The Christening Service
for Eva McCabe Allen
The Unitarian Church In Charleston
February 10, 2008

Opening Words:
In welcoming children, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles,
the miracle of birth. Children are among the greatest gifts. They are
our greatest human gift, treasures endowed and entrusted to us by God.
The child is a unique and individual being, filled with promise and
potential, that requires our care and understanding. We, as Eva’s
parents, friend and family, model the values and ideals that will help
to mold this child’s personality and growth. The role of the extended
family bases its value, maybe even its continued existence, on respect
for the child, and the humility it takes to work and grow together
towards unselfish and noble ends.

ADDRESS TO THE PARENTS
Christy and Jeff, from your smile, your children will learn to smile and
feel accepted, her mind and thoughts will be formed. From your steps,
Eva learned to walk and to follow; From your hands, she learns to grasp
and carry- that she might adapt well to life’s tasks.
Your goodness will be her pattern; your shortcomings, hers to know and
avoid. Your fear or your doubt, your strength or your faith become her
standards, her reality.
CHARGE TO THE MOTHER
Christy, I charge you to take on the privilege and responsibility of
motherhood. To care for this child in body, mind, and spirit, so that
she might grow into full personhood, and develop into being an
enlightened individual. By the way you choose to live your life, your
child will learn how to love and learn, question and care.
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In this symbolic act of anointing, you are also charged to live in a way that is true and honorable, reverent and respect worthy. Will you now pledge to your child your commitment to her individuality, and your unqualified love that allows her to become her best self? “I WILL”

CHARGE TO THE FATHER
Jeff, I charge you to take on the privilege and responsibility of
Fatherhood, and to help set the tone and the tenor of Eva’s personality.
For Eva will measure herself by your standards and look to you for
courage. You will show her how to live, how to love, how to persevere,
and how to sing from her heart.
In this symbolic act of anointing, you are also charged to live in a way that is true and honorable, reverent and respect-worthy. Will you now pledge to your child your commitment to her individuality, and your unqualified love that allows her to become her best self? “I WILL”

CHARGE TO THE FAMILY PRESENT TODAY
As Eva’s family and guides, you will enrich this child’s life through
sharing with her your talents, skills, beliefs and values. If Christy
and Jeff are in some way unable, will you accept the responsibility for
Eva’s spiritual nurture? Will you, to the best of your ability and
understanding, provide her with wisdom and encourage her willingness to
offer empathy and service for all humanity? Will you provide her with an
unselfish and patient love? ” WE WILL”

RITE OF CHRISTENING
I would like to share with you some of the ways , we as U-Us welcome a child; you already are familiar with dedications, so I will not say more right now…Baptism almost always refers to one of two theological concerns;
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it is either invoked in infancy as a necessary cleansing or washing away of some inherited or original sin, or as an adult, the act of baptism is seen as a sign of willing agreement with the theology, goals and ideals of a religious community. Because of those implications, most, if not all U-Us do not baptize. Instead, among those U-Us who are theists or liberal Christians or who chose to follow a spiritual path, The word Christening is used. This term invokes the ancient, mystical and spiritual truth of the Early Church, before all those limiting dogmas and exculsionary doctrines. It states that God lives in us and lives among us. So this ritual will serve to affirm the promise and belief that God lives within this child and in every person.
To be “enchristened” means that we recognize this holy dimension in Eva and in one another. That every child is a potential Messiah. It is a belief and a ritual that serves to empower our spiritual search, it strengthens our faith, increases our potential to serve, and impels us to live up to what is truly good, right, and holy in ourselves, and in our world.

A child is like a new star in the heavens. They are for us, a new love,
and a new hope. It is with this spirit, I will now christen this child.
Eva McCabe Allen, with this water and this flower, symbols of purity and life, knowledge, and growth, I touch your lips that the thoughts you
will express may be gentle and kind, clear and true. I touch your eyes,
that they may see the life’s beauty and wonder of being; that they might
look with compassion and understanding on all others. I touch your ears,
that they may be attentive to wise counsel, to the cry for justice, and
be able to listen for every authentic voice in our world.
Lastly, I touch your heart, that it may be tender and strong, caring and
courageous, able to feel and respond to life openly and willingly. May
you serve with all your mind and soul the ideals of truth and beauty,
May your growth in spirit serve to strengthen your nobility of purpose.
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From this day forward, day by day as your life unfolds into the future, may the true riches and blessings of life be abundantly yours.

As this flower unfolds its beauty, may the life of this child unfold. Among the spiritual gifts we offer, we give her this candle, to represent her inner light, and her potentials of enlightenment. Lastly, we offer the gift of salt, that she might have a taste for life and savor it, and that she might have the wisdom to know what is good, and to know the difference.
By this act, may Eva start and affirm her journey towards finding herself and the God within.

CONGREGATIONAL STATEMENT:

Pastoral Blessing:
Eva, may you have the strength to stand up against all that might
threaten you, and may you have the courage and the skill to do whatever
is required of you and what your most desire to do. May you possess a
good intelligence, to learn what you need to know, and to pursue the
truth you seek. May you be fearless and tender.
May you love the beauty of the world, its flowers and trees, its hills
and seas, the movement and Life of all things. Any may you know and love
the music and the rhythm of nature. May you always stand on your own
feet and walk you own path with faith in God and faith in yourself. And may you know what it means to love and be loved, having a zest for life.

CLOSING PRAYER
Holy one, a young life, infinite in her promises, blesses us and through her, we continue the heritage of our family. We pray for compassion, wisdom, and resolve that will release those potentials.
May every grace be with this child, remembering those who have come before us, and those who cannot be with us today, and also recalling that those who come after us, must inherit the world from us, so it is that we resolve as a family, and as a congregation, to dedicate ourselves to build
a more kind, just, and happy human order. Amen So Be It Blessed Be
CONGRATULATIONS!

The Christening Service
for
Alexandra Ray Steer
Lynch Park Beach Beverly, Mass.
September 24, 1994 10: 00 A.M.

TO THE GATHERED FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

Dear family members and friends, we have gathered here, on this day
to share in an occasion of great joy. We come to pause and with thanksgiving , that we may rejoice in the potential of new life which is resident in every child. Today we formally welcome Alexandra Ray Steer into her family and affirm her place within the love of here extended family and friends.
Throughout human history, the naming and welcoming of a new child has been celebrated as an act of high and holy signifigance. It is in that timeless spirit that we gathered here today, to name this child, and in naming, create a ritual that celebrates here uniqueness and that reaffirms our common bonds of caring and responsibility.

ADDRESS AND CHARGE TO THE PARENTS

Concerning parents and their influence, it has been written, ” you are the bows from which your children, as living arrows, are send forth. The archer sees the mark upon the path of the Infinite, and He bends you with his might, that his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness. For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so, too, He loves the bow that is stable.”
Cynthia and Michael, from your smiles, your child will learn to accept happiness and goodness. From your words, her thoughts and ideas will be formed. From your steps, she will learn to walk into the light; from your hands, to grasp and hold on to life and to reach for the stars. Your goodness will be her pattern; your shortcomings, hers to know and avoid. Your fears and doubts, your strength and wisdom, will become her standards, her reality.

In asking for this christening for your child, you offer the dedication of yourselves to her fullest development in every way. In seeking for her this blessing ceremony, it expresses your pledge to bestow in her, the love of truth, the awareness of human weakness and the vision of full personhood, compassion and peace.
Will you now pledge to your child , your commitment to teach, with and through your lives, and will you pledge to also learn from her, and to offer her the love that will let her become her true self ?

“WE WILL”

SHARED READING BY CYNTHIA AND MICHAEL

CHARGE TO THE GODPARENTS

Susan and Geoff, you have been chosen to enter into a special and everlasting relationship with Alexandra. As the Godparents of this child, do you now promise that by your example and your affection, you will help Alexandra to find a greater appreciation of truth and beauty, spirituality, openness and love?

“WE WILL”

THE ACT OF CHRISTENING:

( Minister asks for the child…) Alexandra Ray Steer, I hold this rose from this beautiful garden, and from your family’s silver bowl, will take some sea water, a symbol of timeless ebb and flow, purity, and the origins of life.
I now touch your lips , that the words and ideas you will express will be clear, and kind, and true. … I touch your eyes, that they may behold all the beauty, wonder and joy of being alive, and that you will look with compassion and understanding on life and others.
I touch you ears, that you may become attentive to wise council, and to hear Nature ‘s songs of life. … I touch your hands, so that they may learn to serve the real needs and higher aspirations of humankind. ( Minister returns child to parents)

THE STATEMENT OF AFFIRMATION BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS

We, Alexandra’s family and friends, declare the value of Alexandra to us. We will cherish her uniqueness and will assist her in learning values and modeling love. Above all, we now accept the role of companion and friend in her journey through life; we offer this child a spiritual home.

Do you now so affirm and accept these ideals?
” WE WILL”

PASTORAL BLESSING:

May God bless you and grant that you will have a healthy body and the strength to withstand all that might challenge you. May you have the courage and the skills to do whatever is required of you, and what you most desire to accomplish. May you possess the intelligence necessary to learn what you need to know and the power to pursue the truth that is within you. May you be fearless and tender; May you love the beauty of our world and the grace found in all living things. May you come to know and respect the music and rhythm of the Creation. May you always stand on your own two feet, and walk your own path with faith in God and in yourself, and may you come to know what it means to love and to be loved. AMEN

The Christening Service
for
Aiden Sheridan Da Costa
Folly Beach, SC
July 28, 2007 9:00 AM

Opening Words and Christening Ceremony: The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Good Morning! In welcoming children, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles, the miracle of birth. Children are among the greatest gifts of the Creation, and surely they are the greatest human gifts- treasures endowed and entrusted to us by God.
The child is a new entity- a unique and individual being, who is filled with promise and potential that requires our care, guidance, and understanding. We, as this child’s parents, friends, we have the responsibility of modeling the foundational values and guiding ideals that will mold and shape this child’s personality and growth. The role of the extended family bases its value, maybe even its continued existence, on respect for the child, and the humility it takes to work together, and to cooperate towards making unselfish decisions and upholding noble results.

ADDRESS TO THE PARENTS
Amber and Drew, from your smile, your son will learn to smile and to feel accepted. From your speech and use of words and ideas, his mind and thoughts will be formed. From your steps, Aiden will learn to walk and to follow. From your hands, he will learn to grasp and to carry, that he might adapt well to life’s tasks. Remember always, that your goodness will be his pattern;
your shortcomings, will be for him to know and avoid. Your fear or your doubt, your strength, and your faith, becomes his standards, his reality.
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CHARGE TO THE PARENTS
Therefore, Amber and drew, I now charge you with the privilege and responsibility of parenthood. To care for your child in body, mind, and spirit, so that he will grow into his full personhood, and develop into being a more enlightened, happy, and healthy individual.
Do you so promise? WE DO

CHARGE TO THE GODPARENTS
Tatianna and Drew, as the chosen guides for Aiden’s ethical growth and spiritual development, you will fulfill the role of godparents. As guides, you will seek to enrich this child’s life through sharing with him, your talents, skills, insights, and values. If amber and drew are in some way unable, will you accept the responsibility for Aiden’s spiritual nurture? Will you, to the best of your ability and understanding, provide him with wisdom, respect for Nature, and will you encourage him to have empathy and to offer service to all humanity? Will you provide him with your unselfish and patient love? WE WILL

Statement or Reading:

RITE OF CHRISTENING:
As a small explanatory preface to this ritual, I would like to state why we have chosen to call this ceremony a Christening rather than a dedication or a baptism. A dedication is usually considered to be a simple naming ritual, a welcoming, that doesn’t refer to God, or the spiritual dimensions of life.

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Baptism, almost always refers to one or two principal theological and doctrinal concerns; it is either invoked as a necessary cleansing or a washing away of some inherited or original sin, or it is seem as a sign of willing agreement with the theology, beliefs, goals and ideals of a religious community.
Neither of these ideas or concepts reflect Amber or Drew’s belief about their child. In choosing the word, Christening, we invoke the ancient mystical and spiritual truth of the early Church: That God lives within this child and every person. To be “Enchristed” means that we recognize this holy dimension as being graciously alive in Aiden and in one another. It is an empowering ritual for it reminds us, and strengthens us, giving a renewed dedication to our willingness to have faith, to offer service to others, and to live up to what is good, right and true in ourselves and in our world.
(Minister now asks the Godparents to give him the child…)
Minister: A child is like a new star in the heavens; they are for us, new light, new love, new hope. In the ancient tradition we recall the words: We share in one faith, one hope, one God that is with us all and in us all. It is with this Spirit, I will now christen this child…
Aiden Da Costa, with this water and this flower, symbols of purity and life, knowledge and growth, I will touch your lips, that the thoughts you will express be gentle and kind, clear and true. I touch your eyes, that they might see life’s beauty, and behold the wonder of being- that they might look with compassion and understanding on all others. I touch your ears, that they might be attentive to wise council, to the cry for justice, and able to listen to every authentic voice in our world. Lastly, I touch your heart, that it may be tender and strong, caring and courageous, and able to feel and respond to life openly and unafraid.
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(Minister returns the child to God parents…)
PASTORAL BLESSING:
May Our Father/Mother/God bless you, and grant that you might have a healthy body with strength to stand up to what life requires of you, and to act on what you most want to do with your life. May you have a good intelligence, to learn what you need to know, and that gives you access to the truth you seek. May you be fearless and tender, loving the beauty of the world, the movement and colors of life, and become appreciative of the rhythms of music and the seasons. May you always stand on your own two feet, with faith in God and faith in yourself, and may you always know what it means to love and be loved, having a zest for life.

PRESENTATION OF GIFTS
In the early Church, a child would be given symbols of spiritual life, blessings, and hope that his new life represents. Today, we give Aiden this yarrow flower, symbolizing love and courage; we also give him a candle to represent his inner light and potentials for enlightenment. Lastly, we offer him some salt, that he might have a taste for life, and learn to savor it, and that he might have the wisdom to know what is good, lasting, and true. AMEN; SO BE IT!

The Dedication Service
for
Savannah Jasmine Wilson

Opening Words and the Dedication Service: The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

In welcoming a child, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles, the miracle of birth. Children are our greatest human gift, treasures endowed and entrusted to us.
Each child is a new entity-a unique and individual being, filled with promise and potential, that requires our care and understanding. We, as the parents and family of our children, model the values and ideals that will help to mold their personality and growth.
Every human life and every baby born is precious.
Savannah, how will we welcome you into our world? All our flowers and all our wine cannot express how happy we are at your birth. All the caresses of our eyes and hands cannot measure the fullness of our love. We cannot hold you close enough.
We welcome you to this world of light and shade, play and work, laughter and tears, good and evil. We welcome you as one born of earth, and yet more than those elements, possessing the qualities and possibilities of the human soul.
As a part of this ceremony, we will call on your family and your community to assist and serve you, for we are a part of your personal world, and we are responsible for guarding your freedoms, your life and its opportunities. Today, we shall also recall the other children who will share your world with you, whose welfare is inseparable from your own. May each person here use this time of reaffirmation to work and create a more just and peaceful world for you, for all our children, and for all whose lives are linked with yours.

STORY: On The day You Were Born Tricia Racafz, DRE
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To your parents, Nigel and Dagmar, let us once more hear the wise words of the poet and mystic, Kahlil Gibran, who wrote these words in his book, The Prophet.
“And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children. And he said:
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you, but are not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies, but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth. The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and bends you with his might that his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness,
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves the bow that is stable.”

CHARGE TO THE SPONSORS
Ana and Kurt, as the chosen sponsors of Savannah, if Nigel or Dagmar are in some way unable, do you willingly accept the responsibility for Savannah’s spiritual nurture? Will you, to the best of your ability, provide Savannah with an unselfish and patient love? “WE WILL”

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Charge To The Parents
Dagmar and Nigel, in asking us today to dedicate your child, you offer the dedication of yourselves to her fullest development in every possible way. You seek for her, the blessings of participating in our free faith and of the universal church, and so you are pledging to inculcate in her, to the best of your abilities, the love of truth and the dream of brother and sisterhood and peace.
By your teachings and example, you would help her to be reverent and strong, and equal to the tasks and temptations that will confront her. She is a wonderful creation of your love and life together, and it is your desire to make her life as wonderful as it can be. This ceremony for you, is the public symbol of your gratitude and your resolve.
Will you now pledge to your child your commitment to her individuality and to the love that will let her become herself? “WE WILL” Dana McLean Greeley

I now ask that you pass Savannah to Tricia for the naming and blessing….
It is only right and proper that Tricia participates in this service. Since she is our professional religious educator for our children, she will be responsible for her nurture, education, and care while you are members of this community. Together with the minister, and oftentimes more directly, the Director of Religious Education provides our children with a healthy role model for the liberal religious life, its values and ideals.

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Savannah, may you have a healthy body with the strength to stand against all that might threaten you, and may you have the courage and the skill to do whatever is required of you and what you most desire to do. May you have good intelligence, to learn what you need to know, and the power to pursue the truth you seek. May you be fearless and tender. May you love the beauty of the world, its flowers and trees, the mountains and flowing streams, the movement of all living things. And may you know and love the music and rhythm of creation. May you always stand on your own two feet, and walk your own paths with faith. And may you know what it means to love and be loved. May you always have a zest for life.

Now I will take the elements of life, starting with this vessel that holds the water that is symbolic of the tides of human life, its changes and renewal, and with the beauty of this rose, I touch your lips, that the thoughts they express may be kind, clear and true. I touch your eyes that they may behold the beauty and wonder of being; that they might look with compassion and understanding. I touch your ears, that they may be attentive to wise council, to the cry for justice, and to listen for every authentic voice in Nature and in our world. Lastly, I touch your heart and your hands, that they may remain open to others, to love and to serve them and to work for the best motives, aspirations, and goals we humans possess.
As this flower unfolds its beauty, may the life of these children unfold…
(Minister hands the roses to Savannah… followed by the salt that signifies wisdom and discernment and the candle that is symbolic of the human spirit)

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And to Tristen and to , I give you these candles as reminders to continue to be big brothers for Savannah and to cooperate with and encourage her always..

Community Pledge (Would the members of the UUFCC please stand…. and recite these words together…..
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving community for Savannah, and to all our children as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this Unitarian-Universalist community.”

Closing words of Benediction:

New lives, infinite in their potential, bless us. We pray for wisdom to help release that potential. May every grace be with this child, her parents, and all who love them. Remembering that those who come after us must inherit their world from us, let us dedicate ourselves to our part in the building of a more kind, just, and happy human order. So Be it, and Blessed Be!

Some Additional Readings:
Buddhist:
The family which respectfully honurs its father and mother will be free of both human and non-human harm. That they will be “attended by Brahma” means they will receive the blessings of the gods; and “attended by spiritual teachers” means they will also receive the blessings acquired through the special virtues of holy men.
An immediate benefit of such reverence is that, in this very life, it will give rise to a good reputation. As for the future, it will enable the attainment of birth in the higher states. Hence, those who live as householders should take great care to honour father and mother.

We are all born into the turning wheel of life…. Samsara- birth, death, and rebirth- and it is around this wheel, that our lives run, chasing their meaning, carrying out their purpose, leading us towards wisdom…

In celebrating the birth of a new soul among us, we acknowledge that she/he has been given an identity, and various skills , and a purpose to be fulfilled… as her/his parents and extended family, as her/his spiritual community, we will remember this, and honor all our interactions with our insight and and model compassion in all our relationships….

Native American:

Ye who love the haunts of Nature, Love the sunshine of the meadow,
Love the shadow of the forest, Love the wind among the branches,
And the rain-shower and the snowstorm, And the rushing of great rivers
Through their palisades of pine-trees, And the thunder in the mountains,
Listen to this Indian Legend, To this Song of Hiawatha!

Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple, Who have faith in God and Nature,
Listen to this simple story, To this Song of Hiawatha!

Indian Blood

To all of my relatives. The Blood will never loose its power~

My Blood is mixed but my heart is fixed on the ways of my mother’s people.
So deeply ingrained, the child was trained by elders wise and honorable.

Taught from birth to love mother earth, to honor the work of Creator.
What a noble creed! This life that I lead is simple yet could not be greater.

First Nations all have taken a fall but never took root in the mud.
America flourished, her lands nourished and strengthened by Indian blood.

Jorie~

Jorie West Copyright ©2002

Order of Service for October 24, 1999

Prelude
Welcome, Announcements and Introductions
Introit
Chalice Lighting
Hymn:

The Dedication Service for
Savannah Jasmine Wilson
Recessional

Joys and Sorrows
Offertory

Presentation by the U-U Students
at Penn State University

Update on Ministerial efforts at Social Action:
Interfaith Coalition, and Interfaith Ministry

Hymn: Let It Be A Dance

Closing Words

Postlude
The Dedication Service
for
Maura Lindsey Boyle

In welcoming a child, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles, the miracle of birth. Children are our greatest human gift, treasures endowed and entrusted to us.
Each child is a new entity-a unique and individual being, filled with promise and potential, that requires our care and understanding. We, as the parents and family of our children, model the values and ideals that will help to mold their personality and growth.
Every human life and every baby born is precious.
Maura, how will we welcome you into our world? All our flowers and all our wine cannot express how happy we are at your birth. All the caresses of our eyes and hands cannot measure the fullness of our love. We cannot hold you close enough.
We welcome you into the human community. We welcome you as one born of earth, and yet more than those elements, possessing the qualities and possibilities of the human soul.
As a part of this ceremony, we will call on your family and your community to assist and serve you, for we are a part of your personal world, and we are responsible for guarding your freedoms, your life and its opportunities. Today, we shall also recognize the other children who will share your world with you, whose welfare is inseparable from your own. May each person here use this time of reaffirmation to work and create a more just and peaceful world for you, for all our children, and for all whose lives are linked with yours.
To your parents, Deborah and Tim, let us once more hear the wise words of the poet and mystic, Kahlil Gibran, who wrote these words in his book, The Prophet.

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“And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children. And he said:
Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you, but are not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies, but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children, as living arrows, are sent forth. The Archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and bends you with his might that his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness,
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves the bow that is stable.”

Charge to the Godparents:
Sheridan and Christian, in being chosen as the godparents for Maura, you accept a position of trust and caring that supports the best ideals of nurturing and inspiration. As her godparents, do you now promise, that by your example, and through sharing your talents, skills, beliefs and values, that you will help Maura to find a greater appreciation of truth and beauty, openness and love? “WE WILL”

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Charge To The Parents
Deborah and Tim, in asking us today to dedicate your child, you offer the dedication of yourselves to her fullest development in every possible way. You seek for her, the blessings of participating in our free faith. You are also pledging to inculcate in her, to the best of your abilities, the love of truth, compassion and peace.
By your teachings and example, you would help her to be kind and strong, and equal to the tasks and temptations that will confront her. She is a wonderful creation of your love and life together, and it is your desire to make her life as wonderful as it can be. This ceremony for you, is the public symbol of your gratitude and your resolve.
Will you now pledge to your child your commitment to her individuality and to the love that will let her become herself? “WE WILL”

Charge to Lucy
Lucy, you are Maura’s big sister… Will you promise to help her, protect her, and teach her by your caring and love? YES

I now ask that you pass Maura to Janet for the naming and blessing….
It is only right and proper that Janet participates in this service. Since she is our professional religious educator for our children, she will be responsible for her nurture, education, and care while you are members of this community. Together with the minister, and oftentimes more directly, the Director of Religious Education provides our children with a healthy role model for the liberal religious life, its values and ideals.

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Maura, may you have a healthy body with the strength, the courage and the skill to do whatever is required of you and what you most desire to do. May you possess the intelligence necessary to learn what you need to know, and the power to pursue the truth you seek. May you be fearless and tender. May you love the beauty of the world, and may you come to know and love the music and rhythm of creation. May you always stand on your own two feet, and walk your own paths with faith. And may you know what it means to love and be loved. May you always have a zest for life.

Now I will take some water, that is symbolic of the tides of human life, its changes and renewal, and I touch your lips, that the thoughts they express may be kind, clear and true. I touch your eyes that they may behold the beauty and wonder of being; that they might look with compassion and understanding. I touch your ears, that they may be attentive to wise counsel, to the cry for justice, and to listen for every authentic voice in Nature and in our world. Lastly, I touch your heart and your hands, that they may remain open to others, to love and to serve them and to work for the best motives, aspirations, and goals we humans possess.
As a flower unfolds its beauty, may the life of this child unfold… Minister hands the rose to Lucy…

Community Pledge (Would the members of the UCC please stand…. and recite these words together…..
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving community for Maura, and for all our children, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this Unitarian-Universalist community.”

Closing words of Benediction:

A new life, infinite in her potential, blesses us. We pray for wisdom to help release that potential. May every grace be with this child, her parents, and all who love them. Remembering that those who come after us must inherit their world from us, let us dedicate ourselves to our part in the building of a more kind, just, and happy human order. So Be it, and Blessed Be!

The Dedication Service
for
Krista Tremblay and Derek Hetherington
The Lueptos-30600 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, Arizona
December 29th, 1996 4:00 p.m.

OPENING WORDS AND THE SERVICE OF DEDICATION The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

In welcoming a child, we celebrate one of life’s continuing miracles, the miracle of birth. Children are our greatest human gift, treasures endowed and entrusted to us by God.
Each child is a new entity – a unique and individual being, filled with promise and potential, that requires our care and understanding. We, as the parents and family of our children, model the values and ideals that will help to mold their personality and growth.

