Introduction of Newlyweds

In the introduction of the newlyweds, I have been asked to honor the loving memory of Al and Joe Trout, who have preceded this cherished moment as they have graced heaven with their presence and are physically absent from us today. Amanda, their loving daughter and Taylor’s lifelong friend, placed a candle in our presence at the beginning of this ceremony as a reminder of their loving presence.

Family and friends of the bride and groom, it is my pleasure to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Stover.

Recessional