SELECTED REFLECTION AND READING ON DEDICATION

Every human life and every baby born is precious. Krista and Derek, how will we welcome you into our world? All our flowers and all our wine cannot express how happy we are at your birth. All the caresses of our eyes and hands cannot measure the fullness of our love. We cannot hold you close enough.
We welcome you to this world of light and shade, play and work, laughter and tears, good and evil. We welcome you as one born of earth, and yet more than those elements, possessing the qualities and possibilities of the human soul.
As a part of this ceremony, we will call on your family to assist and serve you, for we are a part of your personal world, and we are responsible for guarding your freedoms, your life and opportunities. Today, we shall also recall the other children who will share your world with you, whose welfare is inseparable from your own. may each person here use this time of reaffirmation to work and create a more just and peaceful world for you both and for all the lives that are linked with yours.
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To your parents, Dale and Rebekka, and to Hugh and Sarah, let us once more hear the wise words of the poet and mystic, Kahil Gibran, who wrote these words in his book, The Prophet.
“And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children. And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you, but are not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies, but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you,
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and he bends you
With his might that his arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness,
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves the bow that is stable.”

CHARGE TO THE PARENTS:

Dale and Rebekka, and Hugh and Sarah, from your smile, your child will learn to smile and feel accepted. From your speech, and through your use of words and ideas, his/her minds and thoughts will be formed. >From your steps, Krista and Derek will learn to walk and to follow; from your hands, to grasp and carry that they might adapt to life’s tasks.

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Your goodness will be their pattern; your shortcomings theirs to see and avoid. Your fear or your doubt, your strength and your faith become their standards, their reality.
Therefore, Dale and Rebekka, and Hugh and Sarah, I charge you to take on the privilege and responsibility of parenthood. To care for your child in body, mind, and spirit, so that Krista and Derek might grow into full personhood, and into enlightened individuality. Do you so promise?
“WE DO”

CHARGE TO THE SPONSORS

Rebekka and Anne, as the chosen sponsors of Derek, and Sarah and Rich as the chosen sponsors of Krista- if, Sarah and Hugh, and Rebekka and Dale, are in so way unable, do you willingly accept the responsibility for Derek’s and Krista’s spiritual nurture? Will you, to the best of your ability, provide Derek and Krista with an unselfish and patient love?
“WE WILL”

THE NAMING AND THE BLESSING

The minister now names Derek Elliott Hetherington,
and Krista Anne Tremblay…

Derek and Krista; may you have a healthy body with the strength to stand against all that might threaten you, and may you have the courage and the skill to do whatever is required of you and what you most desire to do. May you have good intelligence, to learn what you need to know, and the power to pursue the truth you seek. May you be fearless and tender. May you love the beauty of the world, its flowers and trees, the mountains and flowing streams, the movement of all living things.
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And may you know and love the music and rhythm of creation.
May you always stand on your own two feet, and walk your own paths with faith in God and in yourself. And may you know what it means to love and be loved. May you always have a zest for life.

With the life and beauty of this rose, I touch your lips, that the thoughts they express may be kind, clear and true. I touch your eyes that they may behold the beauty and wonder of being; that they might look with compassion and understanding. I touch your ears, that they may be attentive to wise council, to the cry for justice, and to listen for every authentic voice in Nature and in our world. And lastly, I touch your heart and your hands, that they may remain open to others, to love and to serve them and to work for the best motives, aspirations, and goals we humans possess.
As this flower unfolds its beauty, may the life of these children unfold…
( Minister hands the roses to Derek, Krista, and another one to Carl…)
And to Carl, I give you this rose as a reminder to continue to be a good, big brother for Krista, and to be a close cousin for Derek.

FAMILY PLEDGE (To be spoken by the other family members)
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving family environment for Krista and Derek, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this family.”

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us Pray: New lives, infinite in their potential, bless us. We pray for wisdom to help release that potential. May every grace be with these children, their parents, and all who love them. Remembering those who come after us must inherit their world from us, let us dedicate ourselves to our part in the building of a more kind, just, and happy human order. AMEN

FAMILY PLEDGE (To be spoken by the other family members)
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving family environment for Krista and Derek, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this family.”

FAMILY PLEDGE (To be spoken by the other family members)
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving family environment for Krista and Derek, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this family.”

FAMILY PLEDGE (To be spoken by the other family members)
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving family environment for Krista and Derek, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this family.”

FAMILY PLEDGE (To be spoken by the other family members)
“We shall endeavor to maintain a helpful, wholesome, and loving family environment for Krista and Derek, as we rejoice in the eternal promise their lives represent. We pledge now to these children and their parents, the loving guidance, support and care of this family.”

The Service of Holy Matrimony
for Meg Treon and Chris Coppersmith
Regal McCormick Ranch, Scottdale Arizona
April 18, 1998 at 5:00 PM

Prelude
Processional
First Candle Lightings Of Family Unity (mothers)

Opening Words and The Wedding Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Welcome everyone. Today we come together in this beautiful setting to witness the precious union of two people in holy matrimony. It is through such a covenant that we can discover the very essence of the human capacity to love, to honor, and to respect another human being.
In marriage, two people turn to one another in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a journey, and a transformation for a couple; it will require going from who they are now, to what they can become.
Marriage is one of the most important and a sacred commitment that two people can make during their lives. It is the ultimate intimacy between a man and a woman- a flexible and intimate bonding; a closeness that seeks to maintain the individuality of each partner. For in a marriage of trust and growth, both individuals will need to remain free to seek out their own special gifts and make their personal contributions to our world, and as a part of the connection that strengthens them, share these experiences with one another, supporting and extending each others best interests and efforts.
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Words Of Appreciation To The Parents:

Meg and Chris thank all of you for attending and for sharing in this celebration of their marriage today. They particularly want to acknowledge their parents and thank them for their unconditional love and support throughout the years; to express to them the deep gratitude for the values and principles that have been bestowed on them. Each of you have been instrumental in helping them to arrive here today as happy, healthy, and loving people, and they will always be grateful to you for giving them a foundation and for the good example you have provided for them in throughout their lives.

Words To The Couple:

Meg and Chris, together you will create your own special world of life and love. Today you will profess your love for each other before God, family and friends. I ask that you consider the following words carefully, and that you remember them each day of your lives:
Your responsibilities in marriage are to listen, to talk, and to grow …
To listen comes first, because what the other person has to say matters deeply; To talk, because in expressing yourself, you also share yourself, and offer who you are and how you feel towards one another; To grow, because growing together will help you to achieve your dreams and support your mutual goals as husband and wife.

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Scriptural Readings:
The Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13

Be ambitious for the higher gifts… And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them… If I have the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing.
If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but am without love, than I am nothing at all.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins, but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.

The Gospel According to St. John Chapter 15

Jesus said to his disciples:
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
I have told you this, so that my own joy may be in you, and your joy be complete.
This is my commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you.” This is the Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the centuries and throughout many civilizations, it has been a mother’s special role to carry on their family’s identity and traditions.
As the keepers of their family’s flame, Mrs. Coppersmith and Mrs. Treon will now light the side candles representing the traditions, values and identity of each family….

The Statement of Intention:

Chris, before you exchange wedding vows with Me, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act of tours is your free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Chris, choose to be married to Me, and is this an act of your own free will?
IT IS.”

Me, before you exchange wedding vows with Chris, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act is you free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Me, choose to be married to Chris, and is this an act of your own free will?
“IT IS.”

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The Wedding Vows:
(Please turn and face one another and hold hands…)

“I, Chris, take you Me, as my wife; to love and respect, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, through the good times and bad times. I promise you my complete devotion, to share my life and my dreams openly, and to speak the truth to you always.”
Do you Chris, pledge these vows before God, family and friends, and do you willingly recognize Meg as your wife?

“I DO”

“I, Me, take you Chris, as my husband; to love and respect, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, through the good times and bad times. I promise you my complete devotion, to share my life and my dreams openly, and to speak the truth to you always.”
Do you Me, pledge these vows before God, family and friends, and do you willingly recognize Chris as your husband?
“I DO”

The Exchange of Rings/ Pastoral Blessing:

Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your love and commitment? “THESE RINGS.” (Clergy receives both rings from best man…)

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The circle is the symbol of the Sun, the Earth, and the universe. It is the image of wholeness, perfection, and peace.
May these rings serve as a reminder of your unbroken and complete circle of love, for love freely given has no beginning and has no end. May these wedding rings also remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

Chris, please take Meg’s left hand and repeat after me…

“I give you this ring as a symbol of my never ending love for you. Please accept this ring along with my commitment to always be at your side, and to share with you my thoughts, my love, and my life.
Chris slides the ring half way up Meg’s finger…

Me, please repeat these words after me…

“I accept this ring, and I will wear it proudly for all the days of my life. it will serve as a constant reminder of the life we have entered into today, and the future we will share together, from this day forward.”

Me, please take Chris’s left hand and repeat after me…

“I give you this ring as a symbol of my never ending love for you. Please accept this ring along with my commitment to always be at your side, and to share with you my thoughts, my love, and my life.”
Meg slides the ring half way up Chris’s finger…

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Chris, please repeat these words after me…

“I accept this ring, and I will wear it proudly for all the days of my life. it will serve as a constant reminder of the life we have entered into today, and the future we will share together, from this day forward.”

Blessing over the two hands and rings: Lord, bless and consecrate this couple and their love …
“In Nomine Patri, Fili, and the Spirtus Sancti” ;

The Unity Candle Of Marriage:

Over the centuries, light has always represented life, spirit, and hope. and throughout many civilizations, it has been a mother’s special role to carry on their family’s identity and traditions.
Previously, as the keepers of their family’s flame, Camille Coppersmith and Maryellen Treon will now light the side candles representing the traditions, values and identity of each family….
These candles symbolize the light that can be shared by two people who are in love. In lighting this Unity candle, Meg and Chris express the fusion of their two lives as one and the connection of their two hearts and souls into a united future. (Music)

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Pronouncement:
Meg and Chris have chosen to be married here today in God’s natural surroundings. As we breathe in this moment of happiness, and the awe of the beauty that attends it, may we join together in a silent prayer for their marriage- that it will bring to them a lasting peace, harmony, and heartfelt contentment.
Meg and Chris, you have chosen one another and promised your love and devotion by the exchange of rings. Now, in the recognition of your shared desire to unite your lives together in the witness of God, family, and friends, I happily pronounce that you are husband and wife…
Chris, you may kiss your bride…
Closing Words:

By a mutual commitment to love each other, to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration and respect; by your willingness to face together all the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life, you can make your wedded life come alive. May this be the beginning of a relationship that will mature and strengthen with each passing year.
The wedding is not over, it has just begun…(Butterflies to be released…
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Coppersmith…
Congratulations, go in peace….

An Inclusive Table Grace

Good and gracious God, the one reality , known by many names, yet present to us all,
We have gathered here and we pause to offer thanks for the start of another loving family in the marriage of Chris and Meg.
We, their family and friends have gathered her to celebrate, to remember, and to acknowledge the gifts of life and love that span and connect the generations.
We ask that Your graces be with this couple as they begin their lives in a special relationship to you, for you are the with them, and your covenant with them is their strength and their guide.
May the prayers and intentions of this marriage remain noble and blessed, and may it serve as a lasting inspiration for all of us. AMEN

The Wedding Service
for
Paulita Gundersen and Patrick Maradei
The Wrigley Mansion Phoenix, Arizona
December 28, 1997 10:30 AM

Opening Words, Welcome, and The Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

This morning, we have gathered here to share in one of the most memorable occasions that any two people can have, their wedding service. For Paulita and Patrick, this time shared with family and friends and before God, is a turning point: it marks both an ending and a new beginning.
In marriage , two people turn to one another in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a constant commitment of one’s whole self;
a commitment of body, mind, and spirit, of loyalty and love. It is from such dedication, that a lasting devotion allows their love to unfold and strengthen, blossoming more beautifully through each year of their days together. May Paulita and Patrick have the faith in one another and the confidence in themselves to nurture the new life that they have chosen- as husband and wife.
Today, Paulita and Patrick have stopped thinking of themselves as only individuals, and instead, have started to think of themselves as part of something greater. But this day is not simply about them, or just for them. Each of you, their cherished family and friends, are a vital part of their love and concern. Patrick and Paulita acknowledge and salute each and everyone of you who are here for all that you have given of yourselves over the years. They are deeply honored that you are here, and that you care in the way that you do. Thank You.

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Words To The Couple: A Marriage Homily
This ceremony alone will not unite you in marriage. Only you can do that by sustaining a mutual commitment to love each other and to work toward creating an atmosphere of consideration and respect. This ceremony is the public declaration of the deep bond of love and commitment that exists within your hearts.
A good marriage is built on such a relationship of love. For to love someone is essentially this: to hold one another’s best interests first and foremost in your hearts. It is to live life together, feeling each other’s sorrows and joys as if they were your own. When two people truly love one another, each wishes that the other can become everything that he or she desires to be.
Marriage is a sharing of your lives. As a result of that sharing, a true intimacy is created, and yours becomes one life-together. Within the strength of this togetherness, there is a freedom to maintain your individuality. Only by being true to yourselves, and expressing your individuality can each of you give of yourselves fully to the one whom you love.
We live in times that are beset with difficult problems, and because of this reality, you will need to act as an active support for one another; but remember, that marriage cannot be used as an escape from the world or its responsibilities, but it acts as a source of mutual strength for greater service to our world. Together, in marriage, you shall contribute to our world more fully. In turn, the lessons of love and life, wisdom and caring will bless and enrich you beyond what you thought was possible if you lived alone.

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Patrick and Paulita, I believe that it is no accident that your two souls have been drawn together for this sacred journey through life. Your souls will move toward the loving opportunity that marriage alone can become.
Marriage has within it, a special grace that can only be found in the company of a loved one, and it is sustained each day thereafter by a joint extension of your minds, the ripening of your souls, and the deepening of your heart’s affections. Paulita and Patrick, marriage is a companionship of respect, of a deep and abiding trust, and of a growing spirituality that will be asked of you from this day forward. May this companionship always serve to uplift and bless you.
To summarize the goals and intention of a true marriage, listen to these recommendations:
A good marriage must be created, for in marriage, the little things ARE the big things…
It means that you are never too old to hold hands
It is remembering to say ” I Love You” at least 1X a day
It is never going to sleep angry with one another. It is the capacity to forgive and forget.
It is a sharing of mutual values and holding of common objectives.
It is standing together to face the world. It is forming a circle of love that welcomes and gathers in the whole family and your true friends.
It is speaking words of appreciation and to express or demonstrate gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is giving one another an atmosphere where each other can change and grow.
It is the common search for the good and the beautiful in life and in one another.

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Words for Each Other- The Marriage Vows

I love Patrick’s sense of humor which never ceases to bring me
laughter and joy. His kind understanding and comfort for my most
difficult times , and most of all, the way he makes me feel loved at
all times. The pleasure of my life is in being with him.

I fell in love with Paulita the moment I saw her. Our years together
have been the greatest of my life. Her kindness and the love and
support she gives me is why I’m a very lucky and happy man.
The pleasure of my life is in being with her.

Exchange of Rings/Blessing ( minister receives rings…)

A circle is the symbol of the sun, the earth and the universe; of wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever the symbol of the unbroken circle of your love.
Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love freely given has no giver and has no receiver, for each is the giver, and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

“With this ring, I thee wed”

“With This ring I thee wed”

Patrick and Paulita, because you have chosen each other, and have promised each other your love and devotion, and have symbolized the same by the exchanging of rings, I now take you hands, bless you, and acknowledge to the world, that you are now husband and wife.

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Now you will feel no rain
for each of you shall be a shelter to the other

Now you will feel no cold
For each shall be warmth to the other

Now there is no loneliness
For each shall be companion for the other

Now you are two bodies
But there is only one life for you

Go now to your dwelling place
to enter into your days of togetherness

And may your days be good, and long upon the earth.

Pastoral Prayer/Closing Words:

Let us pray… Heavenly Father, send your blessings upon Patrick and Paulita, and bless the life that they will build. Keep them close, in mind and in heart. May their days together bring them all of life’s joys. May they grow together, helping each other to become all that each can be. May their marriage promote both security and serenity. And may the spirit of Your life, truth, and love be always theirs.
Holy One, look graciously upon them; strengthen them sufficently so that they might keep their vows and the covenant between them. May they love, honor, and cherish each other always. May the home they build be a haven of patience, a shelter of faithfulness, through Christ Jesus, our Lord. AMEN

Family and friends… I now gladly present to you,
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick C. Maradei…. Congratulations!
YMKTB! Go in Peace….

The Marriage Ceremony for
Ellery Walde and Gerald Schauer
April 25th, 2008
The Unitarian Church in Charleston
The Rev. Fr. Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Prelude:

Processional

Parental Statement: Q: Who gives this woman to be married to this man? “Her Mother and I do”

Invocation:
+ In The Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit… Amen

Opening Words:
Blessings and Greetings… We are gathering here today to witness the marriage of Ellery and Gerry; we are here to celebrate their love, and to remember and affirm that this love can live within us all.
In marriage, two people turn to each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either person could achieve alone. Marriage is a going forth; it is a bold step into a united future; marriage is risking who you are for what we can become.
Only by such giving can the mysterious process of personal growth ever take place. Only in loyalty and with a devotion that is freely bestowed on one another can that which is holy and eternal in all of life, emerge, become known, and then shared.
Two people, two who have previously stood apart, now come before us choosing to have one life together. Now, in your presence, and before God, they will declare their love. In this ceremony, we shall celebrate the love that has blossomed for Ellery and Gerry. We, too, can rejoice in that love, for it touches each of us who are here today.
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Acknowledgement: their parents, and those who have gone on before Ellery and Gerry are thrilled to have you all here today witnessing this special event in their lives. They would like to offer a special expression of gratitude to their parents and for the love and gjuidance they have shown them throughout their lives. Additionally, they would also like to lovingly acknowledge those friends and family who have gone before us but who remain in our hearts, and in faith, are here in spirit:
Donald John Schauer Sr., Dr. Peter Hastings, Dr. Jack M. Weiss, Colonel and Mrs. Robert Washburn, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Lightfoot, Mr. Tello Vasquez

Scriptural Readings: Apocrapha Tobit 7 Ashley M. Walde
Your marriage to her has been decided in heaven!
Take your kinswoman; from now on you are her love, and she is your beloved. She is yours today and ever after. And tonight, son, may the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace.”
“Take her according to the Law; According to the decree written in the Book of Moses, that she is your wife. Take her and bring her back safely to your father. And may the God of heaven grant both of you peace and prosperity.”

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Epistle: Colossians Chapter 3 Quincy L. Walde
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Gospel: Matthew 5
When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

Prayer or Meditation Music – Gift of Love

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Statement of Intention(flowers… Please face one another, and hold hands…)
To Gerry: Will you promise to love and cherish this woman, now and forever; to give your solemn pledge to stay by her side in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through good times and bad.
Will you promise to love her without reservation, to honor and respect her, to provide for her needs as best you can, to protect her from harm, and to comfort her in times of distress. Will you commit with her to a lifetime of continued love, respect, trust and friendship? “I Will”

To Ellery: Will you promise to love and cherish this man, now and forever; to give your solemn pledge to stay by his side in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, through good times and bad.
Will you promise to love him without reservation, to honor and respect him, to provide for his needs as best you can, to protect him from harm, and to comfort him in times of distress. Will you commit with him to a lifetime of continued love, respect, trust and friendship? “I Will”

Marriage Vows

“I, Ellery, take you Gerry to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, til death do us part.”

“I, Gerry, take you Ellery to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, til death do us part.”
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Blessing and Exchanging of Rings:

These rings are an outward symbol of the inner bond you now share. May they forever serve as a unending sign of your love, faith and committment.
May the blessing of marriage give you an abiding sense of security and serenity, placing the good of the relationship above the individual, for in God’s eyes, you are now of one life, one destiny,
to celebrate, affirm, and share… +

Bride and Groom exchange rings repeating this phrase:
“With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love.”

Pronouncement:
In as much as Ellery and gerry have come before us today, and professed their love and caring, loyaty and devotion to one another in the sight of friends, family and God, I now convey upon them the priviledges of marriage. Be the priviledge entrusted to me by the Holy Spirit, and by the State of Southj Carolina, I not pronounce that you are husband and wife…
YMKB… Congraulations… Go in peace…
Recessional Sonata in D

Scriptural Readings: Apocrapha Tobit 7 Ashley M. Walde
Your marriage to her has been decided in heaven!
Take your kinswoman; from now on, you are her love, and she is your beloved. She is yours today and ever after.
And tonight, son, may the Lord of heaven prosper you both! May he grant you mercy and peace.”
“Take her according to the Law; According to the decree written in the Book of Moses, that she is your wife. Take her, and bring her back safely to your father. And may the God of heaven grant both of you peace and prosperity.”

Epistle: Colossians Chapter 3 Quincy L. Walde
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience… Bearing with one another and forgiving one another… If one has a grievance against another, as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also forgive.
And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. Let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called, in one body.
And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, and as in all wisdom, teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

The Wedding Service
For
Meggan Slack and Christopher Lynch
September 12, 2004 1:00 PM
Pequot Chapel, New London, CT

Prelude
Processional
First Candle Lighting of Family Unity (All Parents)

Opening Words and The Wedding Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Words of Appreciation and Affirmation:

Meggan and Christopher wanted me to thank all of you for coming here today, to share in their celebration. The history you bring for this couple, as their friends and family members, defines much of who they are as individuals, and what they can become as a couple. Each of you has unselfishly given of yourselves. You have helped them arrive here today as happy, healthy and loving people; people willing and ready to share their lives together. They are grateful for the values that have been bestowed and the examples that have been given to them from those who have loved and nurtured them all along life’s way.
Let us, in the midst of hope for this couple’s future, also lovingly acknowledge the memory of those who could not be present, but whose spirit and effects remain with us. Their lives and the values they have instilled will always be cherished. Meggan and Christopher believe and know that they would be pleased and are watching over all of us today.

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Words To the Couple:

Selected Readings:
The Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13
(Read by Meggan’s Brothers Jeffrey and Gregory Slack)

Be ambitious for the higher gifts… And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them… If I have the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophesy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but am without love, than I am nothing at all.
Love is always patient and kind; it is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins, but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope and to endure whatever comes.
Love does not come to an end.

Poem (Read by Meggan’s Sister-in-laws Elizabeth Brizzolara & Holly Slack)

The Gospel According to St. John, Chapter 15 (Read by Fr. Peter)

Jesus said to his disciples:
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
I have told you this, so that my own joy may be in you, and your joy be complete.
This is my commandment: Love one another, as I have loved you.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.

The Statement of Intention:
Christopher, before you exchange wedding vows with Meggan, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act of your is your free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Christopher, choose to be married to Meggan, and is this an act of your own free will?
“It is.”

Meggan, before you exchange wedding vows with Christopher, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act of your is your free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Meggan, choose to be married to Christopher, and is this an act of your own free will?
“It is.”

(Please turn and face on another and hold hands…)

“I Christopher, take you Meggan, as my wife; to love and respect, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, through the good times and bad times. I promise you my complete devotion, to share my life and my dreams openly, and to speak the truth to you always.”
Do you Christopher, pledge these vows before God, family and friends, and do you willingly recognize Meggan as your Wife?
“I DO”

“I Meggan, take you Christopher, as my husband; to love and respect, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, through the good times and bad times. I promise you my complete devotion, to share my life and my dreams openly, and to speak the truth to you always.”
Do you Meggan, pledge these vows before God, family and friends, and do you willingly recognize Christopher as your Husband?
“I DO”

The Exchange of Rings/Pastoral Blessing:
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your love and commitment?
“These Rings” (Fr. Peter Receives both rings from best man…)

The circle is the symbol of the Sun, the Earth, and the universe. It is the image of wholeness, perfection, and peace. May these rings serve as a reminder of your unbroken and complete circle of love, for love freely given has no beginning and has no end. May these wedding rings also remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

Christopher, please take Meggan’s left hand and repeat after me…
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my never ending love for you. Please accept this ring along with my commitment to always be at your side, and to share with you’re my thoughts, my love, and my life”
Christopher slides the ring half way up Meggan’s finger…

Meggan, please repeat these words after me…
“I accept this ring, and I will wear it proudly for all the days of my life. It will serve as a constant reminder of the life we have entered into today, and the future we will share together, from this day forward.”

Meggan, please take Christopher’s left hand and repeat after me…

“I give you this ring as a symbol of my never ending love for you. Please accept this ring along with my commitment to always be at your side, and to share with you’re my thoughts, my love, and my life”
Meggan slides the ring half way up Christopher’s finger…

Christopher, please repeat these words after me…

“I accept this ring, and I will wear it proudly for all the days of my life. It will serve as a constant reminder of the life we have entered into today, and the future we will share together, from this day forward.”

Blessing over the two hands and rings:
Lord, bless and consecrate this couple and their love…
“In Nomine Patri, Filli, and the Spirtus Sancti”

The Lighting of the Unity Candle:
Earlier in the service, the parents of Christopher and Meggan lit candles that signify the tradition, heritage, and generations of the family that are being united at this wedding ceremony. Each marriage represents a blending and unifying of families, and the light of these two candles represents the gifts and graces that these two families can now give and share with each other, and offer to the new generation to come. Now Meggan and Christopher will light the candle of unity in marriage. This act symbolizes the spirit and the future of a new family that they begin here tonight.
As a unity candle, it represents the strength that each has received from their own families and the promise of light and love and compassion and caring they now bring and share with one another.

Pronouncement:

Meggan and Christopher have chosen to be married here today. As we breathe in this moment of happiness, and the awe of the beauty that attends it, may we join together in a silent prayer for their marriage – that it will bring to them a lasting peace, harmony and heartfelt contentment.
Meggan and Christopher, you have chosen one another and promised your love and devotion by the exchange of rings. Now, in the recognition of your shared desire to unite your lives together in the witness of God, family, and friends, I happily pronounce that you are husband and wife…
Christopher, you may kiss your bride…

Closing Words:

By a mutual commitment to love each other, to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration and respect; by your willingness to face together all the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life, you can make your wedded life come alive. May this be the beginning of a relationship that will mature and strengthen with each passing year.
The wedding is not over, it has just begun…
Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch…
Congratulations, go in peace…

The Service of Holy Matrimony for
Katherine Frances Dean and Christopher Wayne Dusse’
The Westchase Golf Club
October 28, 2000 3:00 PM
Prelude:
Processional: Watermark – ENYA Canon in ‘D’ — Pachelbel

Opening Words and the Ceremony:
The Reverend Father Peter Edward Lanzillotta, OSB, Ph.D.
+ (In the Name of…) Welcome, to all the friends of the Spirit, the holy and universal presence that in us and with us and that blesses each of us who are gathered here this afternoon….…
Today, Katherine and Christopher come before their families and friends to acknowledge and publicly declare the beginning of their lives together. Through marriage, this very special and precious union, Katherine and Christopher will commit to sharing the triumphs and challenges they will face together for the rest of their lives.
They wish to thank all of you for coming here today – the history all of you bring together for them, as friends and members of their families, defines much of who they are as individuals, and what they can and will become as a couple. You have helped them to arrive here today as happy, healthy, and loving people; two individuals who are willing and ready to share their lives together. For that love and encouragement all along life’s way, they say “thank you” with all their hearts.

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Thanks to Parents
A parent’s love is like no other… It represents years of unselfish caring, guidance, discipline and maybe more than anything else, giving them a lasting example of what it means to be a loving couple. Because of this example, they have set for both Katherine and Christopher, they would like to offer them a special token of their love and gratitude….
Selected Reading #1 : “The Greatest Thing”
The Epistle to the Corinthians I:13
“Love is patient. Love is kind, and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited or rude, never selfish, nor quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs – does not gloat of other’s sins, but delights only in the truth. There is nothing that love cannot face: There is no limit to its faith, hope or endurance.
In a word, there are three things that will last forever: faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love.”

Selected Reading #2: Make Not a Bond of Love- Kahlil Gibran
The Christian and mystical poet, Kahlil Gibran used these words to describe the essence of marriage and relationships when he said:
“Love one another, but make not a bond of love; rather let it be like a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Give your hearts, but not into one another’s keeping, for only the land of the living can hold your hearts. Laugh, Sing, and Dance together, but also let each other be alone, just as the strings of a violin or a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

3
Be together, but not too close together, for the pillars of a temple stand apart so that they can hold up, and the oak and the cypress do not grow in each other’s shadows.

“Remain in My Love”
+ Reading From the Gospel according to St. John 15: 9-12
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father has loved me so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Words to the Couple:
Matrimony symbolizes the ultimate intimacy between a man and a woman. Yet the closeness from this union should not diminish, but strengthen the individuality of each partner. For it is our uniqueness and our individual identity that transcends our short existence here and therefore must be preserved.
The commitment of marriage sometimes demands going beyond the boundaries of the self alone; it means giving up one’s personal desires for the needs of the other or for the good of the relationship. Yet there is the necessity of always maintaining a delicate but resilient balance, so that neither partner feels overpowered or absorbed by the other. Out of respect or both the value of their union and the value of their separateness, a mature and healthy love is born and will always thrive.

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The Wedding Vows/Statement of Intention:
Katherine and Christopher, please turn, face one another and hold hands. Recognize that the hand offered by each of you is an extension of yourself, which now links your mutual love.
Cherish its touch, for you have touched each other’s hearts and lives. Be sensitive to its pulse, as it is your hearts beating together.

Q: Katherine and Christopher will you take one another as husband and wife? Will you love, cherish and respect one another? Will you trust one another always? Will you stand by one another and face whatever may come with strength, patience and love?
“We Will.”
Please now repeat these words after me:

Katherine — “From this day forward, I, Katherine, take you, Christopher Wayne, to be my lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

Christopher — “From this day forward, I, Christopher, take you, Katherine Frances, to be my lawfully wedded wife; to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”

What do you offer as a sign of your love and fidelity?
“These Rings”

5 The Ring Prayer/Exchange of Rings:

The ring is a symbol for unity, wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever the symbol of the unbroken circle of your love.
Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love freely given has no giver and no receiver, for each is the giver and receiver.
May these rings remind you always of the gifts of love and the vows you have exchanged here today.
We ask that a special blessing be placed upon these rings so that this couple will be ever conscious of the love they are capable of holding and nurturing in each other.
Priest blesses the rings with holy oil ….

Bride and Groom alternate saying…
“With This Ring, I Thee Wed”

Blessing and Presentation of the rings….. +

Pastoral Charge to the Couple:
The excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and its beauty is in having someone with whom to explore and discover it. When you look into each other’s eyes, may you not only see the love you have for one another, but all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.
Only you two can truly marry yourselves. And you can achieve this by your mutual commitment to love each other and to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration and respect – and by your willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life…
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Katherine and Christopher, one of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each other’s growth – growth in values, character, and in services to one another and to our world. A vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and fears diminish.
Pronouncement:
May Katherine and Christopher, now married, keep this covenant with God and with one another which they have made. May they be a blessing and a comfort to each other; share each other’s joys, counsel each other through times of sorrow, and help each other in all aspects of their lives. May they encourage each other in whatever they set out to achieve. Yet may they not only accept and give affection between themselves, but together have affection and consideration for others.
In recognition of your desire to unite your hearts and lives in mutual love and affection, and by the power and authority that is vested in me, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife.

Congratulations! You may kiss the bride.

Ladies and Gentleman, it is my privilege to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Wayne Dusse’.

Benediction: Go in Peace…

Recessional….

Lorson – Ramos Wedding Ceremony
Saybrook Point Inn
Saybrook, Connecticut
Sunday, September 21, 2003

Musical Prelude: The Sanders Trio Musical ensemble
Processional: Sanders Trio
Opening Words by Fr. Peter
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here together in the sight of God, and of these much-loved family members and friends, to join together Eduardo and Jennifer in holy matrimony, and to celebrate with them their union. To marry the person you have your heart set upon is a joy unparalleled in human life. These two are truly blessed.
As his servant, I am merely His representative in this ceremony. God is the true Priest who will unite you as husband and wife. And as your true Priest, He will be with you as you greet the joys and challenges that each day of your new life together will bring. So, I encourage you to take full advantage of His loving and guiding presence.

Giving Away of the Bride
Fr. Peter: Who gives Jennifer to be united with Eduardo?

Dad: Her mother and I (places Jenny’s hand in Fr. Peter’s).

Fr. Peter: Mr. and Mrs. Lorson, Mrs. Ramos, are you willing now and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding Jennifer and Eduardo with your support and concern?
Mom and Dad and Mrs. Ramos: We do.

Fr. Peter: Please be seated.

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Opening Prayer by Fr. Peter
Lord, we come to you as your children, as one, and ask that your Holy Spirit be felt by all those present today. We worship You, Lord, and ask that You bless this service. This we all pray in the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Readings:
Reading 1: A reading from the Apostle Paul, the first Letter to the Corinthians
(1 Corinthians 13:4-10)
Reader TBD
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophesies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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Reading 2 “You Were Born Together” by Kahlil Gibran
Reader TBD
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. …

3
Love one another but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one
another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone, even as
the strings of the lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the land of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together, for the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Reading 3 “Con Ella” by Pablo Neruda
Reader: Ricardo Ramos Tremolada
Como es duro este tiempo, espérame: vamos a vivirlo con ganas.
Dame tu pequeñita mano: vamos a subir y sufrir, vamos a sentir y saltar.
Somos de nuevo la pareja que vivió en lugares hirsutos, en nidos ásperos de roca.
Como es largo este tiempo, espérame con una cesta, con tu pala, con tus zapatos y tu ropa. Ahora no necisitamos no sólo para los claveles, no sólo para buscar miel:
necisitamos nuestras manos para lavar y hacer el fuego, y que se atreva el tiempo duro
a desafiar el infinito de cuatro manos y cuatro ojos.

Reading 4 “With Her” by Pablo Neruda
Reader: Cristiaan Lorson

This time is difficult. Wait for me. We will live it out vividly. Give me your small hand:
we will rise and suffer, we will feel, we will rejoice. We are once more the pair who lived in bristling places, in harsh nests in the rock.
This time is difficult. Wait for me with a basket, with a shovel, with your shoes and your clothes.
Now we need each other, not only for the carnations’ sake, not only to look for honey-
we need our hands to wash with, to make fire. So let our difficult time stand up to infinity with four hands and four eyes.
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Gospel Reading: Fr. Peter + This is a reading from The Gospel According to St. John (15:12 –16)
This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Fr. Peter: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

Statement of Intent:
Fr. Peter: Jennifer, is your true desire and intent to be united each to the other, at this time and in this company, as partners in life and love? As Eduardo’s wife, will you cherish, encourage, and support him in whatever life may bring you? If so answer, “I will.”
Jenny: I will.

Fr. Peter: Eduardo, is your true desire and intent to be united each to the other, in this time and in this company, as partners in life and love? As Jennifer’s husband, will you cherish, encourage, and support her in whatever life may bring you? If so answer, “I will.”

Eduardo: I will.

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Wedding Vows
Fr. Peter: Let us pray for this man and this woman as they make their marriage vows.

Father, as Eduardo and Jennifer have chosen each other, help them and bless them, that their love may be pure, and their vows may be true. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Vow Exchanges
Jenny: I come here today, Eduardo, to join my life to yours before this gathering. In their presence, I pledge to be true and faithful to you, to respect you, and to grow with you through the years. Time may pass, fortune may smile, trials may test us; whatever we encounter together, I vow here that this love will be my only love, and that you will be my one true companion for life. I will make my home in your heart from this day forward.

Eduardo: Today, Jenny, I join my life to yours not only as your husband,
but also as your confidant and your best friend. I pledge to you my love, respect, and fidelity. Let me be the shoulder you lean on, the rock on which you rest, the one true companion of your life. With you I will walk my path from this day forward.

Ring Blessing
Fr. Peter: (Fr. Peter gets the bride’s ring from the best man)

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. It is a seal of the vows Eduardo and Jennifer have made to one another. Lord, please bless these rings, that Jennifer and Eduardo, who give them, and who wear them, may ever abide in thy peace, and may live together in unity, love and happiness for the rest of their lives.

Ring Exchanges
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Eduardo: With this ring, I thee wed.
Jenny: With this ring, I thee wed.
Fr. Peter: Let us pray.
Father, we pray for all married people, that they may continue to give, be able to forgive, and experience more of the joy of the Lord with each passing day. And especially for Eduardo and Jennifer, now beginning their married life together, that they may have divine assistance, the constant support of family and friends, and a long life with good health. May your fullest blessing come upon Jennifer and her husband Eduardo, from this day forward, for ever and ever, Amen.

May Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, always be at the center of the new lives you will now build together, that you may know the ways of true love and kindness. May the Lord bless you both all the days of your lives and fill you with His joy. Amen.
(Fr. Peter joins their right hands together)
Those, whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder. In so much as Eduardo and Jennifer have consented together in holy matrimony, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, having given and pledged each to the other, and having exchanged rings, I now pronounce them husband and wife.

Now seal the promises that you have made to each other with a kiss.
Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ramos Tremolada.

Now let us pray as Jesus taught us:
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. Amen.
Closing Words / Benediction
We thank you, Lord, for this beautiful day, and ask that your blessings be bestowed upon this couple from this day forth, as they begin their new life together. Amen. +

The Service of Holy Matrimony
For
Jennifer Williams and Christopher Cadoret
March 17, 2001
Satellite Beach, Florida

Prelude
Processional

Opening Words and the Wedding Ceremony:

Welcome Everyone. Today we come together in this beautiful setting to witness the union of two people in holy matrimony. It is through such a covenant that we can discover the very essence of the human capacity to love, to honor, and to respect another human being.

In marriage, two people turn to one another in search of greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a journey, and a transformation for a couple; it will require going from who they are now, to what they can become.

Words of Appreciation to the Parents:

Christopher and Jennifer thank all of you for attending and for sharing in this celebration of their marriage today. They particularly want to acknowledge their parents and thank them for their unconditional love and support throughout the years; to express to them the deep gratitude for the values and principles that have been bestowed on them. Each of you have been instrumental in helping them arrive here today as happy, healthy and loving people, and they will always be grateful to you for giving them a foundation and for the good example you have provided for them throughout their lives.

Words to the Couple:

Christopher and Jennifer, together you will create your own special world of life and love. Today you will profess your love for each other before God, family and friends. I ask that you consider the following words carefully, and that you remember them each day of your lives:
Your responsibilities in marriage are to listen, to talk and to grow…
To listen comes first, because what the other person has to say matters deeply; To talk, because in expressing yourself, you also share yourself, and offer who you are and how you feel towards one another; To grow, because growing together will help you to achieve your dreams and support mutual goals as husband and wife.

Scriptural Readings:

read by Carrie Barczewski

Gospel reading: John 17

The Statement of Intention:

Christopher, before you exchange vows with Jennifer, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act is your free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family, and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Christopher, choose to be married to Jennifer, and is this an act of your own free will?

IT IS

Jennifer, before you exchange vows with Christopher, and enter into the covenant of holy matrimony, I want to be assured that this act is your free and willing choice. So, now, in front of God, family, and friends, I ask you this question: Do you, Jennifer, choose to be married to Christopher, and is this an act of your own free will?

IT IS

The Wedding Vows: (Please turn to face one another and hold hands…)

“I, Christopher, take you Jennifer, to be my wife from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.”

Do you Christopher, pledge these vows before God, family and friends?

I DO

“I, Jennifer, take you Christopher, to be my husband from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.”
Do you Jennifer, pledge these vows before God, family and friends?
I DO

The Exchange of Rings/Pastoral Blessing

What do you offer as a symbol of your love and commitment

THESE RINGS (clergy receives both rings from best man)

The circle is the symbol of the Sun, the Earth and the universe. It is the image of wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings serve as a reminder of your unbroken and complete circle of love, for love freely given has no beginning and no end. May these wedding rings also remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

Christopher, please take Jennifer’s left hand and repeat after me…

“As a symbol of my love for you my commitment to you throughout our lives, I give you this ring in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Jennifer, please take Christopher’s left hand and repeat after me…

“As a symbol of my love for you my commitment to you throughout our lives, I give you this ring in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

Blessing over the two hands and rings;
Lord, bless and consecrate this couple and their love
“In Nomine Patri, Fili, and the Spirtus Sancti”

Pronouncement:
Jennifer and Christopher have chosen to be married here today in God’s natural surroundings. As we breathe in this moment of happiness, and the awe of the beauty that attends it, may we join together in a silent prayer for the their marriage – that it will bring them a lasting peace, harmony, and heartfelt contentment.
Jennifer and Christopher, you have chosen one another and promised your love and devotion by the exchange of rings. Now, in the recognition of your shared desire to unite your lives together in the witness of God, family and friends, I happily pronounce that you are husband and wife…
Christopher, you may kiss your bride.

Closing Words:

The wedding is not over, it has just begun.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce for the very first time,
Mr and Mrs. Cadoret.

Congratulations, go in peace.

The Wedding Ceremony for
Amy Christine Langholdt and Charles Curtis Coughlin
The Grace Inn @ Ahwatukee, Arizona
August 23, 1997 5:00 PM

Opening Words and The Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Welcome to the Wedding ceremony for Amy and Curtis…

Q: Who gives permission and their blessing to their daughter for this wedding service?
A: “Her Mother and I Do.”

Amy and Curtis would first like to acknowledge their parents, Dennis and Mary Kay, Ron and Cathy… You have given them the affection and the encouragement to arrive here today in peace, ready and willing to follow your loving examples. You have provided them with your caring support, everlasting guidance, constant strength, and your openhearted understanding. From you, they have learned how to love, and for this they will be forever grateful…
( Bride and groom offer flowers to their parents…)

Amy and Curtis also wanted me to thank all of you for coming here today to share in their celebration. The history you bring to this moment, as their friends and family members, defines much of who they are as individuals, and what they can become as a couple. Each of you have unselfishly given of yourselves. You have helped them to arrive here, today, as happy and healthy, loving people. Thank you.

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Words To The Couple:
Amy and Curtis, many paths have led you to this destination; to this special time and place where you will soon pledge that you belong to each other. Your travels and travails, with all of its twists and turns, have brought you to a place, and has prepared to begin a shared journey together, for the rest of your lives.
Your dreams are something you have never compromised, and the dream of having a relationship that is special, loving, and fulfilling has never been more true or real than it is today. On this day of your marriage, you stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be.
Now, as you are ready to make your promises to one another, we all hope and wish that this day will become the beginning of a relationship that will grow and deepen, expand and mature with each passing year. For it will be your love for one another that will make the latter days warmer and more wonderful than the first.

Selected Readings: St. Paul On Love- 1 Cor. 13
Love is patient, love is kind and envies no one. Love is neither boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but only delights itself in the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Three things abide forever: Faith, Hope and Love. And the greatest of these is Love.
from 1 Cor. 13 NEB; NRSV

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The Promises of Marriage
Marriage is the promise of companionship, of having someone to share all of life’s experiences.
Marriage does not promise that there will not be any
rough times, just the assurance that there will always be someone who cares and will help you through to better times.
Marriage does not promise you eternal romance, just eternal love and commitment.
Marriage can’t prevent disappointments, disillusionment, or grief; but it can offer hope, acceptance, and comfort.
Marriage can’t protect you from making individual choices, or shelter you from the world. But it will help to reassure you that there is someone by your side who truly cares.
When the world hurts you and makes you feel vulnerable, marriage offers the promise that there will be someone waiting to listen, to console and inspire.
Marriage is the joining of two people who share the promise that only marriage can make- to share the sunshine and the shadows, and to experience a richer, more fulfilling life because of it. Bettie Meeks

The Wedding Vows (the couple follow the clergyman up on the platform …)
Amy and Curtis, please turn, face one another and hold hands… ( Bride passes her flowers to her maid of honor… )
The hands offered by the two of you are extensions of yourselves… in their touch, they link and connect your mutual love. Cherish their touch, for when you touch hands, you can touch another’s heart another’s soul as well. Be sensitive to its pulse. Seek always to understand its flow and respect its rhythms.

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Amy and Curtis, when you take one another as husband and wife, you must love and respect each other. You must trust one another always, and be worthy of the trust that another person and another heart places in you. You will need to stand by each other, and be willing to face whatever may come into your lives with strength, patience, fortitude and open to learning the lessons of faith and grace.

Bride: I, Amy, take you, Curtis, to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.

Groom: I, Curtis, take you, Amy, to be my wedded wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.

The Ring Prayer and The Exchange of Rings
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your love and fidelity?
A: ” These Rings ” ( Clergy receives the rings from the best man… )

The circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth and the universe. It is a sign for wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever the symbol of the unbroken circle of your love.
Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love freely given has no giver and has no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

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Bride: With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love …

Groom: With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love …

Clergy now blesses the rings… “In nomini Patri, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti… Amen”

The Lighting Of The Unity Candle
The Bride and groom step over to the candles…
Light has always symbolized life, spirit, and hope. This candle symbolizes the inner light that can be shared by two people who love. In the lighting of the unity candle, Amy and Curtis express the merging of their two families, and their two families as one. In this act, we acknowledge the connection of two hearts and the entry of two souls into a united and shared future.

A Love Poem Of Togetherness ( from the Apache wedding ceremony)
Now you will feel no rain, for each shall be shelter to the other.
Now you shall feel no cold, for each shall be warmth to the other.
Now there will be no loneliness, for each shall be a companion to the other
Now there are two bodies, but there is only one life between you.
Go, now to your dwelling place, to enter into the days of your togetherness, and may your days be good and long upon the earth.

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The Pronouncement, Benediction, and Introduction

Amy and Curtis, because you have chosen each other and have promised each other love and devotion, and have symbolized this covenant by accepting these wedding rings, by the authority invested in me by God, the State, and in the witness of your family and friends, I gladly pronounce, that you are now, husband and wife. Congratulations!
Curtis, you may kiss your bride…

“Yaw kole Adonai barak shamar…” May the Lord Bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his peace to shine upon you. May he life up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Curtis Coughlin Congratulations, and go in peace…

Wedding Ceremony of Amanda Bakken and Geoff Morse, June 3, 2006, Rochester, MN

Gathering Words [Rev. Peter]

We are gathered here together as family and friends to celebrate the coming together of Amanda and Geoffrey. We come to witness the joining of these two people in marriage and to rejoice in their making of this important and lasting commitment.

The essence of the marriage relationship is the openness to another person in his or her entirety as lover, companion, and friend. We join our lives together in search of something greater and richer, something that transcends our solitary lives.

Really loving one another with depth and passion is perhaps the greatest treasure we human beings can attain. It adds richness and profound meaning to our lives. Love is one of life’s greatest joys. By simply giving ourselves to each other, honestly and courageously, each partner is infinitely enhanced.

As companions in our day-to-day lives, we take pleasure in sharing our time, thoughts, and feelings. We delight in reporting on our separate adventures in the world. These become the rhythm of life between devoted life partners as they build their life together.

In marriage, two lives are intimately shared; and the blending of the two must not diminish either one. Rather, it should enhance the individuality of each partner.

As a marriage matures, it takes on a life of its own. And within it, each partner is individually evolving while growing in understanding of the other. This wonderful intimacy with another person can mirror a depth of inner knowing that awakens levels of awareness we never knew existed. To be awakened in this way is a priceless gift.

When we give of ourselves into a loving marriage partnership, we do not abandon ourselves; we do not shed our individuality; for that is what brought us together in the first place.

So let us come together now to witness, to support, and to celebrate this union of Amanda and Geoffrey. Please join me in wishing them a healthy, loving, and joyful marriage.

Wedding Statement [Rev. Peter]

Marriage is the essence of human relationships. It challenges us to be of one accord without abandoning the truth of our individuality. It challenges us to not lose ourselves in one another, but rather to walk side by side heading in the same direction.

As with all relationships marriage is an endless presentation of choices about how we want to be with one another. Each choice presents an opportunity for more unity.
Choose into that unity, Amanda and Geoff, every chance you get.

Sacrifice your judgments, expectations, and any other ways that you have learned to separate your selves from each other. Share the gifts of your friendship, humor, vulnerability, sensitivity, and kindness. Be sure to find ways each day to protect, affirm, and support each other and to treasure the balance and shared vales that you have found with each other.

Enjoy the intertwining of your independence with your intimacy. I wish you the courage to keep your loving hearts open to each other for the rest of your lives.

It is your love that has brought us here today. May it grow deeper and sweeter with each passing year.

Readings

“Sonnet 17″
Pablo Neruda
[Janet Morse]

I don’t love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire;
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom, and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I know no other way of loving

but this, in which there is no I or you;
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.

from “Letters to a Young Poet”
Rainer Maria Rilke
[Seth House]

For one human being to love another: this is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is only preparation…. At first, loving does not mean merging, surrendering, and uniting with another…. it is an inducement to the individual to ripen, to become something in himself, to become world, to become world for himself for another’s sake, it is a great, demanding claim upon him, something that chooses him and calls him to vast things.

Statement of Intent

Rev. Peter: Amanda and Geoff, you have made a very serious and important decision in choosing to marry each other today. You are entering into a sacred covenant as life partners.

As in tending the flowers in a garden, the quality of your marriage will reflect the effort you put into nurturing this relationship. You have the opportunity to go forward from this day to create a faithful, kind, and tender relationship.

Geoff, do you understand and accept this responsibility and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Geoff: Yes, I do.

Rev. Peter: Amanda, do you understand and accept this responsibility and do you promise to do your very best each day to create a loving, healthy, and happy marriage?

Amanda: Yes, I do.

Vows

Geoff: I, Geoff, choose you, Amanda, to be my wife.
>From this day forward,
I promise to love you,
to honor you,
to respect you,
and to support you,
as long as we both shall live.

Amanda: I, Amanda, choose you, Geoff, to be my husband.
>From this day forward,
I promise to love you,
to honor you,
to respect you,
and to support you,
as long as we both shall live.

Ring prelude [Rev. Peter]

These rings are circles, and circles are symbolic of the sun, the earth, and the universe.

As arms that embrace, these wedding rings you give and receive this day reflect the circle of shared love into which you enter as partners in life.

May you always be blessed, and may you abide in peace and love.

Ring Exchange

Geoff: Amanda, I give you this ring
as a symbol of my vow.
May it encircle your finger always,
as my love will your heart.

Amanda: Geoff, I give you this ring
as a symbol of my vow.
May it encircle your finger always,
as my love will your heart.

Final Blessing [Rev. Peter]

Amanda and Geoff, on behalf of your loved ones who are here with you today, I would like to mention some of the things that we wish for you.

First, we wish for you a love that is rich, deep, and powerful enough to inspire others and to support you both in bringing forth the best that is within you. May you lavishly love one another and love being loved by one another today, tomorrow, and always.

Second, we wish for you the kind of home that is a sanctuary for you both, a place of peace, freedom, vitality, growth, and humor. And in this home, we hope that you are blessed with a healthy and happy family.

Finally, we wish that at the end of your lives, you will be able to look back and smile upon the life that you have shared together, pleased, satisfied, and fulfilled beyond your wildest dreams.

And now, by virtue of the authority vested in me, it is my great pleasure to pronounce you husband and wife. Amanda and Geoff, you may now kiss as husband and wife for the first time. Congratulations!

[kiss]

[Recessional music begins: Sue Keasling, "Off She Goes"]

The Wedding Service for
Alexandra Weldon and Ralph Scott, Jr.
The Collier Athletic Club
November 18, 2000 6:30 PM

Prelude
Processional

Opening Words and the Words of the Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Welcome…. Tonight we have come together to be with Ralph and Alexandra as they begin their married lives. It is through our participation as witnesses that Alex and Ralph help us to renew our faith in the human capacity to love, to honor and to respect another human being- for this covenant is the essence of marriage.
The union between a husband and wife is a unity of heart, mind and body that was intended by God and is for their mutual inspiration and joy. It is a genuine quality of togetherness that gives support and comfort to one another and that can uphold their bonds and hold them close to one another through both prosperity and adversity- throughout all the situations and circumstances of human life.
Therefore, marriage is not intended to be entered into lightly, or without sufficient forethought, insight and wisdom…. It is intended to be established and upheld consciously and deliberately. The promise and vows of marriage depend on our reverence and our respect: Our reverence for God and what is holy, and our respect and caring for one another.
As a special part of this service, Ralph and Alex would first like to thank their family and their friends for traveling so far so that they could share in this happy occasion. Also, they would like to offer a special thanks to Alex’s parents who have been so gracious and so supportive, patient, and helpful in their efforts so that this day will be so memorable….

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Because a wedding service connects families and hearts in a timeless way, we also ask each person here pause for a moment in prayer to remember those who we wished could be here among us. We especially recall Scott, Alex’s brother, and Ralph and Rose, Ralph’s parents. We know that if they were with us now, they would approve of the love that we see, and the dedication and devotion that is present in the start of this new family….. AMEN
Words To The Couple:
Ralph and Alex, I believe that it was no accident that your souls have been drawn together for this lifelong sacred journey- that heartfelt pathway which is a living opportunity that your marriage can become. Marriage has within it, a special grace that can only be found in being with a loved one. This involves living each day hereafter as a joint expression of your minds, the ripening of your souls, and the deepening of your heart’s affections. Alex and Ralph, marriage is the companionship that is based on an abiding mutual trust, and it grows from an understanding of spirituality. May this companionship always serve to uplift and bless you, and be an inspiration for the children who will live with you.
The excitement of your future lives is nurtured by the mystery it holds;
And its beauty is fed by having someone to explore with and discover its answers. When you look into one another’s eyes, you see not only the love you have for one another, but you also see all your hopes and dreams for tomorrow, and the promise that you will learn to treasure every moment that you are together.

Selected Readings: ” On Loving” and “The Dance of Relationships”
As Rainer Maria Rilke put it in his Letters To A Young Poet:
“For one human being to love another, that perhaps is the hardest of all our tasks; its life’s ultimate test or proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation…. Love…. Is a high inducement to the individual to ripen, to become something in themselves, to become…. A world to him or herself, for another’s sake. Human love consists of this; that two solitude’s protect and touch and greet each other.”
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“The deep knowledge of another is not something that can be achieved in
a short time. Real understanding of the other feelings can develop fully only with years of intimacy. This wonderful knowledge of another person grows of really caring for the other, sharing not only joys and successes, but also the burden of sorrows and failures. To be known in this way is a priceless thing. While marriage is the intimate sharing of two lives, it can yet enhance the differences and individuality of each partner.
A good relationship has a pattern, like a dance, and is built on some of the same rules. The partners do not need to hold on tightly, because they move confidently in the same pattern, intricate but happy and swift and free.
To touch heavily would be to arrest the pattern, and freeze the movement;
to check the endlessly changing beauty of its unfolding. There is no place here for the clinging arm, and heavy hand; only the barest touch in passing. Now, arm in arm; now face to face; now, back to back, it does not matter which, because they know they are partners moving to the same rhythm, creating a pattern together, and being invisibly nourished by it.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh from Gifts from the Sea
Family Pledge
Before we get to the marriage vows, there is a need to establish the bonds of a new family by including each adult , and both of the children
in this new relationship. Jennifer, Scott’s daughter, and Taylor and Tory, Alex’s children will also be a part of a new family. From this day forward, there will be a bond created and shared….. I ask you now, “Will you support Alex and Ralph in their new life together? Will you love, cared for and respect each other as sisters and brother? Will you love, honor and care for each other as a new family?
” WE WILL”

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The Wedding Vows (Please turn, face one another and hold hands….)
Ralph and Alex, will you take one another as husband and wife? Will you love and respect one another? Will you trust one another, always? Will stand by one another and face whatever may come with strength, patience and love?
“WE WILL”

I, Alex, from this day forward, I choose you, Ralph, as my friend,
my confidant, my lover, to be my husband…. I give myself to you, the good with the bad, to build our lives together, and to share our future, whatever it may bring. I will cherish all the seasons of life that we will share together.
I vow to laugh with you in the good times, to grieve with you in sorrow, to share with you all that is the essence of me… And to help you to bring out the best in you through my encouragement, my understanding, trust, respect and above all else, my love.

I, Ralph, from this day forward, I choose you, Alex, as my friend,
my confidant, my lover, to be my wife…. I give myself to you, the good with the bad, to build our lives together, and to share our future, whatever it may bring.
I will cherish all the seasons of life that we will share together.
I vow to laugh with you in the good times, to grieve with you in sorrow, to share with you all that is the essence of me… And to help you to bring out the best in you through my encouragement, my understanding, trust, respect and above all else, my love.

The Exchange and Blessing of The Rings:
Q: What do you offer as your pledge of love and loyalty?
“THESE RINGS”
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A circle is the symbol fro the Sun, the Earth, and the universe. It is the image of wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever a symbol of your unbroken love. Love that is freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love that is freely given has no giver and has no receiver , for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken her tonight….
Alex: ” I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, knowing that love is precious and fragile, yet strong. I ask you to take this ring and wear it, so that all might know that you are touched by my love.”
Ralph: ” I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, knowing that love is precious and fragile, yet strong. I ask you to take this ring and wear it, so that all might know that you are touched by my love.” (+Blessing +)

Pronouncement:
Ralph and Alex have chosen to be married this evening in this simple setting made glorious by the presence of their family and friends. ….
They feel both the beauty of their love, and the warmth and support from each of you and are thankful. …
May Ralph and Alex’s marriage bring them peace and contentment. Security and serenity, growth and grace…. May their marriage be resilient and grow ever stronger throughout their years together, and may all who love them and live with them and share in friendship and feel mutually blessed….
Now, in the glad recognition of your desire to link your lives and hearts in true affection, I pronounce that you are husband and wife….
Ralph, you may kiss your bride!
Ladies and gentlemen… Ralph and Alex Scott! Congratulations!
A toast by Jim and Dave….

The Wedding Ceremony for
Erin Marie Shekan and Edmund Read
Charlestown Landing
May 25, 2008
The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Opening Words:

Good Evening, and welcome to all the family and friends of Erin Marie and Edmund who have come together from great distances to be with us here tonight…
Welcome to this celebration of love and romance. We meet here in the evening light and springtime warmth of this garden setting to witness a special event- a time when two souls will be joined as one- in the company of family, friends, in the presence of God, and in the loving regard and graces of those souls who cannot be with us.
The union of husband and wife is a unity of heart, of mind, and body, intended for their mutual inspiration and joy. It is a togetherness that gives support and comfort to one another in prosperity and adversity, in all situations and circumstances of human life. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into lightly, or without sufficient insight and wisdom, but it is to be established, and then upheld deliberately in an abiding respect for one another.

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Edmund and Erin thank all of you for coming here tonight to share in this union. The history you bring together for this couple, as their friends and family, defines much of who they are as individuals and what they can become as a couple.
They are grateful for the enduring values that have been bestowed and examples that have been given to them from those who have loved and nurtured them along life’s way. With and through these intimate associations of the past, they have been given a solid foundation for a lasting marriage.

Readings: #1
An excerpt from “The Master Speed” by Robert Frost
Two such as you with such a master speed
Cannot be parted, nor be swept away
>From one another, once you are agreed
That life is only life forevermore,
Together, wing to wing, and oar to oar.

#2
What greater thing is there for two human souls than to feel that they are joined together? Joined, but not restrained, in order to strengthen each other in all labor, to minister to each other in all sorrow, to share with each other in all gladness, to be one with each other in the creation of silent unspoken memories.
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Words to the couple:

Erin and Edmund, you have come a long way to reach this moment. You know one another well, that is why you are here among family and friends to celebrate your marriage.
Yet you still have a long way to go, and much to discover about each other, and the forces that bind you to one another, to your families and to your friends.

I repeat, the sacred bond of marriage is not to be entered into lightly, but I think you know this. A good marriage is a relationship of love. Essentially, to love is to have another’s best interests in one’s heart always and foremost. It is to live in the life of that person, feeling his or her joys and sorrows as if they were your own.

From this day forward, you must unite. You must love, trust, and support one another but at the same time, your love should give you the strength to stand apart, to seek out your unique destiny and to make your own special contribution to our world. When love is accompanied by deep intimacy, we give rise to the highest level of human experience. Yours becomes one life together.

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Marriage Vows:

Priest: “Do you take Edmund as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?” Bride: “I do”

Priest: “Do you take Erin as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?” Groom: “I do”

Ring Ceremony: May I have the rings….

May these rings be forever the symbol of your unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning, and has no end. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here.

Repeat after me:

(Edmund) Erin, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow – and with all that I am and all that I have – I honor you…

(Erin) Edmund, I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow – and with all that I am and that I have – I honor you…
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Pronouncement:

Erin and Edmund have chosen to be married here in God’s natural light and surroundings. As we breath this moment of happiness, let us appreciate the wonders of nature and of God.

Erin and Edmund, may your love grow always stronger, and may life together always bring peace and contentment.

You may now kiss the bride.

May I now present to you all, Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Read!

Congratulations! May you live with joy and go in peace!

The Blessing Ceremony for
Neil David Jenkins and Cynthia Ellen Tenhouse
Sullivan Island, SC
June 20, 2008

Opening: Solistice Poem by the Unitarian, e.e. cummings
i thank you god for most this amazing day:
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything which is natural,
which is infinite, which is yes
i who have died, am alive again today, and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth day of life and love, (now the ears of my ears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

Neil & Cynthia — many paths have led you to this destination, this place where you know you belong. Your journey has brought you here, to the beginning of the rest of your life together.
This public declaration of your love is neither an end, nor a beginning, but rather a momentary pause celebrating what has already occurred. It is a blessing upon the love, spirit, and commitment that already exists in your hearts, souls, and minds.

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Marriage symbolizes the giving of a gift to one another.
It is a gift of oneself as a companion for life; someone who will listen and not judge; someone who will offer support and unconditional love. It is the gift of someone who will share your dreams and disappointments, your achievements and defeats. Marriage is a growing together – it is the task of making a strong, secure couple out of the best that each person can be. Marriage combines the unifying forces and independent wills of two people who choose to live together, and then together, reach further into the future than either could attain separately.

Words of Appreciation
At this time, Neil and Cynthia wish to thank all of you for being here tonight to share in this special celebration with them. The history you bring together for them defines much of who they are as individuals and what they can become as a couple. You have helped them arrive here today as happy, healthy, and loving people, willing and ready to share their lives together. From you, they have learned love, and for this they are forever grateful.
With your blessing tonight, they feel complete.
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Words to the Couple
Neil and Cynthia, the spiritual capacity to grow closer together is before you tonight. One of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each other’s growth; growth in values, in character, and in service to one another and to our world. A vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person.

Cynthia and Neil, the excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and its beauty is in having someone with whom to explore and discover it.
When you look into each other’s eyes, may you not only see the love that you have for one another, but also all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow … and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.
By the mutual commitment to love each other, and to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration, and respect, each day will become a new discovery of love, of life, and of your future.

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Let both the independence and desire to love that brought each of you here remain an essential part of your marriage. In creating that faithfulness and fortitude, that interdependence that serves and preserves your marriage, you will learn many powerful things. Let the good times be joyous, and allow the difficult times to weave their meaning into your hearts. These lessons will add depth and breadth to your feelings for one another. These experiences will color your lives and texture your life. Together you will design a world of life and love.

Selected Reading: “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran
In your life together, be reminded of the words of Lebanese Christian poet, Kahlil Gibran and the importance of finding space in your togetherness.
You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together, even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of heavens dance between you.
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Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Exchange of Rings: (Peter invites parents Neil’s father, David Jenkins, & Cynthia’s mother, Helen Tenhouse to come up to present the rings.)
Blessing: Love is eternal, like the circle of a ring. The circle is the symbol for the Sun, the Earth, and the Universe. It has no beginning and no end. It is the image of wholeness, perfection, and peace. Love freely given has no giver and no receiver. May these rings be forever a symbol of the unbroken circle of your love.
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Lighting of the Chalice
Light represents life, spirit, and hope. This flame represents the life that has been passed to you. It symbolizes the spirit of your love for one another. It represents the bright hope of a shared tomorrow, and the spark of new beginnings. Neil and Cynthia, may the light of this chalice and all it represents, stay lit in your hearts forever.

Listen now to this prayer of togetherness:
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be a shelter to the other… Now you will feel no cold, for each shall be warmth to the other… Now there will be no loneliness, for each shall be companion to the other… Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you in the journey ahead and through all the years. May happiness be your companion and your days together be good and long upon the earth.

The Kiss- With a single kiss, you seal this bond. Congratulations! Live, love, and laugh with each other, and be at peace. Amen…So Be It!

The Wedding Service
For
Aryn Tristine Browne and Joseph Hathaway Morse
July 10, 2004
42 Sleepy Hollow Road
Essex, Vermont

Prelude
Processional

Opening words and the ceremony: The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

What greater joy is there for two human souls, than to feel they are joined together to strengthen one another in all their labors? Joined, but not constrained or confined; willing to minister to one another in all sorrow, sharing in all gladness, and desiring to be with one another, in the creation of countless, unspoken, intimate memories.

On this day of your marriage, you stand apart from all other human beings. You stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be. But love is not meant to be a possession of two people alone. Rather, it should serve as a source of common energy, in which you find strength to live your lives with courage. From this day onward, you must come closer together than ever before. You must love one another in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. But at the same time, your love should give you strength to continue your unique destinies, to make your special contribution to the world.
This celebration is but an outward sign of an inward union of heart, mind and spirit. This is a celebration of the joining of two souls already attuned to each other. When such a true bond already exists between a man and a woman, it is fitting that an outer acknowledgment be made. We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Music?
Words To The Couple:
It is our hope that your marriage will give you the strength and commitment to face all of life’s adversities. But equally important, let us hope that it will enhance your sensitivity to all that is wondrous and beautiful. Your home should be a place to share the joys of life. Your home should also be a place where the pain and tragedies of life can be overcome. We hope that you will find a deep sense of security; security which comes as each of you learns to understand, to accept, and to forgive the other person, and any differences and distances you might have between them, and then, as each of you learns to understand, to accept, and to forgive yourself, a true marriage can exist.
The German metaphysical poet, Rainer Marie Rilke has offered us many words in support of loving relationships. He has said that love is two solitudes protecting each other, and that we are to live in the questions of our lives with courage and with patience. He also stated this about the truth of relationships:
“Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest
human beings, infinite distances continue to exist, a wonderful side
by side can grow up,
If they succeed in loving the distance between them,
which then makes possible for each to see the other
as whole against the sky.”

As the Western Scriptures remind us, love is the most perfect gift; it is the sustaining grace and the strength behind all deep and meaningful relationships. We remember these words that describe love:
“Love is patient. Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude, never selfish, nor quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over others’ sins, but only delights in truth. There is nothing that love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, or its endurance. In a word, there are three things that will last forever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these things is love.” I Cor. 13
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Ben – Reading*

(We’re not 100% sure about the wording of the first sentence that follows, but we might just keep it as is:)

You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust as well. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities and to share love. ……

Music?

Wedding Vows (please turn, face one another, and hold hands…)

Joe, do you take Aryn to be your wedded wife; to live together in marriage, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always? “I DO”

Aryn, do you take Joe to be your wedded husband; to live together in marriage, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always? “I DO”

Exchanging Rings
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your love and care for one another?
May these rings be forever a sign of your unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken today.
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“Aryn, I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, absolute honesty, and complete devotion.”

“Joe, I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, absolute honesty, and complete devotion.”

Concluding Words and Pronouncement

Blessing Of The Apaches:
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years, may happiness be with you and your days together be good and long upon the earth.

Aryn and Joe have chosen to be married here today, in God’s natural light and surroundings. As we breathe in the moment of happiness, and the wonder of lasting peace, harmony, and true heartfelt contentment.

Now, in the glad recognition of two souls who have found each other, who are in love, and who have pledged their loyalty and affection to one another by the exchanging of rings, by the power invested in me by the state of Vermont, by the blessings and good wishes of all these witnesses, and by the eternal Spirit that lives in, with and among us all, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife!

Joe, you may kiss your bride! Congratulations, and go in peace! So BE IT!

The Marriage Service for
Salifou Ngouyamsa and Caroline Bishop
64227 64th Streeet, The Robinson’s in Edina, Minnesota
April 2, 2005 2:30 PM
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph,D,

Processional
Opening
Welcome, Friends, to the marriage of Caroline and Salif. This day is a special one for them. They conceived it from their own hearts. Their love, friendship and respect for each other has led them to publicly declare their commitment to this relationship in your presence.

Arabic Blessing
(Salif will chant one line at a time in Arabic, followed by Minister reading English translation)

1. In the name of God, The All Merciful, The Most Compassionatel;
2. Praise to God, Lord of the Universe
3. The all merciful, the most merciful;
4. Maker of decisions -You are the only one we worship
5. And the only one of whom we seek for help.
6. Guide us on the right path
7. The way of those for whom you have granted your grace,
and not the way of those who are lost.
Surat 1, Koran: Alfatia

The Creation of A Book of Wisdom
In African culture and European tradition, there has always been an abiding respect for elders, and an acknowledgement of their life-long wisdom. In honoring these traditions and these cultures, we are asking each of you to write down your wisdom, advice, insights and reflections on love, marriage and relationships to be used as a timeless guide for this couple. …. (Minister points to the book, and asks the guests to write in it during the wedding reception…..)
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Lighting of the Family Candles
(and Mention of Remembrance Flowers on piano)

Presentation of Gifts
In Bamoun tradition, marriage is not only the marriage of two individuals,
but also the marriage of two families. Salif and Caroline’s families have chosen to honor this tradition by exchanging gifts with each other’s families. These gifts represent the support each family gives to the marriage,
the integration of the two families and symbolizes the love they have for each other.
(Andre and Christine present gifts to each other.)
Words to the Couple:
Caroline and Salif, I believe that it was no accident that your two souls have been drawn together for this lifelong sacred journey. No minister, imam or public official can marry you. Only you can marry each other by your mutual trust and commitment to love one another your whole life long.

Love acknowledges the uniqueness of each partner, without comprising their individuality. It is our hope that your marriage will give you the strength and commitment to face all of life’s adversities. But equally important, let us hope that it will enhance your sensitivity to all that is wondrous and beautiful.
Your home should be a place to share the joys of life. Your home should also be a place where the pain and tragedies of life can be overcome.
It will be the place where you find your greatest solace and your deep peace.

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Selected Readings (Both read by Mackenzie)
Extract from: My Life is a Song Fancis Bebey (Cameroonian Poet)

My whole life is a song, sing to say how much I love you
My whole life is a song, I hum next to you.

This evening, it rained. The road is wet
But I want to stay with you, and take you to the country where I come from
Where my secret is hidden
And you, too, will be born of the love between the earth and the sun.

My whole life is a song, I sing to say how much I love you
My whole life is a song, I hum next to you.

Excerpt from: Where you Love From by Jalaluddin Rumi

In your light I learn how to love.
In your beauty, how to make poems
You dance inside my chest
Where no one sees you,
But sometimes I do,
And that sight becomes this art.

Vows
. Salif and Caroline, the vows you are about to exchange serve as a verbal and public representation of the love you have pledged to each other. For it is not the words which you speak today that will bond you together as one, but the words publically convey the inner and abiding sense of love and commitment each of you feel within your souls.
.
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Please turn, face one another, and hold hands ….
(Bride passes the flowers, best man readies the rings)

I, Caroline, take you, Salif, as my wedded husband and I promise to love, comfort and honor you in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy. As long as we both shall live, I will look to you above all others to guide the future we will share.

. I, Salif, take you, Caroline, as my wedded wife and I promise to love, comfort and honor you in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy. As long as we both shall live, I will look to you above all others to guide the future we will share.

The Ring Ceremony and Blessing
. What do you offer as a sign of your love and fidelity? “These Rings.”

. The ring is the symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end. May the rings you give and receive this day be the symbol of endless love, which you enter as husband and wife.

. Salif, please accept this ring as a sign of my love. With this ring, I join my life with yours.”
. Caroline, please accept this ring as a sign of my love. With this ring, I join my life with yours.”

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Lighting of the Unity Candle
Caroline and Salif, the two candles before you now burn as symbols of the love and warmth of your families and heritage. You never leave those families behind, but today you have vowed to begin a new family based on the love you share. Please take the candles of your separate families and use them now to light the candle which stands as a symbol of your shared future.

Sharing of the Hibiscus Tea –Hibiscus tea represents the love that flows between Caroline and Salif. It is a pure and natural expression of the purity and sweetness of their love for each other.

Pronouncement
Caroline and Salif, you have chosen each other in recognition of the marriage between you, accomplished in the uniting of your hearts in mutual love and affection. This is symbolized by the giving and receiving of vows and rings and in the eyes of God, family and friends we celebrate and affirm that you are now husband and wife.

Benediction
May the love that has brought you together continue to grow and enrich your lives. May it give you courage, wisdom and peace in your future years together.
The Kiss
“You may kiss each other.”

The Presentation
“Friends, I am delighted to present Caroline and Salif, who are now united as husband and wife. Congratulations!
Recessional

The Wedding Ceremony
for Denise S. Forman and Jeffrey Jay Neal
The Boulders Conference Center and Resort
October 11, 1997 5:00 PM

Processional:

Opening Words and the Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Welcome… Today we have come together to be with Denise and Jeff as they begin their married lives. It is through sharing in such a journey that we, too, can discover the very essence of the human capacity to love, honor, and respect another human being.
Denise and Jeff wish to thank all of you for coming here today, and for your willingness to share in this special celebration with them. The history you bring together for them, as friends and as members of their family, defines much of who they are as individuals, and what they can become as a couple. You have helped them to arrive here today as happy, healthy, and loving people; two individuals who are willing and ready to share their lives together.
The commitment of marriage sometimes demands going beyond the boundaries of the self alone; it means giving up one’s personal desires for the needs of the other or for the good of the relationship. Yet, there is the necessity of always maintaining a delicate but resilient balance… so that neither partner feels overpowered or absorbed by the other. Out of respect for both the value of the union and the value of the separateness, a mature love is born and will always be reborn.

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Words To The Couple:

Denise and Jeff, many paths have led you to this time, e and destination. It is the place where you know that you belong. Your journey has brought you here to the day that marks the beginning of the rest of your lives. Your dreams are something you have never compromised, and in your coming together, that has never been more true than here and now.
Let the desire to love and uphold peace rule in your hearts… Denise and Jeff, one of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each other’s growth; growth in values, character, and in service to one another and to our world. A vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and their fears diminish.
The excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and its beauty is in having someone with whom to explore and discover it. When you look into each other’s eyes, may you not only see the love you have for one another, but all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.
Only you can truly marry yourselves. By the mutual commitment to love each other and to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration and respect, and by your willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life , soon each day will become a new discovery of love, of life, and of your future.

Selected Readings: “Overcoming Evil With Love”
“Love, The Greatest Of Gifts”

Some of you might not know this, but there is a strange and wonderful connection between this particular day and the lives of Denise and Jeff… Unknown to them, they chose a day in the Hindu and Balinese culture that celebrates the overcoming of evil and the majesty of love. It is the festival of Dasshera; it is where the goddesses of Durga and Rama defeat all evil and doubt, and replace them with love and joy.
Since Denise and Jeff were in Indonesia when they decided on marriage and were taken by the rich spiritual traditions of Bali, this reading and this day hold a synergy and a special meaning for them:
“[All that is evil, Savitri, God, send away from us, and send us only that which is good! ... Under God, we think only of beautiful things, ... whose power lies in the truth.]” Rig Veda 5
“[Love is the firstborn, loftier than all other gods of humankind, and it is to you, O Love, that we pay homage... in many forms of goodness, O Love, you show your face. grant that these forms and manifestations penetrate our hearts, sending away all malice and grief. For greater than the breath of the earth, the heights of the heavens, the depths of the sea, are you, O Love]”
Atharva Veda 9:2. 19-25
I Corinthians 13 1-2; 4-7

If I speak with the eloquence of men and angels but have not love, I become no more than blaring brass or crashing cymbals. If I have the gift of foretelling the future, and hold in my mind all human knowledge and if I also have that absolute faith which can move mountains but have no love,
I amount to nothing…

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This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience– It looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive; it is neither anxious to impose,
nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. It is glad when the truth prevails.
Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no dashing of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.

Musical Selection: “A Wedding Song” by Ron Smith

Children’s Statement :
As you know, today begins a new family. It is a time when you accept Denise as a new and important person in your lives. It is a time when you pledge to treat her and your new family with respect, love, and unselfishness. I ask , can you now welcome Denise, and her marriage to your father, and be willing to be together as a family in love , trust, and cooperation? “WE WILL.”

The Statement of Intention And The Marriage Vows:
Denise and Jeff, please turn, face one another and hold hands … The hands you offer are extensions of yourselves, for they link your mutual love. Cherish this touch, for in doing so, you touch another’s heart and another’s life as well.
Be sensitive to its pulse, and seek always to understand its flow and respect its rhythm.

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Jeff: Will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to share your life with her, and do you pledge to love, honor and tenderly care for her, throughout the varying experiences of your lives? “I WILL.”

Denise: Will you have this man to be your wedded husband to share your life with him, and do you pledge to love, honor and tenderly care for him, throughout the varying experiences of your lives? “I WILL.”

You may now say your vows to each other… please repeat after me:

“I, Denise, pledge to you, Jeff, the rest of my life as your wife, your lover, and your friend. To laugh with you in joy; to grieve with you in sorrow; to grow with you in love. I offer you my love and my self.

“I, Jeff, pledge to you, Denise, the rest of my life as your husband, your lover, and your friend. To laugh with you in joy; to grieve with you in sorrow; to grow with you in love. I offer you my love and my self.

The Ring Blessing and The Exchange of Rings:
Q: What do you offer as a sign of your love and loyalty?
“These Rings”

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The circle is the symbol for the earth, the sun, and the universe. It is the image of wholeness perfection, and peace. may these rings be forever a symbol of your unbroken love. Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love freely given has no giver and has no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken her today.
(Please take these rings and repeat after me…)

“I, Jeff, offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love. Knowing that love is precious and fragile, yet strong. I ask that you take this ring and wear it, so that all may know that you are touched by my love.”

“I, Denise, offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love. Knowing that love is precious and fragile, yet strong. I ask that you take this ring and wear it, so that all may know that you are touched by my love.”

The Pronouncement and Blessing:
May these two people, now married, keep this covenant and become a blessing and a comfort to each other. May they share in each other’s joys, be consolers in each other’s sorrows, and helpers to each other throughout all the vissitudes of life. May they encourage each other to accomplish whatsoever they seek to achieve. May they, trusting in each other, also learn to trust life and not to be afraid. May they not only accept and give affection between them, but together have affection and consideration for others.

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We who are present, and those absent thinking of these two people share in the inspiration of this time and it will not be forgotten. may Denise and Jeff love each other forever!
Now, in the recognition of your desire to link your lives in mutual love and affection, I most happily pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!

Ladies and gentlemen… it is my privilege to introduce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Jay Neal… Congratulations and go in peace….

Recessional:

The Wedding Service for
Nathan Andrew Powers and Sukuma Ratna Buradagunta
Old Saybrook Point Inn and Spa
July 4th 2003 at 5:30pm

Opening Words and The Ceremony: The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Q: Who gives permission and their blessing to their daughter for this wedding
service? A: Her Mother and I Do.

We are gathered here this evening to celebrate the union of Nathan and Sukuma. Having decided to enter into a lifelong commitment, Nathan and Sukuma have invited you here to share in thejoy they feel; to share in their marriage ceremony, to share in the knowledgethat they have found a deep and enduring love. Let us celebrate their love and joy for it touches each of us here today.

Nathan and Sukuma would first like to acknowledge their parents, Gary and Susan, and Venugopal and Indira.You have given them the affection and the encouragement to arrive here today in peace, ready and willing to follow your loving examples. You have provided them with your caring support, everlasting guidance, constant strength, and your openhearted understanding. From you, they have learned how to love, and for this they will be forever grateful.

Sukuma and Nathan also wanted me to thank all of you for coming here today to share in their celebration. The history you bring to this moment, as their friends and family members, defines much of who they are as individuals and what they can becomeas a couple. You have helped them arrive here, today, as happy and healthy, loving people. Thank you.

Heritage Candles: Will the Mothers please come forward and light a candle to bind these two families together and commence the ceremony. …

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Readings: Ms.Keisha Gatison and Mr. Jamie VanKirk will now share some thouhts on loving and relationships…

KIESHA GATISON’S READING: For Sukuma & Nate

Hearing the melodic tunes of wisdom, that he plays with every string, She is so captivated by the sound that it moves her to sing. Her angelic voice and beauty have him positively memorized. Unknowingly, they embraced their future with one look into each other’s eyes. Their hearts play a song together to last the next three years.
Continuously playing through their happiness and joy, as well as their tears. Until engulfed by the love they feel, they know what they must do. So they leave behind their yesterdays and start their lives anew. ThankYou, Keisha

JAMIE VANKIRK”S READING: I Cor. Chapter 13 (NAB)

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated. It is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury. It does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.

It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Thank You, Jamie

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Words To The Couple:
Nathan and Sukuma, many paths have led you to this destination, this place where
You know you belong. Your journey has brought you here, to the beginning of the rest of your life. Let the desire to love and uphold peace rule in your hearts, for as the Psalmist puts it, ” It is out of the abundance of uour hearts that righteousness and peace , love and respect can flow… And as suprenal truth is universally one, we also can read read in the Hindu Vedas, ” I am He, You are She;
I am Song; You are Verse; I am Heaven; You are Earth. We shall here together dwell…
Enshrine me in your heart and let one spirit dwell within us….( Artharva 7; 14)
Nathan and Sukuma, one of the greatest blessings you can give one another is the willingness to support each other spiritual growth; growth in values, character, and in service to one another and our world. As a vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive; to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and fears diminish.
>From the essentials teachings of Jesus about the nature of God, we are given these words, ” We love, because God first loved us…” So When youlook into each other eyes, may you see not only your love for one another, but also all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.

Thali Ceremony:

Today, we are binding with love, not only two individuals, but two separate cultures.

Cultures that, on the surface, appear so vastly different, yet when examined and understood from the wisdom and truth each has and holds as Sacred Scripture and
guidance for compassionate relationships, we find many supportive and compliementary teachings and practices that uphold the sacred dimension that can be found through the commitment of marriage:

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In the tradition of Indian matrimony, Nathan will offer to Sukuma an Indian symbol of
love, the THALI. The THALI is a necklace that will forever hold the two lovers together
with three promises. Each promise will be represented by one knot made by Nathan to
secure its place above Sukumas heart.

1. We will let you know what these are

2.

3.

The Marriage Vows: We will let you know what these are

Sukuma: To Nathan Andrew Powers

On this day, before our loved ones, beneath our creator’s sky,
And by his majestic sea, I pledge to you my ever-lasting love.
Nathan, you are my blessing from God and a gift from the heavens
>From the moment we met the strength of your love has given me great joy and comfort
And has helped me to withstand times of great difficulty

I believe that you and I are standing here today because of our devotion to one another,
Our faith in each other’s love, Our incredible friendship, And by the grace of our almighty God, and those who love us

Throughout our life’s journey together, In times of happiness and sorrow,
As your wife, I promise you these things
I will always…be honest with you; I will always be faithful to you; I will always comfort you with my mind, body, and spirit. I will always be your strength when you are weak
I will always encourage you to achieve your dreams and realize your aspirations
I will always support your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
I will always believe in you; I will always defend your honour and respect you, as long as we both shall live….
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Nathan: To Sukuma Ratna Buradagunta,

On this glorious day,before our friends and family,beside this beautiful sea,
I pledge to you my ever-lasting love.

SueBee,

Your Spirit, Your Smile, Your Laughter, Your Love
Your Friendship, Your Faith, Your Goodness, Your Grace

All these things, And all that you are
Are the greatest gifts I shall ever receive…
I promise to cherish them with all my heart.

Throughout our life’s journey together, In times of happiness and sorrow,
As your Husband, I promise you these things

I will always :
Be honest with you, Be faithful to you, Comfort you with my mind, body, and spirit
Be your strength when you are weak. I will encourage you to achieve your dreams and realize your aspirations, support your physical, mental, and spiritual health,
Believe in you, Defend your honor and Respect you, as long as we both shall live.

The Ring Prayer:

MAY I HAVE THE RINGS-(BEST MAN BEN)

Love is eternal, like the circle of a ring. The circle is the symbol for the Sun, the Earth,
and the Universe. It is the image of wholeness, perfection, and peace. May these rings be forever a symbol of your unbroken love. Love freely given has no giver and no
receiver, for each is the giver, and each is the receiver. May these rings remind you
always of the vows you have taken today.

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Ring Vows:

Sukuma: With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love

Nathan: With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love

Lighting of The Unity Candle:

Your mothers began this service by lighting candles that represented the merging of two families, their lives, and their traditions. Now it is your turn to affirm and carry on this connection, this blending of families, as you start a new family of your own. By lighting this unity candle together, you symbolize that the bond of your families has been formed, and that in your heart, there is now only one life to share.

Pastoral Prayer/ClosingPrayer:
Let us pray. Heavenly Father,send your blessings upon this man and this woman, and bless the life that they will build. Keep them close, in mind and in heart. May their days together bring them lifes joys. May they grow together, helping one another to become all that each can be. May their marriage promote both security and serenity and may the spirit of your Life, Truth, and Love be always theirs.

Holy One, look graciously on them, and strengthen them sufficiently so that they might
keep the vows and covenant between them; may they love, honor,and cherish each
other always. May the home they build, be a haven of patience and a shelter of
faithfulness, through Christ Jesus, our Lord, AMEN.
May we recite together the universal prayer Jesus gave to all humanity:
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 s us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. And lead us not into
temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the glory, and the power
forever and ever. AMEN.
Pronouncement: In the glad recognition of your mutual desire to unite your hearts in love and affection, by the power invested in me, I most happily pronounce that you are now husband and wife. … You may now Kiss the BRIDE!. Congratulations! Peace! +

Wedding Ceremony for
Karen Kaye and Doug Burum
January 24, 2004
Martha-Mary Chapel, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn,
Sudbury, MA

Prelude (organ music)
Processional

Opening Statement and the Wedding Service
Welcome everyone! Doug and Karen come here today in our presence, to declare their love for each other and to be united in marriage.
In marriage, two people turn to each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a going forth, it is a bold step into a united future. It is a transformation from what we are to what we can become. Only in a giving of oneself and through the sharing with another, can the mysterious process of growth ever take place. Today, we have come to be with Karen and Doug as they celebrate the making of a very special union.
In this wedding ceremony, we have gathered to celebrate the love that is between them, for it touches each one of us today.

Words to the Couple:
Doug and Karen, the miracle of love is that love is given to us to give back to one another. Essentially, to love means to hold one another’s best interests first and foremost in your hearts. It is to live your lives together, feeling each other’s joys and sorrows as if they were your own. It is to give fully of oneself, allowing two to become one. Love is a nurturing force which allows each partner to grow into their fullest potential.

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The deep knowledge of one another is not something that can be achieved in a short time. Real understanding of each other’s feelings can only develop with years of intimacy. To be known in this way is a priceless thing. As marriage unfolds and blossoms, it becomes the intimate sharing of two lives, as it progresses towards its maturity, it also serves to reconcile the differences it finds while, at the same time, provides the support that enhances the individuality of each partner.

Heritage Candle Ceremony:
Doug and Karen would first like to acknowledge their parents, Peter and Barbara, and Dolores.
You have given them the affection and the encouragement to arrive here today in peace, ready and willing to follow your loving examples. You have provided them with your caring support, everlasting guidance, constant strength, and your openhearted understanding. From you, they have learned how to love, and for this they will be forever grateful.
Will the Mothers please come forward and each light a candle to represent their respective families and the individual lives of Doug and Karen.
(Light organ music as the mothers step up and light the candles)

Readings and Incense Lighting
In joining their lives together, Doug and Karen each bring to the marriage their devotion to their individual, spiritual traditions of Christian Science and Buddhism. Representing these two religious traditions, Doug and Karen have asked us to offer a few brief readings the two spiritual streams of thought. First will be from the Bible and from the Chapter entitled “Marriage” in the Christian Science Textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
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The Bible, Revised Standard Edition
(I John 4:7,8,12 If,16,18 (to )
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

Science and Health (S&H 66:14;60:6-8,16-18; 64:17 (only); 65:3)
Each successive stage of experience unfolds new views of divine goodness and love. The beautiful in character is also the good, welding indissolubly the links of affection. Marriage should signify a union of hearts.

May Christ, Truth, be present at every bridal altar to turn the water into wine and to give to human life an inspiration by which man’s spiritual and eternal existence may be discerned.
Buddhist Offering
Arranged on the alter are six offering bowls in the Buddhist tradition, each of which represents one of the “Paramitas” or virtues that are central to the Buddhist faith.
Karen will now light the candle on the alter and offer a stick of incense to signify her devotion to these virtues. They are, from left to right: Generosity (represented by food), Patience (represented by incense), Discipline (represented by saffron water), Joyful Exertion (represented by a flower), Meditation (represented by a candle), and Wisdom (represented by a bell).
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Karen’s aspiration as she makes this offering, is to follow the practice of bringing these 6 Paramitas into her everyday life and into her relationship and marriage to Doug.

Alison now reads this text as Karen lights a candle, then offers incense.
LIGHTING A CANDLE
Respectful of countless Buddhas, I calmly light this candle, Brightening the face of the earth. (Thich Nhat Hanh, “Present Moment, Wonderful Moment”, p. 23)

OFFERING INCENSE
In gratitude, I offer this incense to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting my careful efforts, my wholehearted awareness, and the fruit of understanding, slowly ripening.
May I be companions of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
May I awaken from forgetfulness and realize my true home.
(Thich Nhat Hanh, “Present Moment, Wonderful Moment”, p. 25)

THE FIVE AWARENESSES

This is the moment when [Doug and Karen] will make the vow to practice the Five Awarenesses together and thus become husband and wife. We understand that all life is one, and that happiness is not an individual matter. By living and practicing awareness, we bring peace and joy to our lives and the lives of those related to us.

Karen and Doug, please repeat the Five Awarenesses after me, and say “Yes, we do” firmly if you intend to make the vow to practice them. After each Awareness, when you hear the sound of the bell, please bow before the Three Jewels.
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THE FIRST AWARENESS
“We are aware that all generations of our ancestors and all future generations are present in us.”
This is the first of the Five Awarenesses. Do you make the vow to receive and practice it? Karen and Doug: Yes, we do.Æ [Bow] D

THE SECOND AWARENESS
“We are aware of the expectations that our ancestor and our descendants have of us.”
This is the second of the Five Awarenesses. Do you make the vow to receive and practice it? Doug and Karen: Yes, we do. Æ [Bow] D

THE THIRD AWARENESS
We are aware that our joy, peace, freedom and harmony are the joy, peace freedom and harmony of our ancestors and our descendants.
This is the third of the Five Awarenesses. Do you make the vow to receive and practice it? Doug and Karen: Yes, we do. Æ [Bow] D

THE FOURTH AWARENESS
We are aware that understanding is the foundation of love.
This is the fourth of the Five Awarenesses. Do you make the vow to receive and practice it? Doug and Karen: Yes, we do. Æ [Bow] D

THE FIFTH AWARENESS
We are aware that blaming and arguing can never help us and only create a wider gap between us; that only understanding, trust and love can make us change and grow.
This is the fifth of the Five Awarenesses. Do you make the vow to receive and practice it? Doug and Karen: Yes, we do. Æ [Bow] D

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Buddhist reading: ABIDING LOVE
True love contains respect. When you practice this, your love will last for a long time. True love also contains both romantic love, which is passionate, and abiding love, which is calmer, more understanding, more faithful. You are not as passionate, but your love is deeper and more solid. You are more willing to sacrifice to make the other person happy. Abiding love is the result of shared difficulties and joys over a long period of time.
You begin with romantic love, but, living with each other, you learn to deal with difficulties, and your love deepens. The passion diminishes, but abiding love increases all the time. You understand the other person better, and you feel a lot of gratitude: “Thank you for being my husband (my wife), for having chosen me as your companion to share your best qualities as well as your suffering. While I was having difficulties and remained awake deep into the night, you took care of me. You showed me that my well-being is your own well-being. You did the impossible to help me get well. I am deeply grateful.” When a couple stays together for a long time, it is because of abiding love. Abiding love is the kind of love we really need for our family and for our society. With abiding love, you are sure the other person will love you and take care of you “until your hair becomes white and your teeth fall out.” Abiding love is built by both of you in your daily life.
Adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh, Teachings on Love (Parallax Press, 1997), pp. 65-66, by Andrew JiYu Weiss.

MUSIC
(Solo by Bethany (“Brood O’er Us” by Mrs. Eddy)

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Introduction to the Vows:
As you know, no minister, priest, or rabbi can marry you… only you can truly marry yourselves. Only through a mutual commitment to love each other, to work toward creating an atmosphere of care, consideration and respect, and by your shared willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie much of human life, you will make your wedded life genuinely come alive.
The vows you are about to exchange will serve as a verbal and public representation of the love you feel and have already pledged to each other. For it is not the words you speak here today that will bind you together as one, but the inner sense of love and commitment to those words you have already spoken within your souls.

Intentions and Vows: (Minister asks Doug and Karen to face one another and hold hands…)
Doug and Karen, will you take one another as husband and wife? Will you love and respect each other? Will you be honest with each other, always? Will you stand by one another through whatever may come? Will you commit yourselves to growing together, and as a family, will you share your lives in a continual, caring relationship? “WE WILL”
Please repeat these words after me…
“I Doug, take you Karen, to be my wife. To love and to cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, in times of harmony and of challenge, to build one life together, to share our future… whatever it may bring. I will be there for you each day… To listen, to try to understand, to encourage and support you, to honor our family, to be a trusted confidante and companion. With loyalty and devotion, I pledge you my love.”

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“I Karen, take you Doug, to be my husband. To love and to cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, in times of harmony and of challenge, to build one life together, to share our future… whatever it may bring. I will be there for you each day… To listen, to try to understand, to encourage and support you, to honor our family, to be a trusted confidante and companion. With loyalty and devotion, I pledge you my love.”
Exchange of Rings:
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of these vows?
A: “THESE RINGS”

Love is eternal, like the circle of a ring. May these rings be a symbol of your love …

Karen: “With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love.”

Doug: “With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love.”

Candle Ceremony (The couple now goes to the unity candle …)
Doug and Karen will now light a candle that symbolizes a new life that is shared as one.

Closing Words:
To paraphrase St. Paul… “[This love of which we speak is slow to lose patience. It looks for a way to be constructive; it is not possessive. It is neither anxious to impose nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. It is glad when truth prevails. Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, non dashing of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands, when all else has fallen.]” May your love for each other always stand triumphant.
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Pronouncement: With the blessings of all the family and friends who are present, under the authority vested in me by the State of Massachusetts, I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I gladly present to you, Doug and Karen Burum…… Congratulations! Go In Peace!

Recessional (Organ Music) …. Soap bubbles**
**(Chapel contract allows for blowing soap bubbles instead of throwing rice. Bubbles may now fly through the air as Doug and Karen slowly walk down the aisle to greet guests. Some post-ceremony pictures OK at this point)

Wedding Ceremony for
Karen Kaye and Doug Burum
January 24, 2004
Martha-Mary Chapel, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn,
Sudbury, MA

Prelude (organ music)
Processional

Opening Statement and the Wedding Service
Welcome everyone! Doug and Karen come here today in our presence, to declare their love for each other and to be united in marriage.
In marriage, two people turn to each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. Marriage is a going forth, it is a bold step into a united future. It is a transformation from what we are to what we can become. Only in a giving of oneself and through the sharing with another, can the mysterious process of growth ever take place. Today, we have come to be with Karen and Doug as they celebrate the making of a very special union.
In this wedding ceremony, we have gathered to celebrate the love that is between them, for it touches each one of us today.

Words to the Couple:
Doug and Karen, the miracle of love is that love is given to us to give back to one another. Essentially, to love means to hold one another’s best interests first and foremost in your hearts. It is to live your lives together, feeling each other’s joys and sorrows as if they were your own. It is to give fully of oneself, allowing two to become one. Love is a nurturing force which allows each partner to grow into their fullest potential.

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The deep knowledge of one another is not something that can be achieved in a short time. Real understanding of each other’s feelings can only develop with years of intimacy. To be known in this way is a priceless thing. As marriage unfolds and blossoms, it becomes the intimate sharing of two lives, as it progresses towards its maturity, it also serves to reconcile the differences it finds while, at the same time, provides the support that enhances the individuality of each partner.

Heritage Candle Ceremony:
Doug and Karen would first like to acknowledge their parents, Peter and Barbara, and Dolores.
You have given them the affection and the encouragement to arrive here today in peace, ready and willing to follow your loving examples. You have provided them with your caring support, everlasting guidance, constant strength, and your openhearted understanding. From you, they have learned how to love, and for this they will be forever grateful.
Will the Mothers please come forward and each light a candle to represent their respective families and the individual lives of Doug and Karen.
(Light organ music as the mothers step up and light the candles)

Readings and Incense Lighting
In joining their lives together, Doug and Karen each bring to the marriage their devotion to their individual, spiritual traditions of Christian Science and Buddhism. Representing these two religious traditions, Doug will offer a few brief readings the two spiritual streams of thought. First will be from the Bible and from the Chapter entitled “Marriage” in the Christian Science Textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
3
The Bible, Revised Standard Edition
(I John 4:7,8,12 If,16,18 (to )
Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

Science and Health (S&H 66:14;60:6-8,16-18; 64:17 (only); 65:3)
Each successive stage of experience unfolds new views of divine goodness and love. The beautiful in character is also the good, welding indissolubly the links of affection. Marriage should signify a union of hearts.

May Christ, Truth, be present at every bridal altar to turn the water into wine and to give to human life an inspiration by which man’s spiritual and eternal existence may be discerned.
Buddhist Offering
Arranged on the alter are six offering bowls in the Buddhist tradition, each of which represents one of the “Paramitas” or virtues that are central to the Buddhist faith.
Karen will now light the candle on the alter and offer a stick of incense to signify her devotion to these virtues.
They are, from left to right: Generosity (represented by food), Patience (represented by incense), Discipline (represented by saffron water), Joyful Exertion (represented by a flower), Meditation (represented by a candle), and Wisdom (represented by a bell).
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Karen’s aspiration as she makes this offering, is to follow the practice of bringing these 6 Paramitas into her everyday life and into her relationship and marriage to Doug.

Alison now reads this text as Karen lights a candle, then offers incense.
LIGHTING A CANDLE
Respectful of countless Buddhas, I calmly light this candle, Brightening the face of the earth. (Thich Nhat Hanh, “Present Moment, Wonderful Moment”, p. 23)

OFFERING INCENSE
In gratitude, I offer this incense to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas throughout space and time. May it be fragrant as Earth herself, reflecting my careful efforts, my wholehearted awareness, and the fruit of understanding, slowly ripening.
May I be companions of Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
May I awaken from forgetfulness and realize my true home.
(Thich Nhat Hanh, “Present Moment, Wonderful Moment”, p. 25)

Buddhist reading: ABIDING LOVE
True love contains respect. When you practice this, your love will last for a long time. True love also contains both romantic love, which is passionate, and abiding love, which is calmer, more understanding, more faithful. You are not as passionate, but your love is deeper and more solid. You are more willing to sacrifice to make the other person happy. Abiding love is the result of shared difficulties and joys over a long period of time.

5
You begin with romantic love, but, living with each other, you learn to deal with difficulties, and your love deepens. The passion diminishes, but abiding love increases all the time. You understand the other person better, and you feel a lot of gratitude: “Thank you for being my husband (my wife), for having chosen me as your companion to share your best qualities as well as your suffering. While I was having difficulties and remained awake deep into the night, you took care of me. You showed me that my well-being is your own well-being. You did the impossible to help me get well. I am deeply grateful.” When a couple stays together for a long time, it is because of abiding love. Abiding love is the kind of love we really need for our family and for our society. With abiding love, you are sure the other person will love you and take care of you “until your hair becomes white and your teeth fall out.” Abiding love is built by both of you in your daily life.
Adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh, Teachings on Love (Parallax Press, 1997), pp. 65-66, by Andrew JiYu Weiss.

MUSIC
(Solo by Bethany (“Brood O’er Us” by Mrs. Eddy)

Introduction to the Vows:
As you know, no minister, priest, or rabbi can marry you… only you can truly marry yourselves. Only through a mutual commitment to love each other, to work toward creating an atmosphere of care, consideration and respect, and by your shared willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie much of human life, you will make your wedded life genuinely come alive.

6 The vows you are about to exchange will serve as a verbal and public representation of the love you feel and have already pledged to each other. For it is not the words you speak here today that will bind you together as one, but the inner sense of love and commitment to those words you have already spoken within your souls.

Intentions and Vows: (Minister asks Doug and Karen to face one another and hold hands…)
Doug and Karen, will you take one another as husband and wife? Will you love and respect each other? Will you be honest with each other, always? Will you stand by one another through whatever may come? Will you commit yourselves to growing together, and as a family, will you share your lives in a continual, caring relationship? “WE WILL”
Please repeat these words after me…
“I Doug, take you Karen, to be my wife. To love and to cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, in times of harmony and of challenge, to build one life together, to share our future… whatever it may bring. I will be there for you each day… To listen, to try to understand, to encourage and support you, to honor our family, to be a trusted confidante and companion. With loyalty and devotion, I pledge you my love.”

“I Karen, take you Doug, to be my husband. To love and to cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, in times of harmony and of challenge, to build one life together, to share our future… whatever it may bring. I will be there for you each day… To listen, to try to understand, to encourage and support you, to honor our family, to be a trusted confidante and companion. With loyalty and devotion, I pledge you my love.”
7 Exchange of Rings:
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of these vows?
A: “THESE RINGS”

Love is eternal, like the circle of a ring. May these rings be a symbol of your love …

Karen: “With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love.”

Doug: “With this ring, I thee wed, and pledge my faithful love.”

Candle Ceremony (The couple now goes to the unity candle …)
Doug and Karen will now light a candle that symbolizes a new life that is shared as one.

Closing Words:
To paraphrase St. Paul… “[This love of which we speak is slow to lose patience. It looks for a way to be constructive; it is not possessive. It is neither anxious to impose nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. It is glad when truth prevails. Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, non dashing of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands, when all else has fallen.]” May your love for each other always stand triumphant.

Pronouncement: With the blessings of all the family and friends who are present, under the authority vested in me by the State of Massachusetts, I now pronounce that you are husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I gladly present to you, Doug and Karen Burum…… Congratulations! Go In Peace!
Recessional (Organ Music) …. Soap bubbles**

The Wedding Service for
Rosemarie Drier and Michael Jackson
The Planter’s Inn, Charleston, SC
October 11, 2008 5:00 PM
The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.
Music
WORDS OF WELCOME
Welcome friends and family. Michael and Rosemarie have invited us here today to share in the celebration of their marriage – their wedding, They have come here today from varied life experiences to make public their commitment to each other and to combine their two separate lives into one. Let us join together with them on this happy day and let this be a day of gladness, thanksgiving, possibilities and great good fortune.
OPENING ADDRESS
What greater joy is there for two human souls than to feel they are joined together to strengthen one another always? Joined, but not constrained or confined; willing to minister to one another in all sorrow; nurturing each other, physically, emotionally, and spiritually; sharing in all gladness and desiring to be with one another in the creation of countless unspoken intimate memories.
In marriage, two persons turn to each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone Marriage is a going-forth, a bold step into the future, a journey together. It is risking what we are for the sake of what we can become. Only in giving of oneself and sharing with another can the mysterious process of growth take place. Only in loyalty and devotion bestowed upon another can that which is eternal in life emerge and be known. Two among us, who have previously stood apart, come together now to declare their love and be united in marriage.
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So welcome one and all! We are here to celebrate, to honor, to laugh, to dance, and to be glad because the miraculous has happened. Love is alive and Michael and Rosemarie are here as proof of it and we are here to share in their joy.,

WORDS TO THE COUPLE
No minister, priest, rabbi or public official can marry you. They can preside, officiate, but the true meaning of marriage is found in your love and loyalty.
Michael and Rosemarie, only you can marry each other by your mutual trust and commitment to love one another your whole life long. You will continue to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring and consideration, honor and respect. By your willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life, you make your wedded life come alive and stay alive.
On this day of your marriage, you stand apart from all other human beings, You stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be. But love is not meant to be the possession of just two people Rather it should serve as a source of common energy, as a form and as a structure that gives each person the strength to live their lives with courage.
From this day forward, you will become closer than ever before. But, at the same time, your love should seek out its own unique destinies and make your personal contributions to the world and family.
Marriage symbolizes the ultimate intimacy between a man and a woman yet such closeness must not diminish or lessen the individuality of either person, A lasting marriage is one that welcomes change and finds that it can adjust and has more room to grow.

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First Reading given by Cherie Ann Vallance Tucker The Art of Marriage
I want to share a few words for Michael and Rosemarie. Since I am new to this journey, they are especially meaningful to me. The words are from a poem called, “The Art of Marriage.” I think Michael and Rose have been doing exactly that, and are starting a new chapter in their wonderful relationship that I have seen grown over the last 6 years:
A good marriage must be created. (it doesn’t just happen)

In the art of marriage, it is the little things that are the big things

It means never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say, “I love you,” once every day

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is having a mutual sense of values and objectives;

It is standing together and facing the world

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family

It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget

It is find room for the things of the Spirit, and thanking God together for your blessings.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not in marrying the right partner; it is being the right partner.
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MINISTER- WORDS TO THE CONGREGATION
The most important line in the poem is the last.
It is not in marrying the right partner; it is being the right partner.
When we think of a good marriage, we naturally think of love. In fact, we are here today to publicly share your love for each other.
So let us focus on the meaning of love. In a Christ-like marriage, the kind of love we talk about and the model for love that we base all love on is the love that God has for each one of us.
For God’s love for us is a grace filled love; it loves each one of us no matter who we are and God’s love for us is a forgiving love, it forgives and keeps on loving us, no matter what we have done.
Each one of us wants to be loved like this. We want this kind of accepting, trusting forgiving love; not just from God but, from our partner. But, you will find, that in marriage, the way to get love is to give love. The
only way to get this kind of accepting, trusting forgiving love is to give this kind of accepting, trusting, forgiving love. This is the challenge and it can be attained by focusing on what you need and want from your partner; focus on what you can give your partner,
Hear again, that poignant quote:
A truly good marriage is based not on finding the right partner, but on being the right partner. Amen

The Wedding Service for
Norman Norem & Jennifer Fichter
Osprey Point, Kiawah Island SC
5:30 PM 6/13/09
Introduction: Good Evening, and Welcome!
This afternoon, we have gathered here to share in one of the most special occasions that any two people can have or experience: Their wedding service.
For Nathan and Jennifer, this time shared before their family and friends is truly a turning point: For it marks both an ending and a new beginning.

Prayer: Bradley Rogers

Affirmation of Families: Rev. Peter
Q: Will the parents of Nathan and Jennifer please step forward? As Nathan and Jennifer now join their lives in marriage, they also bring to you a new relationship, creating new bonds of trust, and new ties of caring and affection. Will you give them your blessing?
Will you give them your love and support? If you do, please express your consent by saying “WE WILL”

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Affirmation of friends and family:
Q: Friends, the Bride and groom have invited you here because you are important people in their lives… Your love and support for each of them , and for their relationship is valuable. Will you now, give and express your love, blessing and support to them? “WE WILL”

Reading: Chris Norem
An excerpt from “The Prophet” by Khalil Gilbran
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

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Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Reading: Robert Cuneo “Sonnets from the Portuguese, XIV” by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love’s sake only. Do not say
‘I love her for her smile– her look– her way
Of speaking gently,– for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and Certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day’–
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,– and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry,–
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love’s sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love’s eternity.
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Words To The Couple: Rev. Lanzillotta and Brad Rogers

The spiritual capacity to grow closer together is before you today. Honesty must precede all your endeavors, while embracing all the complexity of two human souls. Let the independence that brought each of you here and that will soon bring you together, remain an essential part of your marriage. In creating that faithfulness, and that fortitude that preserves and protects your marriage, you will learn many powerful things. These lessons will add depth and breath and height to your feelings for one another.
These experiences will fill the canvass of your lives, and give it both color and texture, which increases the value and the dimensions that are possible in your choice to be married. Together, you will design a world of life and love.
On this day, you will multiply your life by two. You will profess your love to each other before God, family and friends. I ask you to understand that this declaration of wedding vows serves you best as a goal and as an ideal; promised words and deeds that become a strong, reliable and trustworthy cornerstone that builds and supports your life together.

Words from Brad…
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The Wedding Vows:
Nathan and Jennifer, will please turn and face one another and hold hands… and please repeat your wedding vows after me…

Jennifer: I , Jennifer, take you, Nathan, to be my wedded husband: to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always. I promise you my absolute honesty, and complete devotion.

Nathan: I, Nathan, take you, Jennifer, to be my wedded wife: to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always. I promise you my absolute honesty, and complete devotion.

Exchange of the Rings:
What do you offer as a symbol of your love and loyalty? THESE RINGS”

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A circle is the symbol of the sun and the earth, and the universe… It is a sign of wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever the symbol of your unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love that is freely given has no giver and no receiver. For each is the giver, and each is the receiver.
May these things remind you always of the vows you have taken today.

With this ring, I pledge my faithful and everlasting love

With this ring, I pledge my faithful and everlasting love

Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer Brad

Brad’s Charge to the Couple

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Pronouncement: Rev. Lanzillotta

With Nature’s beauty as our backdrop, granting us its simple, yet supernal blessings, with wind and surf clapping hands, Let us wish that all that life brings to you, Jennifer and Nathan, will serve to strengthen the bonds you have declared here today. May the promises you have made never be broken, and may the peace and joy of your lives together always be preserved. Now in glad recognition of your promises to one another, attested by vows, and sealed with the two rings, by the privilege entrusted to me, by the state of So. Carolina and the grace of God, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife!

You may kiss the bride!

Family and Friends …
It is my distinct pleasure to introduce to you… for the first time as husband and wife, Nathan and Jennifer!

Congratulations … Make you always go in peace, and live your lives with joy

Reading: Chris Norem
An excerpt from “The Prophet” by Khalil Gilbran
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

Reading: Robert Cuneo
“Sonnets from the Portuguese, XIV”
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

If thou must love me, let it be for nought
Except for love’s sake only. Do not say
‘I love her for her smile– her look– her way
Of speaking gently,– for a trick of thought
That falls in well with mine, and Certes brought
A sense of pleasant ease on such a day’–
For these things in themselves, Beloved, may
Be changed, or change for thee,– and love, so wrought,
May be unwrought so. Neither love me for
Thine own dear pity’s wiping my cheeks dry,–
A creature might forget to weep, who bore
Thy comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
But love me for love’s sake, that evermore
Thou mayst love on, through love’s eternity.

The Wedding Ceremony
for
Rob Stowe and Lilli Jacob
Gardiner’s Resort and Tennis Club
Paradise Valley, Arizona
July 12, 1997

Opening Words and Opening Address:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Welcome… We are gathered here in the sight of God and these witnesses to unite Rob and Lili in holy matrimony.
As believers in Christ Jesus, they recognize that it was God who instituted marriage, and who said, “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helpmate suitable for him.”
(Genesis 3 NJV) The God who made and redeemed them also instituted this relationship they are about to enter.

Rob and Lili, the vows your are about to take are not to be taken without careful thought and prayer. For in them, you are committing yourselves exclusively to one another for as long as you both shall live. This love is your heartfelt declaration of depth and permanence. It is a love that is not to be diminished by difficult circumstances, and it is only to be dissolved by death.

Let me remind you, Rob and Lili, your home will never be what God intends for it to be if you leave him out of your relationship. As you are obedient to the Word of God, and as you allow God’s reality and grace God to control your relationship, your home will become that place of joy and testimony to the world that God has intended for you.

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The Wedding Vows
(please join right hands…)
I Rob, take you, Lili, to be my wife, before God who brought us together, through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, I promise to be faithful to you. I promise to love, guide, and protect you as Christ does his Church, as long as we are both alive. According to Ephesians 5, and with His enabling power, I promise to show you the same kind of love as Christ showed the Church when he died for it, and to love you as a part of myself because in His sight we shall be one.

I, Lili, take you Rob, to be my husband, before God who brought us together, through the pressures of the present and the uncertainties of the future, I promise to be faithful to you. I will love, serve, and obey you as long as we are both alive. Christ told us that the wife must submit herself unto her husband as unto the Lord. For as Christ is Head of His Church, so is the husband head of the wife. Rob, I submit myself to you.

The Exchange of Rings and Vows
As you exchange rings, let them be to each of you a constant reminder of these commitments you have made.
Clergy to Bride: Please repeat these words after me…

“I give you this ring, Rob, as a symbol of my love, and with it, I pledge my loyalty and devotion as long as we both shall live.”

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Clergy to Bride: Please repeat these words after me…

“I give you this ring, Lili, as a symbol of my love, and with it, I pledge my loyalty and devotion as long as we both shall live.”

Closing Words/ Benediction/Introduction

Let us gather, for a moment, to pray and to affirm this new marriage. Let us offer a blessing for it…
Most gracious and loving God, we give thanks for Your presence that will bless the new union of Rob and Lili. We ask that you bless them, uphold and uplift them, defending their union as they learn the lifelong process of honoring you and respecting and cherishing each other. Let Your grace
strengthen their love, and make be a protective “seal upon their hearts that no doubt, or fear can ever break.” (Song of Songs)
Bless them in their work for our world, and it their companionship; help them to appreciate and care for their families and to triumph over any of life’s challenges and pain.
We ask that they may always know and remember the privilege of being loved by you, by their families and friends, and by one another. AMEN.

May I now present to you, Mr. Rob and Mrs. Lili Stowe.
Congratulations…

The Wedding Service for
Karen E. N. Shaffer and Michael L. Norris
The Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship of Centre County
October 2, 1999 at 4:30 PM

Processional: Adiemus-Octavo

Opening Words and Welcome: The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.
To all the family and friends of Karen and Michael who have gathered here today, welcome… welcome to this celebration of love and romance. We meet today to witness a blessed event-
a time when two souls will be joined as one– in the company of family, friends and in the presence of God, and we trust, in the loving regard and graces of those souls who cannot be with us.
Marriage is a relational bridge between the past and the future. Crossing that interpersonal bridge requires leaving the behind what has been and opening up to receive what lies ahead. Michael and Karen were each venturing down a a path of individuality, without any thought to finding a lasting connection. But then the gracious intervention of entities and energies greater than any human being has allowed them to find
one another. Now, they have come to this day, to declare publicly what they have already decided in their hearts, for from this time onward, they will travel the same path of life together. Their decision to follow this common road has already had a profound effect on them, and on all those who closely surround them. This wedding is a public affirmation of the commitment that Karen and Michael have already made to one another.

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Chalice Lighting:
When we light our chalice for a wedding ceremony, we use its light to symbolize the bright hope of a shared tomorrow, and the spark of new beginnings. For Unitarian-Universalists, it is the light of the soul’s individual freedom, which includes the liberty to decide to live together in an intimate and lasting
way. It is for us, the flame of passion, the torch of commitment, and the light of love that blesses and uplifts all who desire to live a life of respect, caring and compassion.
By lighting the chalice together, Karen and Michael create a symbol of the faith- it is a physical representation of that greater Spirit that has brought them together and that will continue to influence and guide their lives. May the light of this chalice and all that it represents, stay lit in their hearts forever.
Acknowledgment:
Everyone present here today has had a meaningful influence on the lives of these two- whether it be by raising and nurturing them, growing up with them, encouraging and helping them to develop themselves and their professional skills, or by being a friend through both the good times and the bad, at work or at play. So it is especially meaningful that you are here today, witnessing our happiness and sharing in our joy.
Words To The Couple:
Karen and Michael… I ask you to remember that both of you are fragile in certain ways, strong in certain ways, gifted in certain ways, and for a relationship to last, it is vital that you become tender, compassionate, and peace loving in response to one another. Karen and Michael, I ask that you let the desire to love and uphold peace rule in your hearts when dealing with one another. I ask this because I believe that your spiritual and emotional compatibility is crucial to your success.

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One of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is your willingness to support each other’s spiritual growth- growth in values, character, and in service to one another, your family and our world. As a vital part of this commitment to caring is the willingness to forgive, to accept that each of you is an unfinished, ever-changing person whose ability to love grows only as ones ego and fears diminish.
I ask that you consider my words carefully and take them into each day of your lives. As I understand it, your tasks in marriage are to listen, to talk, and the grow…
To listen comes first, because what the other person has to say matters deeply… To talk, because through your willingness to express yourself, you also share yourself and offer all the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of who you are and how you feel toward one another … to grow, to grow in dignity, self worth, mutual respect, and in the qualities of patience and kindness. To grow that kind of love- that is your supreme goal. Marriage involves the kind of growth in love that can sustain itself and confirm itself each new day, and it will, as long as you remember to listen, talk, and grow in love for one another.

Musical Interlude: “Love Me Tender”

Statement of Intention:

Karen and Michael, please turn, face one another and hold hands…. The hands you offer are extensions of yourselves. They link your mutual love. Cherish its touch, for you touch another’s life and another’s heart. … Do you now freely enter into marriage, and do you declare that you both freely desire to become husband and wife?
“WE DO”

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Marriage Vows:

Now please repeat after me….

I, Karen, take you Michael, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better , for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live. I will honor and respect you, comfort and encourage you, always.

I, Michael, take you Karen, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better , for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live. I will honor and respect you, comfort and encourage you, always.

Exchange of Rings:

Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your eternal love and loyalty? “These Rings”

The circle is the symbol for wholeness and perfection. Love freely given is circular; it has no beginning and no end. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today. …

Q: Karen, will you take this ring and wear it as a symbol of Michael’s love and respect for you? ” I WILL”

Q: Michael, will you take this ring and wear it as a symbol of Karen’s love and respect for you? ” I WILL”

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Pronouncement and Blessing:

Karen and Michael, may all that life brings to you strengthen the bonds you have declared here today. May the promises you have made never be broken and the peace and joy of your home together always be preserved.
Now that you both have pledged your loyalty and love before God and their families and friends, by the privilege of law, and by the faith entrusted to me, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife.

You may kiss!

Benediction:

May God bless you and keep you. May God look upon you with kindness and mercy and give you peace. …
Family and friends… I now gladly present to you… Mr. and Mrs. Michael Norris
Congratulations… Go in peace…

Recessional: ” Spirit of Life”

The Wedding Ceremony
For James Butler and Stephanie Hess
932 109th Ave NW
Coon Rapids, MN
August 20, 2005 4:00 P.M.

Prelude: (Music-Grow Old With Me)

Opening words and the Marriage Ceremony
The Reverend. Peter Edward Lansillotta, Ph. D.

Welcome, Family & friends! We are gathered here today to share in this celebration of Jim & Stephanies marriage & the blending of their families.
Jim & Stephanie would like to thank all of you for your love, time and support in their decision to unite their families and their lives together, especially their children who stand with them today.
Reading 1 Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But, how can one keep warm alone? Tho one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
Reading 2 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no redcord of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects , it always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
(Music-I will be here)
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Intentions And Vows:
Jim to Stephanie:
Stephanie, we have known each other for only a short time, I feel like I have known you forever. You have taken my heart and caressed it with your love not only for me but for my children as well. I vow with all that I am to love you, suppport you, care for you and to walk with you where ever life may lead us.
To give all of myself to you to help you be the best you can be in this world.

Stephanie to Jim:
We have known each other a short time but I to feel we have known each other forever. You have taken my heart too & caressed it with your love not only for me but for my children as well. I vow with all that I am to love you, support you, care for you and to walk with you wherever life may lead us.
I give all of myself to you to help you be the best you can be in this world.

Exchange of Rings:
Jim to Stephanie:
This wedding band I give you has no beginning and no end, as it symbolizes my unending love for you forever & for always.

Stephanie to Jim:
This wedding band I give you has no beginning and no end, as it symbolizes my unending love for you forever & for always.

(Music-Wedding Song)
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(Family candle ceremony)
This wedding ceremony represents more than just the joining of Jim & Stephanie, we are also witnessing the blending of their families. I Invite Jim’s children and Stephanie’s children to join their parents at the Unity Candle.

Jim, Stephanie, Natasha, Natalie, Miranda, Mikhail and Caleb to symbolize your unity as a family, you will now join in lighting the family unity candle. This symbolizes the unity of family and how all of your lives will be richer because of your common bond of love. From this moment forward may the light of life shine bright for you all.

Pronouncement:
Jim and Stephanie have declared before us that they will live together in marriage. They have made special promises to each other and to their children. They have symbolized their union by taking vows and exchanging rings. Therefore, I now declare them to be husband and wife! …
Jim, you may kiss your bride!

I am honored to introduce for the first time, Mr & Mrs. James Butler.

Recessional:
(Music-From This Moment On)

The Wedding Service of Wendy D’Agostino and Greg Surber
The Unitarian Church in Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
April 25, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.
The Reverend Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Prelude/ Procession: Ave Maria

Procession: Cannon in D

Opening Words/ Giving Away of the Bride

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of G d to witness the joining of James Gregory Surber and Wendy Michelle D’Agostino in holy matrimony. G d established the covenant of marriage in Eden and Holy scripture commands it to be honored among all people. It is a union intended by G d for the mutual joy of husband and wife; to find in their relationship with each other a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. In joining together, they are risking what they are for what they can become through respect, commitment and a mutual love for each other and the Lord. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by G d.

Who presents Wendy in marriage to Greg?
– Her mother and I do.

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Reading

I now ask Jordan Karnes to come forward to share a reading from the Song of Solomon.

Song of Solomon: 2:10-13,16; 8:6-7
10 My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.

11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

16 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
he who rejoices among the lilies.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.
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Statement of Intention
And now I ask, Greg, do you take Wendy to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live? ” I Do. ”

Wendy, do you take Greg to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live? “I Do. ”

Vows
Greg and Wendy, please face each other, and joining hands, repeat after me:

I, James Gregory Surber, take you Wendy Michelle D’Agostino to be my wedded wife.
To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse,
for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish, until death do us part.

I, Wendy Michelle D’Agostino, take you James Gregory Surber to be my wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.
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Ring Blessing
What do you offer as a symbol of your vows? “These rings. ”

Lord, bless these rings so that they may forever serve to remind Greg and Wendy of this day and of the sacred vows which have bound them together in your presence. Amen.

Jewish Ring Ceremony
Wendy and Greg have decided to have two ring ceremonies to honor the individual faiths in which they were raised. They will now exchange their wedding bands for the first time, placing them on the index finger of each other’s right hand in accordance with the Jewish tradition.

Greg, please take Wendy’s right hand, and placing this ring on her index finger, say to her: With this ring be consecrated to me as my wife.

- With this ring be consecrated to me as my wife.

Wendy, please take Greg’s right hand, and placing this ring on his index finger, say to him: With this ring be consecrated to me as my husband.

- With this ring be consecrated to me as my husband.
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Traditional Ring Ceremony

In this second ring ceremony, Greg and Wendy will now move their wedding bands to their permanent home – the ring finger of each other’s left hand.

Greg, please remove Wendy’s wedding band from her index finger, and placing it on the ring finger of her left hand, say to her: With this ring, I thee wed. – With this ring, I thee wed.

Wendy, please remove Greg’s wedding band from his index finger, and placing it on the ring finger of his left hand, say to him: With this ring, I thee wed. – With this ring, I thee wed.

Prayer
Let us pray.

Lord, as Greg and Wendy begin on this journey together, help them to find in themselves the patience, faithfulness, wisdom and grace needed to make their marriage a successful and lifelong commitment. Guide them as they build a life together. In your service and in each other, may they find life’s deepest meaning and richest happiness. Bind their lives inextricably together in sanctity and unending devotion. Amen.

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Pronouncement
Greg and Wendy, in as much as you have each pledged to each other your lifelong commitment, respect, and devotion, by the authority vested in me, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

What G d has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Greg, you may now kiss your bride.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. James Gregory Surber.

The Wedding Service of Wendy D’Agostino and Greg Surber
The Unitarian Church in Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
April 25, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.
The Reverend Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Prelude/ Procession: Ave Maria
Entering in the following order –
Greg Surber and Reverend Peter Lanzillotta
Jim Reed
Mildred Surber escorted by Paul Bogese
Clara and Herman Diagostino
Anne Surber escorted by Geary Surber
Tammi and Aaron D’Agostino

Procession: Cannon in D
Entering in the following order –
Jennifer Tiarsmith and Wes Bell
Marissa Pizzini and Jeff Cronise
Ashley and Cary Taylor
Jessica Meuchel and Paul Bogese
Emily Lynn and Geary Surber
Wendy and Anthony D’Agostino

Opening Words/ Giving Away of the Bride

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of G d to witness the joining of James Gregory Surber and Wendy Michelle D’Agostino in holy matrimony. G d established the covenant of marriage in Eden and Holy scripture commands it to be honored among all people. It is a union intended by G d for the mutual joy of husband and wife; to find in their relationship with each other a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone. In joining together, they are risking what they are for what they can become through respect, commitment and a mutual love for each other and the Lord. Therefore, marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by G d.

Who presents Wendy in marriage to Greg?
– Her mother and I do.

Reading

I now ask Jordan Karnes to come forward to share a reading from the Song of Solomon.

Song of Solomon: 2:10-13,16; 8:6-7

10 My lover spoke and said to me,
“Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.

11 See! The winter is past;
the rains are over and gone.

12 Flowers appear on the earth;
the season of singing has come,
the cooing of doves
is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree forms its early fruit;
the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling;
my beautiful one, come with me.”

16 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;
he who rejoices among the lilies.

6 Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.

7 Many waters cannot quench love;
rivers cannot wash it away.

Statement of Intention
And now I ask, Greg, do you take Wendy to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?

- I do.

Wendy, do you take Greg to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort, honor, and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?

- I do.

Vows
Greg and Wendy, please face each other, and joining hands, repeat after me:

I, James Gregory Surber,
take you Wendy Michelle D’Agostino to be my wedded wife.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish, until death do us part.

I, Wendy Michelle D’Agostino,
take you James Gregory Surber to be my wedded husband.
To have and to hold from this day forward,
for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer,
in sickness and in health,
to love and to cherish, until death do us part.

Ring Blessing
What do you offer as a symbol of your vows?

- These rings.

Lord, bless these rings so that they may forever serve to remind Greg and Wendy of this day and of the sacred vows which have bound them together in your presence.

Amen.

Jewish Ring Ceremony
Wendy and Greg have decided to have two ring ceremonies to honor the individual faiths in which they were raised. They will now exchange their wedding bands for the first time, placing them on the index finger of each other’s right hand in accordance with the Jewish tradition.

Greg, please take Wendy’s right hand, and placing this ring on her index finger, say to her: With this ring be consecrated to me as my wife.

- With this ring be consecrated to me as my wife.

Wendy, please take Greg’s right hand, and placing this ring on his index finger, say to him: With this ring be consecrated to me as my husband.

- With this ring be consecrated to me as my husband.

Traditional Ring Ceremony

In this second ring ceremony, Greg and Wendy will now move their wedding bands to their permanent home – the ring finger of each other’s left hand.

Greg, please remove Wendy’s wedding band from her index finger, and placing it on the ring finger of her left hand, say to her: With this ring, I thee wed.

- With this ring, I thee wed.

Wendy, please remove Greg’s wedding band from his index finger, and placing it on the ring finger of his left hand, say to him: With this ring, I thee wed.

- With this ring, I thee wed.

Prayer
Let us pray.

Lord, as Greg and Wendy begin on this journey together, help them to find in themselves the patience, faithfulness, wisdom and grace needed to make their marriage a successful and lifelong commitment. Guide them as they build a life together. In your service and in each other, may they find life’s deepest meaning and richest happiness. Bind their lives inextricably together in sanctity and unending devotion.

Amen.

Pronouncement
Greg and Wendy, in as much as you have each pledged to each other your lifelong commitment, respect, and devotion, by the authority vested in me, I now declare you to be husband and wife.

What G d has joined together, let no man put asunder.

Greg, you may now kiss your bride.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. James Gregory Surber.

The Wedding Service
For
Andi Smith and Jim Ramser
Wild Dunes, Isle of Palms
October 12, 2007
The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Opening Words/Invocation

Beloved Creator, Essence of Love, and Source of Hope, Open our hearts, and fill us with Your Presence. You graciously give to us the longing for love and the capability of loving, and we give you thanks for Andi and Jim, for their beautiful hearts and willing spirits, and for the example of love that they embody here today.
Elevate us to an awareness of the Sacred and the Eternal, as we celebrate this miraculous moment in their lives. Be with them on this joyous occasion, of showing their love and making their vows; and be with us, their witnesses, that we might all be inspired by the blessings and vows being shared today. Amen

Welcome:
Good evening. It is truly a blessing from heaven for two people to find one another and to love so deeply that they embrace the holy bond of marriage. That is why we are all here today, to witness and celebrate Andi and Jim’s commitment to their union. On behalf of them, I welcome you all.

Foundation
Marriage is a supreme sharing, perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyful uniting of a man and a woman whose care and affection and understanding have flowered into a deep and abiding love. Those who take its sacred vows have their lives blended together into one, as the waters of two rivers are joined when they come together to form an even greater one.

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A true spiritual marriage is an act of metamorphosis, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one. It is not a giving up or loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself to something greatera transformation of self in which each one can say, “I am no longer only I but also we.” It is a process in which each can be challenged to discover new possibilities in themselves and each other.
In such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway into this mystery. For the lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are, in some sense, now truly completed and over. Together you now live within the creation of something wholly new and transcendent, something which has never existed beforeyour miraculous marriagean expression that is at once public and private, precious, sacred, and truly unique to the two of you. In this act, you open yourselves to a fuller experience and expression of the great, vast miracle of love.

No ceremony can create your marriage. Only you can do that through love, patience, dedication, perseverancethrough talking and listening and trying to understandthrough helping and supporting and believing in each otherthrough learning to forgive, learning to respect and appreciate your differences, and learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest.
What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.

The Questions
Andi and Jim, If you are ready to step into the holy circle of matrimony, assuming all its rights, obligations and abundant joys, please so indicate by joining hands.
Do you, Andi take this man, Jim as your husband, to love him and to honor him, to nurture, serve and support him, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by his side regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to forsake this love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part? If so, answer now, “I do.”(Bride answers, “I do”)
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Do you, Jim take this woman, Andi as your wife, to love her and to honor her, to nurture, serve and support her, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by her side regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to forsake this love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part? If so answer now, “I do.”(Groom answers, “I do”)

Ring Ceremony
And so we come Andi and Jim, to the presentation of rings by which you symbolize and bind your love.
The circle has long been a symbol of spirit and the power of God. The sky and the earth are round. The wind in its greatest power whirls. The sun and moon, both round, come forth and go down again in a circle. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were. Without beginning or end and with no point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of your endless love and unending faithfulness. Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human being to enhance who you are. Your rings carry a potent double message: We are individuals and yet we belong; we are not alone. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are but also the glorious union that you are now creating.
God, bless these rings and the two who exchange them. Fill them with your Holy
Presence. Keep them safe in the circle of Your protection and love.
Andi, place the ring on Jim’s finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always.”
Jim, place the ring on Andi’s finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always.”
Wear these rings as the enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill the circle of love that now makes you one.
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Vows
Please join hands, look into each other’s eyes, and repeat after me:

I, Jim, take thee, Andi, for my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.
I, Andi, take thee, Jim, for my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health as long as we both shall live.

Minister’s Blessing
Andi and Jim, you now have the opportunity for expressing through your union and partnership, God’s glory, love and healing. How could this be? Through devotion and service to each other. Through patience, kindness, total acceptance of each other, tempered by the willingness to change. You will be tempted, as time goes by, to take for granted the love which today seems so precious and dear, to speak to and treat each other in ways that do not reflect the highest good in both of you. Resist it. Promise to always see the goodness in your partner, even when it’s especially difficult. God will provide you the way, if you are willing. He is the key to your success as a married couple. Call on Him devotedly and consistently to guide your thinking and bless your home. May this marriage be to you a heavenly sanctuary. God bless you.

Pronouncement
Andi and Jim, in the presence of God, your family and friends today, you have spoken the words and performed the rites which unite your lives. It is my legal right as a minister and my greatest joy and privilege to declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.

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Benediction (The Irish Wedding Blessing)

May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,

May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.

Conclusion:
And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Ramser.

The Wedding Ceremony
for Amy Dixon and Tom Kessler
Dunes West Country Club,
October 3, 2008
Music

Prelude:
Winter,Vivaldi
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, Bach
Minnet, Mozart
Air on the G String, Bach
5th Symphony in C Minor, Beethoven
Arioso, Bach
Canon in D Major, Pachelbel
Prelude in C II, Bach

Family Processional:
Ava Maria, F. Schrubert
Bridesmaids Processional
Trumpet Voluntary
Bride Processional:
Con Te Partiro, David Chamberlin

Tom, Nelson and Rev. Peter are standing up there already.

Welcome & Ceremony: The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph. D.

Good evening! We gather here tonight to witness and celebrate an act of deep love. Amy and Tom, in their devotion, respect and love for each other wish to unite in the hold bond of marriage and to dedicate themselves to each other’s happiness and well-being as life mates and partners. On behalf of them, I welcome you all.

Q: “Who gives this woman to be the bride of this man? (Pop stands up and responds, “We do.” Or “Her Mother and I do” Sits back down.)

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Although this is their day, it is also a tribute to all of you. For knowing you and interacting with you has helped to make our Bride and Groom who they needed to be to find each other. They would like to thank you all for that. All of you are the threads of which are woven the tapestry of their lives. Each one of you is an important piece in the story it tells. It is the fabric that they wrap around themselves and take comfort in when the world seems cold. And on days like today when everything is right in their world, that tapestry is proudly spread out and displayed for everyone to see, with all the glorious colors and textures that your diversity adds. You all hold a place in their hearts reserved for those that they have chosen to call ‘Family’ and ‘Friends’ and they are deeply grateful for each and every on of you here today.

Foundation/Homily:
Marriage is a supreme sharing; perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure in the most intimate of human relationships. It is the joyful uniting of a man and a woman whose care and affection and understanding have flowered into a deep and abiding love. Those who take it sacred vows have their lives blended together into one, as the waters of two rivers are jointed when they come together to form an even greater one.
A true spiritual marriage is an act of metamorphosis, a profound mystery of creation and rebirth, as two become one. It is not a giving up or loss of oneself, but rather a giving over of oneself to something greater-a transformation of self in which each on can say, “I am no longer only I but also we.” It is a process in which each can be challenged to discover new possibilities in themselves and each other.
In such a marriage, the wedding ceremony is the gateway into this mystery. For the lives the two of you have lived up until this moment are, in some sense, now truly completed and over.

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Together, you now live within the creation of something wholly new and transcendent, something which has never existed before-your miraculous marriage-
Which is heartfelt expression that is at once public and private, precious, sacred, and truly unique to the two of you. In this act, you open yourselves to a fuller experience and expression of the great, vast miracle of love.
No ceremony can create your marriage. Only you can do that thought love, patience, dedication, perseverance-Through talking and listening and trying to understand-through helping and supporting and believing in each other –through learning to forgive, learning to respect and appreciate your differences, and learning to make the important things matter and to let go of the rest. What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.

Parental Honoring:
Amy and Tom want to acknowledge their parents on this occasion, Dan, Diane, Nelson and Peggy. Amy and Tom offer their profound gratitude to their parents for all the love and care they showed in raising them. The unconditional gifts of love and support that you have continually offered have inspired them to become who they are today, and they thank you, from the bottom of their hearts, for guiding them to this celebration of love here today. Without you, this day would not be possible.

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Readings/Poems/Prayer:

–Aunt Pam to give “On Friendship” by Roy Croft

I love you, not for what you are, but what I am, when I am with you.
I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but what you are making of me.
I love you for the part of me that you bring out.

I love you for putting your hand into my heaped up heart and passing over all the frivolous and weak things that you cannot help seeing there, and for drawing out into the light all the beautiful and radiant things that no one else has looked quite far enough to find…

I love you because you have done more than any creed could have done to make me good, and more than any fate could have done to make me happy.

You have done it without a touch, without a word, without a sign.
You have done it by being yourself.
Perhaps that is what being a friend means after all.

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–Christy York to give “The Art of Marriage”

The little things are the big things… It is never being too old to hold hands.
It is remembering to say “I love you” at least once a day.
It is never going to sleep angry.
It is at no time taking the other for granted; the courtship should not end with the honeymoon, it should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude of duty or sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstration gratitude in thoughtful ways.
It is not expectation the husband to wear a halo or the wife to have wings of an angel.
It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivation flexibility, patience, understanding and a sense of humor.
It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. Remembering that it is in giving to
each other that creates an atmosphere in which each can more easily grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.
It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
It is establishing a relationship in which the independence is equal, dependence is mutual and the obligation is reciprocal.
It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

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The Hands Ceremony:
Amy and Tom Please face each other and take each other’s hands, so that you may see the gift that they are to you.
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever. These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily comes your way.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly hold our children. These are the hands that will give you support and encouragement to chase down your dreams.
These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
These are the hands that lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into the eyes that are filled with overwhelming love for you.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.

Silent Blessing:
We now close our eyes and bring to mind any loved ones who could not be here today. Though they are absent physically, we invoke, through our thought and prayers, their loving presence. We pray that God might multiply beyond measure the blessings from these loved ones to this loving couple, and any children who might one day be part of this union. …

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Now, from our hearts, we ourselves visualize and sanctify all the blessings we would bestow on Amy and Tom in their lives as a couple and a family. And in our sincere desire to bless, we in turn, are blessed also. Blessed Be.

The Questions or The Statement of Intention:
Do you, Amy take this man, Tom as your husband, to love him and to honor him, to nurture, serve and support him in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do you promise to remain by his side regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation to forsake this love; do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your heart and soul to honor this vow till death do you part? If so, answer now, “I Do.” –Amy

Do you, Tom take this woman, Amy as your wife to love her and to honor her to nurture, serve and support her, in times of joy and in times of difficulty? Do your promise to remain by her side regardless of what trouble befalls you, and in the presence of temptation, to forsake this love, do you promise to remain steadfast and true? Do you promise with all your heart and should to honor this vow till death do you part? If so, answer now, “I Do.”—Tom

Vows:
>From this day forward, I choose you to be my beloved soul mate,
to live with you and laugh with you; to stand by your side and sleep in your arms; to be joy to your heart and food to your soul; to bring out the best in you always;
to be the best I can be, just for you;
to celebrate with you in the good times; to struggle with you in the bad;
to care for you with my entire being; to share with you everything that I have;
as we treat each other with tenderness, compassion and love now and forever.

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Ring Ceremony:

And so we come Amy and Tom, to the presentation of rings by which you symbolize and bind your love.
The circle has long been a symbol of sprit and the power of God. The sky and the earth are round. The wind in its greatest power whirls. The sun and moon, both round, come forth and go down again in a circle. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing and always come back again to where they were. Without beginning or end and with no point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of your endless love and unending faithfulness. Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your uniqueness your have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human being to enhance who you are. Your rings carry a potent double message: We are individuals and yet we belong; we are not along. As you war them through time, they will reflect no only who you are but also the glorious union that you are now creating.

God bless these rings and the two who exchange them. Fill them with your Holy Presence. Keep them safe in the circle of your protection and love.

Amy, place the ring on Tom’s finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always.
Tom, place this ring on Amy’s finger and repeat after me: “With this ring, I pledge my love and faithfulness to you, today, tomorrow and always.
Wear these rings as the enclosing bond of reverence and trust. Fulfill the circle of love that now makes you one.

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Pronouncement:

Forasmuch as you, Amy and you, Tom, have openly declared your wishes to be united in marriage, and in the presence of these witnesses have pledged love to each other, and have confirmed the same by joining hands, exchanging rings and declaring your vows, I as a minister and legally authorized to do pronounce that you are now husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!! (Smooch!)

Conclusion: And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Kessler!

Recessional:

“Wedding March,” by F. Mendelssohn starts and we walk down the isle followed by the bridal party, parents, grandparents and then family/friends.

The Wedding Ceremony
For
Alisha Drakulic and Joseph Aiken
May 17th 2009
Harbor Club, Patriot’s Point
Mount Pleasant, SC

Prelude
Processional
Presentation: Q: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
A: “Her mother and I do”

Opening Words/Welcoming The Guests
Good evening. It is truly a blessing from God for two people to find one another and to love so deeply that they embrace the holy bond of marriage. That is why we are all here today, to witness and celebrate Alisha and Joe’s commitment to each other. Although this is their day, it is also a tribute to all of you. For knowing you and interacting with you has helped to make our Bride and Groom who they needed to be to find each other. You all hold a special place in their hearts reserved for those that they have chosen to call “Family” and “Friends” and they are deeply grateful for each and every one of you here today. They would like to thank you all for that. On behalf of them, I welcome you.

Reflection on Marriage:
Marriage is a gift from God, a miracle. It is obvious that you already know some of the great blessings marriage has to offer. It is an opportunity to feel the joy of taking care of someone who takes care of you, to be challenged towards growth yet gently nurtured, to love deeply and receive it in return.
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It is about trust, friendship and having a partner to share all life has to offer. It is a commitment to participate in a process of mutual evolution, understanding and forgiveness. It is indeed a sacred union to be treated with reverence.

Alisha, Joe is a gift to you from God, but he is not a gift for you alone. It is God’s will that in your love, this man might find within himself a greater sense of who he is meant to be. You are asked to see the good in this man, to accept him for who he is and who he shall be. In this way, God’s purpose shall be accomplished in this relationship.

And so it is with you also Joe, that although Alisha is God’s gift to you, she is not a gift intended for you alone. You are asked by God to so love this woman, that in your love she might find herself as God has created her, so beautiful and strong and brave and true, that the entire world might be blessed by the presence of a woman who shines so. May she relax in your arms as she has never relaxed before. May she know, from now on, that she can depend on your love forever.

No ceremony can create your marriage. Only you can do that through love, patience, dedication, perseverance through talking and listening and trying to understand, helping and supporting, believing in each other, learning to forgive, learning to respect and to appreciate your differences, coming to the realization that only the important things matter and to be free to let go of the rest.
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What this ceremony can do is to witness and affirm publicly the choice you have made to begin a new life today as husband and wife.
As long as you two are drawn together by God, marriage will be a natural unfolding of that relationship.

Parental Honoring
Alisha and Joe want to acknowledge their parents on this occasion, Greg and Andrea and Marty and Sue. Alisha and Joe offer their profound gratitude to their parents for all the love and care they showed in raising them. The unconditional gifts of love and support that you have continually offered have inspired them to become who they are today, and they thank you, from the bottom of their hearts, for guiding them to this celebration of love here today. Without you, this day would not be possible.

Silent Blessing
We now close our eyes and bring to mind any loved ones who could not be here today. Though they are absent physically, we invoke, through our thought and prayers, their loving presence. We pray that God might multiply beyond measure the blessings from these loved ones to this loving couple, and any children who might one day be a part of this union. Now, from our hearts, we ourselves visualize and sanctify all the good we would bestow on Alisha and Joe in their lives as a couple and a family. And in our sincere desire to bless, we in turn, are blessed So It is. Blessed Be. AMEN
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Ring Ceremony
The circle has long been a symbol of the perfection and completeness of God. Without beginning or end and with no point of weakness, the circle is a reminder of the eternal quality of God and of unending strength. Let the seamless circle of these rings become the symbol of your endless love.
Your wedding rings are most special because they say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bonded, to allow the presence of another human being to enhance who you are. As you wear them through time, they will reflect not only who you are but also the glorious union that you are now creating. May God bless these rings and the two who exchange them. Fill them with your Holy presence. Keep them safe in the circle of Your protection and love.

Vows:
From this day forward, I choose you to be my soul mate,
to live with you and laugh with you,
to stand by your side and sleep in your arms,
to always kiss you goodnight, to be the best I can be, just for you,
to celebrate with you in good times,
to struggle with you in the bad,
to care for you with my entire being,
to share with you all that I have to give,
to be your best friend. I give you my heart,
May we feel this love forever.
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Minister’s Blessing
Alisha and Joe, promise to always see the goodness in each other. You will be tempted, as time goes by, to take for granted the love that which today seems so precious and dear; to speak to and treat each other in ways that do not reflect the highest good in both of you.
Resist it wholeheartedly! Always look to God for help and for God’ inspiration and grace to provide a way. Having an ongoing trialogue with the Spirit is the key to your success as a married couple. Call on the Divine consistently to guide you in your thoughts, and to bless your home. As long as you both have God in your hearts, you will always be protected. God Bless you.

Sand Ceremony
Joe and Alisha, today you join your separate lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives, separate families and separate sets of friends. They represent all that you are and all that you’ll ever be as an individual. They also represent your lives before today. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into the individual containers, so will your marriage be.”

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Pronouncement
Joe and Alisha, in the presence of God, your family and friends you have openly declared your love for each other. You have repeated vows, offered rings, and are now ready to begin your lives together.
Therefore, by the privilege entrusted to me, by the authority of the state of South Carolina, and by the grace of God, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife! Congratulations!
Joe, you may kiss your bride!

Benediction (from a Traditional Gaelic or Irish Blessing)

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.

May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons, at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you with the everlasting arms that have nurtured you the whole length of your joy-filled days.

Now it begins! Go in Peace, and Live with Joy!

The Wedding Service
For
Aryn Tristine Browne and Joseph Hathaway Morse
July 10, 2004
42 Sleepy Hollow Road
Essex, Vermont

Prelude
Processional

Opening words and the ceremony: The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

What greater joy is there for two human souls, than to feel they are joined together to strengthen one another in all their labors? Joined, but not constrained or confined; willing to minister to one another in all sorrow, sharing in all gladness, and desiring to be with one another, in the creation of countless, unspoken, intimate memories.

On this day of your marriage, you stand apart from all other human beings. You stand within the charmed circle of your love, and this is as it should be. But love is not meant to be a possession of two people alone. Rather, it should serve as a source of common energy, in which you find strength to live your lives with courage. From this day onward, you must come closer together than ever before. You must love one another in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. But at the same time, your love should give you strength to continue your unique destinies, to make your special contribution to the world.
This celebration is but an outward sign of an inward union of heart, mind and spirit. This is a celebration of the joining of two souls already attuned to each other. When such a true bond already exists between a man and a woman, it is fitting that an outer acknowledgment be made. We are here to bear witness to the entry into the closer relationship of husband and wife of these beloved friends who are already one in spirit.
Music?
Words To The Couple:
It is our hope that your marriage will give you the strength and commitment to face all of life’s adversities. But equally important, let us hope that it will enhance your sensitivity to all that is wondrous and beautiful. Your home should be a place to share the joys of life. Your home should also be a place where the pain and tragedies of life can be overcome. We hope that you will find a deep sense of security; security which comes as each of you learns to understand, to accept, and to forgive the other person, and any differences and distances you might have between them, and then, as each of you learns to understand, to accept, and to forgive yourself, a true marriage can exist.
The German metaphysical poet, Rainer Marie Rilke has offered us many words in support of loving relationships. He has said that love is two solitudes protecting each other, and that we are to live in the questions of our lives with courage and with patience. He also stated this about the truth of relationships:
“Once the realization is accepted that even between the closest
human beings, infinite distances continue to exist, a wonderful side
by side can grow up,
If they succeed in loving the distance between them,
which then makes possible for each to see the other
as whole against the sky.”

As the Western Scriptures remind us, love is the most perfect gift; it is the sustaining grace and the strength behind all deep and meaningful relationships. We remember these words that describe love:
“Love is patient. Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude, never selfish, nor quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over others’ sins, but only delights in truth. There is nothing that love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, or its endurance. In a word, there are three things that will last forever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these things is love.” I Cor. 13
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Ben – Reading*

(We’re not 100% sure about the wording of the first sentence that follows, but we might just keep it as is:)

You are now taking into your care and keeping the happiness of the one person in all the world whom you love best. You are adding to your life not only the affection of each other, but also the companionship and blessing of a deep trust as well. You are agreeing to share strength, responsibilities and to share love. ……

Music?

Wedding Vows (please turn, face one another, and hold hands…)

Joe, do you take Aryn to be your wedded wife; to live together in marriage, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always? “I DO”

Aryn, do you take Joe to be your wedded husband; to live together in marriage, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and respect always? “I DO”

Exchanging Rings
Q: What do you offer as a symbol of your love and care for one another?
May these rings be forever a sign of your unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver, for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken today.
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“Aryn, I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, absolute honesty, and complete devotion.”

“Joe, I offer you this ring as a sign of my enduring love, absolute honesty, and complete devotion.”

Concluding Words and Pronouncement

Blessing Of The Apaches:
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you. May beauty surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years, may happiness be with you and your days together be good and long upon the earth.

Aryn and Joe have chosen to be married here today, in God’s natural light and surroundings. As we breathe in the moment of happiness, and the wonder of lasting peace, harmony, and true heartfelt contentment.

Now, in the glad recognition of two souls who have found each other, who are in love, and who have pledged their loyalty and affection to one another by the exchanging of rings, by the power invested in me by the state of Vermont, by the blessings and good wishes of all these witnesses, and by the eternal Spirit that lives in, with and among us all, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife!

Joe, you may kiss your bride! Congratulations, and go in peace! So BE IT!

The Wedding Service for Kim Steere and Jeff Thompson
The Saybrook Point Inn
November 9, 2002 at 5:30 pm
Old Saybrook, Connecticut

A Call To Celebration
Opening Words and the Wedding Service
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

To all the family and friends of Kim and Jeff, and to all who have shared their lives with them, and to all who have traveled so far to be here today so that you might share in the happiness and joy of this occasion, welcome.

Candles of Heritage (Jeff and Kim’s parents come forward to light family candles)
Jeff and Kim will soon be pledging their love and support to each other in the joyful state of matrimony. Before they do, we would like to acknowledge their families, and the love and light that has been given to them….
Through a spiritual understanding of marriage, their combined destiny will become certain in a single moment- an instant that will shape the rest of their lives. It is, therefore, most fitting and appropriate that you all are here to witness and participate in the most important day of their lives.
Marriage is both a coming home and a going-forth, a bold step into the future. It is risking what we are for what we shall become. Matrimony symbolizes the ultimate intimacy between a man and a woman; yet the closeness should not diminish but reinforce the individuality of each partner. This ability to
love and respect one another, while still evolving and growing as individuals … therein lies the true strength and relisilency of a marriage.
Now, two among us who have stood apart, come together, in public and in our presence, to declare their love, and to be united in marriage.

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Selected Readings
1) Rose Ann Miller will read “The Master Speed” from Robert Frost)
No speed of wind or water rushing by
But you have speed far greater. You can climb Back up a stream of radiance to the sky,and back through history up the stream of time.
And you were given this swiftness, not for haste, nor chiefly that you may go where you will, but in the rush of everything to waste,
that you may have the power of standing still–
Off any still or moving thing you say. Two such as you with such a master speed cannot be parted nor be swept away from one another once you are agreed, that life is only life forevermore, together wing to wing and oar to oar.
2) Andrew Fleischmann will read the last stanza of T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets
We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate when the last of earth left to discover Is that which was the beginning; At the source of the longest river the voice of the hidden waterfall and the children in the apple-tree not known, because not looked for but heard, half-heard, in the stillness between two waves of the sea.
Quick now, here, now, always– A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything) And all shall be well and All manner of thing shall be well …. When the tongues of flame are in-folded into the crowned knot of fire, and the fire and the rose are one.

Words to the Couple:
Kim and Jeff, many paths have led you to this destination, this place where you know you belong. Your journey has brought you here, to the beginning of the rest of your life.
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You know that only you can marry yourselves. And you marry each other by a mutual commitment to love each other, by working together toward creating an atmosphere of care and consideration and respect, by a willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life. If you do this, then soon every day will become a new discovery of love, of life, and your future.
So I now ask that the desire to love and to uphold peace rule in your hearts, Jeff and Kim, for one of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each other¹s spiritual growth; growth in values, character, and in service to one another and to our world.
As a vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive, and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and fears diminish.
The excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and its beauty is is found in having someone to explore it with. When you look into each others eye, may you see not only your love for one another, but all glimpse your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.

Statement of Intention for Family and Friends:
Minister speaks to the guests
You who are the family and friends of Kim and Jeff, who have been invited here tonight, are an essential part of this ceremony and of the union of these two people. By your friendship and love, you are entrusted to support this relationship as it continues to thrive and grow. Will you agree to nurture this union, and will you do your best to keep it strong in the face of whatever may come? WE WILL.

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Statement of Intention:

Kim and Jeff, please join your right hands (Kim passes flowers)

The hand offered by each of you is an extension of yourself, it links your mutual love. Cherish its touch, for you have touched another¹s heart and another¹s life. Be sensitive to its pulse. Seek always to understand its flow and respect its rhythm.
Jeff and Kim, will you take one another as husband and wife? Will you love and respect one another? Will you trust one another and always be true? Will you stand by one another and face whatever may come with strength, patience, love, and compassion? “WE WILL.”

Wedding Vows (The Bride and Groom will now exchange their personally writtten vows…)
Now, please repeat your vows after me….

Kim: Jeff, I stand before you today With friends and family as my witness
To pledge my love for you through our union in marriage, To promise to share my life with you, to create a peaceful home to celebrate happiness, to share sorrow, and as this autumn day marks a change in seasons, I vow to help you change and grow throughout all the seasons of our lives, so we may grow stronger as one.
Now, as we join hands by these waters May we, too, move forward in harmony, and know each day as an eternal beginning And in our hearts make our home.

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Jeff: Kim, I stand before you today With friends and family as my witness
To pledge my love for you through our union in marriage, To promise to share my life with you,to create a peaceful home, to celebrate happiness, to share sorrow, and as this autumn day marks a change in seasons, I vow to help you change and grow throughout all the seasons of our lives, so we may grow stronger as one.
Now, as we join hands by these waters May we, too, move forward in harmony
And know each day as an eternal beginning And in our hearts make our home.

Q: What to you offer as a symbol of your love and loyalty? “THESE RINGS”

The Ring Blessing
The circle is the symbol of the sun, the earth, and the universe, of wholeness, perfection, and peace. May these rings be forever a sign of your unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end. Love freely given has no giver and has no receiver, for each is the giver and the receiver. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.

Kim, please repeat after me: Jeff, please repeat after me:
“With this ring, I thee wed” “With this ring, I thee wed”
Unity Candle (Bride and groom take the flame of their family candles and lit one candle together to symbolize the start of a new family….)

Guitar Solo

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Pronouncement and Blessing
In the glad recognition of your desire to unite your hearts in mutual love and affection, I most happily pronounce you husband and wife. May these two people, now married keep this covenant that they have made. May they be a blessing and a comfort to each other, sharers of each other¹s joys, consolers in each other¹s sorrows, helpers to each other in all the vicissitudes of life. May they encourage each other in whatever they set out to achieve. May they make each other laugh and share ideas with open minds. May they, trusting in each other, trust life and not be afraid. Yet may they not only accept and give affection between themselves, but together have affection and consideration for others.
We, who are present, and those who are absent, thinking of these two people, hope that the inspiration of this hour will not be forgotten.
May Kim and Jeff love one another forever.

Congratulations! You may kiss the bride!

The Wedding Service for
Diana Raymond and David Bell
4258 Lorraine Road Bonita Springs, Florida
December 30, 2000 5:15 PM

Prelude
Processional

Opening Words and the Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

Sometimes you have to go half way around the world to find someone you love. As we, who are gathered here, have come to celebrate such a journey of the heart, and the marriage of Diana and David, who by their love have proven that distance did not make such a difference that two souls who were truly mated would not have found a way to be together. On their behalf, I welcome all of you, and especially those who have traveled far to be with us this day. …

Statement of Betrothal:

Don: “I Do.”

Introduction to the Intentions for Marriage:

Marriage is not to be entered into lightly. It is a serious commitment, one in which you both freely and willingly give yourselves completely to one another. The wedding ceremony symbolizes life at a crossroads; where the experiences of the past meet with the promise of the future. It is a letting go, a releasing of the past and a receptive, opening to what is ahead, for marriage is risking who you are for what you can become together. It is when two people turn towards each other in search of a greater fulfillment than either can achieve alone.
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Today, through your wedding vows, you give each other a special security … You give yourselves as a companion for life, to be one whom you can trust; someone who will listen and not judge, who will respect and support you, while sharing your dreams and disappointments, your achievements and your defeats, and through the ideals of marriage, be for one another, that person who will help you to become the best that one can be….

Statement of Intention:

Minister: Is it your intention to have this life together?
Dave and Diana: IT IS.

Selected Reading/Reflection on Love:

Many have spoken about love, but few more meaningfully than Kalil Gibran in his book, The Prophet. Dave and Diana have asked me to share the following reading with you:
“And a woman spoke and said, ‘What of marriage?’ And he answered, saying,” You are born together and together you shall be forever. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love. Rather let it be like a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Sing and dance together, and be joyous, but let each other be alone, just as the strings of a lute are alone, even though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into another’s keeping, for only the hand of the life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together, for the pillars of the temple stand apart and to oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”

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Preface to The Wedding Vows:

Dave and Diana have chosen to be married here today, in God’s natural light and surroundings. As we breathe in this moment of happiness and the wonder of nature that attends this time, it is our hope that Dave and Diana’s marriage will bring them lasting peace, harmony, and a true, heartfelt happiness….

Dave and Diana, please turn, face one another and hold hands…
The hands you offer are extensions of yourselves; they link your mutual love; Cherish its touch, for you touch another’s heart and another’s life. Be sensitive to its pulse, and seek always to understand its flow and respect its rhythms.

Dave: Will you have this woman be your wedded wife?
Will you share your life with her, and do you promise that you will love, honor and care for here throughout your lives?
Will you be a good husband, loving and nurturing her spirit? And will you be at her wing as you both fly to meet the promise of tomorrow?
DAVE: “I WILL”

Diana, will you have this man to be your wedded husband?
To share your life with him, and do you promise that you will love, honor, and care for him throughout your lives?
Will you be a good wife, loving and nurturing his spirit?
And will you be his safe harbor, his constant and steady home, though the changing waves of life move all around him?

DIANA: “I WILL”

Now will you please repeat your vows after me…..

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The Exchange of Vows:

I, Diana, take you David, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish until death do us part.
I, David, take you Diana, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

The Exchange of Rings:

Q: What do you offer as your pledge of love and loyalty? “THESE RINGS”

A circle is the symbol for the Sun, the Earth, and the universe; of wholeness, perfection and peace. May these rings be forever the symbol of your unbroken love. Love freely given has no beginning and has no end. Love freely given has no giver and has no receiever for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings serve to remind you always of the vows you have spoken here today.
Diana: ” WITH THIS RING, I THEE WED, AND PLEDGE MY FAITHFUL LOVE.”
Dave: “WITH THIS RING, I THEE WED, AND PLEDGE MY FAITHFUL LOVE.”

Closing Prayer/Pronouncement:

Out of this tangled world, O God, two souls have found one another, and now, in being married, their lives shall henceforth be of one design. Let the days and the years deepen the joy of their union, and hold them even closer in love throughout their days.
Dave and Diana, in the recognition of your vows, and by the power invested in me, I gladly pronounce that you are now husband and wife….
Dave, you may kiss your bride…. Congratulations! Go in Peace!

The Marriage Ceremony for
Deanna Esposito and Christopher Gilbert
Pittsfield Country Club
Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Prelude: “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

Processional: “Here Comes The Bride”

OPENING REMARKS:

Today, we have come to be with Deanna & Christopher as they join in marriage and to celebrate with them, the making of a very special commitment. The essence of this commitment is the taking of another person as friend, companion, and lover.
Marriage is one of the most sacred obligations that any two people can share and be responsible for in their lifetime. Marriage offers the greatest challenges to overcome, but, in return, marriage gives us love, strength, and the support of one another.
A strong marriage is dependent on many factors. Beyond the love and respect a couple shares for one another, there must be a strong sense of loyalty that bonds them together. And above all, a true friendship, and a willingness to communicate with one another is essential to a successful marriage.
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WORDS TO THE COUPLE:
Deanna and Christopher I believe that it was no accident that your souls have been drawn together for this lifelong sacred journey. It is the place where you know that you belong. Your journey has brought you here to the day that marks the beginning of the rest of your lives. Your dreams of each others happiness are something you’ve never compromised. In your coming together, that has never been more true, than here and now.

Let the desire to love and uphold peace rule in your hearts…..
Deanna and Christopher, one of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each others growth; growth and values, character and in service to one another and to our world. A vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and their fears diminish.
The excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and it’s beauty is in having someone with whom to explore and discover it. When you look into each others eyes, may you not only see the love you have for one another, but all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and you may find something to treasure in every moment you are together.

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Only you can truly marry yourselves. By the mutual commitment to love each other and to work toward creating an atmosphere of caring, consideration and respect, and by your willingness to face the tensions and anxieties that underlie human life, soon each day will become a new discovery of love, of life, and your future.

A READING: for the Epistle to the Corinthians 1:13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, If I am without love, then I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I might have the gift of prophecy and know every hidden truth; I may have the faith strong enough to move mountains; but if I do not have love, I am nothing.
Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude, never selfish, nor quick to take offense.
There is nothing that love cannot face; there is no limit to it’s faith, it’s hope, and it’s endurance. Love will never come to an end.

(lighting of the unity candles by our Mothers)
Music

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STATEMENT OF INTENTIONS:
Deanna and Christopher, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? WE HAVE.
Will you love each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives? WE WILL.

CONSENT:
Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your hands and declare your consent before God and the people gathered here today before you.

THE WEDDING VOWS:
(the couple now turns and faces each other holding hands) Repeat after the Reverend:

“I take you, Christopher, to be my husband, to love and cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, the good, with the bad, to build our lives together, to share our future, whatever it may bring. I will open my heart to you always; to listen, to try to understand, to laugh and to enjoy, to be your best friend. With my whole heart and complete devotion, I pledge my love to you.”

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” I take you, Deanna, to be my wife, to love and cherish, to comfort and respect. I give myself to you, the good, with the bad, to build our lives together, to share our future, whatever it may bring. I will open my heart to you always; to listen, to try to understand, to laugh and to enjoy, to be your best friend. With my whole heart and complete devotion, I pledge my love to you.”
BLESSING AND EXCHANGING OF THE RINGS:
Lord, bless and consecrate Deanna and Christopher in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love.
Christopher: In the presence of the Lord and those before Deanna, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.
Deanna: In the presence of the Lord and those before Christopher, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.

(Bride and Groom light unity candle)
PRONOUNCEMENT:
With blessings of all the family and friends who present, and by the privilege entrusted to me by the Commonwealth and God, I most happily pronounce that you are now husband and wife.

The Wedding Service
For
MIKAL DALY AND BENJAMIN DAVIS
Dunes West Isle of Palms, SC
August 16th , 2008
The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta, Ph.D.
Prelude
Processional: Vivaldi “Spring”
Canon in D Pacebel

Q: Who gives this woman to be married to this man? “Her mother and I do.”

Opening Words & Welcome:
In marriage, two people turn to one another in search of a greater fulfillment than neither can achieve alone. It is through such dedication, that a lasting devotion allows love to grow and strengthen. It is our common wish, and it is our shared prayer, that Ben and Mikal will have such faith in one another, and the confidence in themselves to nurture consistently the new life they have chosen- as husband and wife.
Today, Mikal and Ben have stopped thinking of themselves as only individuals, and instead, have begun to think of themselves as something larger, something greater. But this day is not just for them, nor is just about them.Each of you, Ben and Mikal’s family, are an important part of their lives. They wish to acknowledge this reality, and to thank each of you wholeheartedly for all that you have given them over the years. They are deeply honored that you are here, and for how much you care about them, and for their happiness. Thank You!
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Both Mikal and Ben realize that a good marriage requires work and a lasting commitment from both partners. It requires compromise without surrender; it needs a dedication that doesn’t waver andit requires love that gives a more unconditional support. In short, it is placing the good of the relationship above all else. It is holding on to one another through thick and thin.

Irish Blessing- Colin Daly
Scriptural Reading:
Before we continue with the vows, I would like to take a moment to read a passage that Mikal and Ben chose as an expression of what love means to them. St. Paul said it best when he describes the qualities of love, and the gifts of love in these words:
” Love is patient. Love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, not conceited, nor rude; never selfish, nor quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over other ones sins, but only delights in the truth. There is nothing that love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope or its endurance… a few words there are three things that will last forever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these things is love.”

Wedding Vows:
Of the many ways each of you could choose to define yourselves, remember that your actions to and for one another will best define those qualities that are most successful in marriage. In loving, we touch the feelings and the values that are both the most human and the most holy.

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Ben, you have asked Mikal to be your wife.
Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to her as long as you both shall live? “I Do”
Mikal, you have accepted Ben to be your husband.
Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him as long as you both shall live? “I Do.”

Please repeat after me…
I, Benjamin, take you Mikal, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish so long as we both shall live…

I, Mikal, take you, Benjamin, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish so long as we both shall live…

Blessing and Exchange of Rings:
Q: What do you offer to one another as a sign of your enduring love and loyalty? “THESE RINGS”

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Lord, bless and consecrate Mikal and Benjamin in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love.

Benjamin : “In token and pledge of the vow made between us, with this ring, I thee wed; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Mikal : “In token and pledge of the vow made between us, with this ring, I thee wed; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Reception of Consent:
“You have declared your consent before the Lord and these people. May the Lord in His goodness, strengthen your consent and fill you both with His blessing. As it has been written in the book of Genesis: What God has joined together, no man put asunder.”

Now, by the power vested in me by the State of South Carolina, I pronounce that you are now you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride! Congratulations! Live with Joy, and Go In Peace

Recessional: All You Need Is Love

The Wedding Service
for
Laura Phibbs and Thomas Inman November 1, 1997
The Wrigley Mansion
Phoenix, Arizona 4:30 PM

I. Processional and Presentation

II. Opening Words and Ceremony:
The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

A wedding, is when two, inspired to be as one, gather together their friends and family, to publicly acknowledge and affirm the love they share. Thomas and Laura have invited you to be here with them today, in the presence of God, to see and to know the love they have for each other. To This Moment In Time,
they offer the fullness of their hearts as a treasure to share with one another.
To This Moment In Time they offer the dreams which continue to bind them together. And To This Moment In Time they offer that particular personality and spirit uniquely their own, from which their future will blossom together.
When a husband and wife are united in heart, in body and in mind, the most wonderful ingredients of life are added to them as intended by God.
A True marriage is the type of relationship which can only really be entered into with great reverence, and with a gratitude for all that has come before and for whatever will unfold. It has been said that no person should ever attend a wedding without giving thanks to God for the institution of marriage itself and so I I take this moment out now to invite each and every one of you to renew this ideal in your heart of what marriage means to you what vows mean to you,
so that you might more closely share in this marriage as you witness them being taken for the first time by Thomas and Laura.

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A Prayer for a Holy Occasion:

Let us now bring our hearts together, and come into a sense of being in the Oneness …
Let us allow God’s joy and peace to flow through our hearts as fully as it can flow, as it desires to flow. We are so grateful to be here to witness the celebration of the union of Thomas & Laura and we ask that the Light and grace of the Holy Spirit surround, fill, guide and protect them and be with each of us here this afternoon …. allowing only that which is of the Highest Good to come forward. With humility, we call ourselves forward into your presence now, as we are willing to be healed and made whole in our own conscienceness. Holy God, we ask you to bless Thomas and Laura; May your Love, your Light and your Wisdom be the guiding power through their lives as husband and wife. We ask this in and through the Power of the your Presence that dwells within and among us all.
And so it is, Amen.

Charge to the Bride and Groom

Thomas & Laura, your desire to marry is one of the greatest opportunities a person could ever consider, because it is an opportunity, a invitation from God to participate in the deepest and most intimate relationship on Earth.
This opportunity will allow you to attain and maintain such closeness as you make and keep this commitment in your heart and between yourselves.
As separate individuals who are choosing to be together, to give to each other freely and gladly for the sake of sustaining your love, you have made it know that you want to be united in true marriage. I ask you now that if either of you is aware of any reason why you should not join together and come into this marriage, that you declare it now. Pause.

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Declaration of Acceptance

Laura, we now stand in the presence of God , and these witnesses, and I ask that you declare your commitment now to true marriage with Thomas and do you choose him be your beloved partner and to love him always?
Do you give your self to him and receive the blessed gift of self which he offers you? Do you pledge your commitment to endure any challenges whatsoever that may arise for the sake of your beloved relationship? “I DO”

Thomas, in the presence of God and I ask you, do you declare your commitment now to true marriage with Laura and choose her to be your beloved partner and to love her always? Do you give your self to her and receive the blessed gift of self which she offers you? Do you pledge your commitment to endure any challenges whatsoever that may arise for the sake of your beloved relationship? “I DO”

Homily/Message

At a wedding such as this it is an opportunity to rejuvenate our own loving. When Thomas & Laura make their promises to each other, those of you who are married can remember how you felt On your own wedding day… You are invited to take the opportunity here with us to renew your vows and reaffirm the commitment involved. Those of us who are not married can contemplate what marriage really is, and pay tribute to the ingredients you deem necessary for a loving marriage. In the larger sense, when I have think about it we are all married because to be alive, or to live one’s life means that we are constantly in relationship: to others, our families, friends, our culture, nature, and to ourselves. Each is its own special, active and lifelong commitment. The very nature of love is such that it is not static. At any given point in time, Love can be present, growing, expanding, and deepening among us.

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Thomas & Laura, I feel that it has been no accident that your two souls have been drawn together for the opportunity to share your lives together. Marriage is the blessing of being together, of choosing loving and living each day to the breadth, and depth a heart can hold. The real and most sincere marriage is a remarkable way of discovering just how deep and how unconditional true love really is.
Thomas and Laura, marriage is a companionship of confidence. It is a companionship of respect and of deep trust and of spirituality that you have chosen to live with each other this day forward. may this always be a profound blessing and joyous blessing for you both..
Today, Thomas and Laura have stopped thinking of themselves as only individuals, and instead started thinking of themselves as part of something greater. They have grown to appreciate the nearness and intimacy that comes from being friends. but this day is not just about them, for it is also about each of you, their loved ones, their dear friends and family members. Thomas & Laura acknowledge and salute each and every one of you here for all that you have given of yourselves over the years. They are deeply honored that you are here and that you care the way you do. Thank You.

Exchange of Vows

Thomas and Laura, please turn, face one another and join hands Please repeat these words after me….:

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“From this day forward, I, Laura take you, Thomas, to be my lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health until death do us part.”
” From this day forward I, Thomas, take you, Laura, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health until death do us part.”

Ring Blessing and Ring Exchange
Do you have the rings?
Let us Pray… Holy God, The One Reality that all lives and all hearts share, we ask for a special blessing upon these rings; a blessing that uplifts and supports both the giver and the receiver; that they willl ever abide in Your good purposes, and be ever conscious of Your Love which mirrors and reflects their true selves, and all that they can share with each other. Amen
May these rings always be a reminder to you both, of this hope and this prayer; may you wear these rings as a symbol of these vows for the outside world to witness and to honor.
Brides Ring to Groom: Groom puts ring on bride’s finger and repeats these words: “WITH THIS RING, I THEE WED.”
Groom’s Ring to Bride: Bride puts ring on groom’s finger and repeats these words: WITH THIS RING ,I THEE WED.

Pronouncement
Thomas and Laura, in as much as I have witnessed your consent together in bonds of matrimony before God and each person present, by the authority vested m me through the State of Arizona, with honor and delight, now officially pronounce you HUSBAND and WIFE….
You may kiss the Bride! Introduction: Allow me to present to you, in great joy and happiness, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Inman…. Congratulations…. Go in peace…

The Wedding of Christina Martin and Benjamin Catt
The Unitarian Church in Charleston
March 24, 2007 at 5:00pm
Presiding Clergy: The Reverend Peter Edward Lanzillotta, Ph.D.

1. Processional (seating of the mothers & grandmothers): Air, from “Suite in D”-Johann Sebastian Bach

2. Processional of the Bridal party & Bride: Canon in D-Johann Sebastian Bach

3. Greeting/Opening Words: The Rev. Peter E. Lanzillotta

Welcome everyone… Today we come together to witness a precious union between two people. It is through such a union we can discover the very essence of the human capacity to love, honor, and respect another human being.
Christina and Benjamin would like to thank all of you for coming here today to share this celebration with them. They would also like to remember those who are no longer with them, but who reside in their hearts always. The history you bring together for them, as their friends and as members of their families, defines much of who they are as individuals, and what they can become as a couple. Each of you has unselfishly given of yourselves. You have helped them to arrive here today as happy, healthy, and loving people, willing and ready to share their lives together.
With and through these intimate associations of the past, they have been given a solid foundation for a lasting marriage. The love and friendship which has surrounded them has led them to this turning point – the ceremony of marriage, from which they will begin to create their united future.

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At this time, Christy and Ben would like to acknowledge their parents. You have given them the affection and encouragement to arrive here today in peace, ready to follow in your loving examples. You have provided them with your caring support, everlasting guidance, constant strength and openhearted understanding. From you, they have learned of love, and for this they are forever grateful.

Both sets of parents stand: (followed by lighting of the unity candle)
Minister: “Parents, are you willing, now and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding both Christina and Benjamin with your love and concern?”

Parents: “We are” (Mothers light the Unity Candle)

Minister: “Will Kimberly and Mary please come up and light the candles?” Thank you.

Words to the couple:
Christy and Ben, many paths have led you to this destination, this place where you know you belong. Your journey has brought you here, to the beginning of the rest of your life. Your dreams are something you’ve never compromised, and that has never been truer than now.
Let the desire to love and uphold peace rule in your hearts….Christy and Ben, one of the greatest blessings you can give to one another is the willingness to support each other’s spiritual growth; growth in values, character, and in service to one another and to our world. A vital part of this commitment is the willingness to forgive, and to accept that each of you is an unfinished, growing person whose love grows as their ego and fears diminish.
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Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction—together. Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become more involved with life if ways you dared not risk alone.
The excitement of the future lies in the mystery it holds, and its beauty is having something with whom to explore it. When you look into each other’s eyes, may you see not only your love for one another, but all your hopes and dreams of tomorrow, and may you find something to treasure in every moment you are together.

1st Reading:read by: Bernadette McCabe; Corinthians 13: 1,2; 4-7

“If I speak with the eloquence of men and angels but have not love, I become no more than a blaring brass or crashing cymbals. If I have the gift of foretelling the future, and hold in my mind all of human knowledge, and if I have that absolute faith which can move mountains, but have no love, I amount to nothing…
This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—It looks for a way to be constructive. It is not possessive; it is neither anxious to impose nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance. It is glad when truth prevails. Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no dashing of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that still stands when all else has fallen.”

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2nd Reading: read by Erin Donnelly; The Prophet, On Marriage

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when the wings of death scatter your days. Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it be rather a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other’s cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread, but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other’s keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together. For the pillars of the temple stand apart, and the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.

3rd Reading: a poem by Lori Rizzo; read by Lori Rizzo

TBD

Unison Prayer: The Lord’s Prayer

Musical piece to follow prayer: “Fire and Ice”, Ben Harper
Andy Snyder on guitar; Tom Hynes vocalist

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Statement of Intention:

“Christina and Benjamin, you have come together so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in His presence, In the presence of your families and in the presence of your friends. The Lord abundantly blesses this love. He now enriches you and strengthens you so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so in the presence of the Lord and the people gathered here before you, I ask you to state your intentions.”

Christina and Benjamin, have you come here freely and without reservation, to give yourselves to each other in marriage? We have
Will you love each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives? We will
Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the laws of God? We will

Wedding Vows:

(Benjamin to Repeat) I, Benjamin, take you Christina, to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”

(Christina to repeat) I, Christina, take you Benjamin, to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.”

Reception of Consent:

“You have declared your consent before the Lord and these people. May the Lord in His goodness, strengthen your consent and fill you both with His blessing. As it has been written in the book of Genesis: What God has joined together, no man put asunder.”

Blessing and Exchange of Rings

Pastor: Lord, bless and consecrate Christina and Benjamin in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love.

Benjamin: “In token and pledge of the vow made between us, with this ring, I thee wed; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Christina: “In token and pledge of the vow made between us, with this ring, I thee wed; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Unity Candle

“Earlier in the service, the mother’s lit candles that signify the tradition, heritage, and generations of the family that are being united at this wedding ceremony. Each marriage represents a blending and a unifying of families, and the light of these two candles represents the gifts and graces that these two families can now give and share with each other, and offer to the new generation to come. Now, Christina and Benjamin will light the candle of unity in marriage. This act symbolizes the spirit and the future of a new family that they begin here tonight.”
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Wedding Prayer/Blessing:

Holy Father, Christina and Benjamin have chosen each other and have promised each other their love and devotion and have symbolized this by exchanging rings. May all that life brings to them strengthen that bond they have declared this day. May all their loved ones, those present and those unable to be here, continue to rejoice in the love that has united them. May they be comfort and joy, counsel and strength to each other. May the home they build shed its peace on them and all who seek shelter with them. May the importance of being married inspire Christina and Benjamin with new energy and invigorate them throughout their lives. We ask this through our Lord. Amen

Pronouncement:

Benjamin and Christina, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.

Family and friends I present to you:

Mr. Benjamin & Mrs. Christina Catt

Recessional: 1.Wedding March from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
2. Trumpet Voluntary
3. Spring from “Seasons”