THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE

at

University Lutheran Church
110 Garfield Ave.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin 54701
715‑834‑8026

A Lutheran Vision of Marriage

You have asked to celebrate your marriage at University Lutheran Church because you desire God's blessing. The Lutheran Church understands marriage to be an act of God's creation. Be believe and teach that whatever God creates, God intends to support and protect through blessing. Central to the Order of Marriage is the Nuptial Blessing.

These guidelines have been prepared to assist you in planning the Order of Marriage to reflect what the Lutheran Church teaches and what you hold to be true concerning God's gracious action at this time in your lives.

Important Dates and Times for Wedding Planning

Date of Wedding_______________________ Time of Wedding __________.

Date of Rehearsal______________________. Time of Rehearsal___________

Appointments with the Pastor:________________________________________

                                                    ________________________________________

                                                    ________________________________________

Appointments with Musicians:________________________________________

                                                    ________________________________________

Arrange Pre‑marriage Instruction through:

Lutheran Social Services
715‑834‑2046

Dates of Pre‑marriage Program _______________________________________

                                                     _______________________________________

The Wedding Party

Parent(s) of the Bride___________________________________________________________

Parent(s) of the Groom__________________________________________________________

Witnesses_________________________________________________(Maid/ Matron of Honor)

		     ____________________________________________________________(Best Man)

Attendant(s) __________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________
		
		___________________________________________________________________

Groomsmen___________________________________________________________________
	
		___________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

Ushers	___________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

Reader(s) _________________________________________________________(First Lesson)

	               _________________________________________________________(	Second Lesson)

Instrumentalist(s) ______________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

Vocalist(s) ____________________________________________________________________

		___________________________________________________________________

Other________________________________________________________________________

Assisting Clergy_______________________________________________________________

Church______________________________________________________________________
Address_____________________________________________________________________
Phone_______________________________________________________________________

Order for Marriage based on Lutheran Book of Worship 

Prelude (Usually 15 minutes of sacred instrumental and /or vocal music.)

Processional or Entrance Hymn____________________________________________________

Invocation

The Liturgy of the Word of God

Prayer of the Day

First Lesson___________________________________________________________________

Responsoral Psalm______ ________________________________________________________

Second Lesson__________________________________________________________________

The Holy Gospel________________________________________________________________

The Sermon

Hymn of the Day or Solo__________________________________________________________

The Liturgy for Marriage

The Address

The Exchange of Vows

The Blessing and Exchange of Rings

_____receive this ring as a sing of my love for you. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Declaration of Marriage

The Nuptial Blessing

The Lord God, who created our first parents and established them in marriage, establish and sustain you, that you may find delight in each other and grow in holy love until your life's end. Amen.

The Intercessions (The congregation responds 'hear our prayer." to each petition. Petitions from the congregation are welcome.)

The Exchange of Peace

Note: When Holy Communion is celebrated, the service continues with The Liturgy of the Eucharistic Meal.

When Holy Communion is not celebrated, the service continues with the Lord's Pray

The Benediction

The Recessional or Hymn

The Postlude (Music continues until guests have departed the sanctuary.)

Optional Biblical Lessons for the Order of Marriage

First Lesson (from the Old Testament)

Genesis 1:26‑28, 3 la (Male and female, God created them... Genesis 2:18‑24 (They will be two in one faith...) Genesis 24:48‑51,58‑67 (Isaacs love of Rebecca...) Song of Solomon 2:10‑13 (A lover summons his bride... Isaiah 63: 7‑9 (The steadfast love of God ... ) Jeremiah 31:31‑34 (The new covenant God makes...

Psalms

Psalm 33 (1 will bless the Lord at all times ... ) 
Psalm 100 (Make a joyful noise unto the Lord... 
Psalm 117 (The faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.. 
Psalm 128 (Blessed are those who fear the Lord... 
Psalm 136 (Give thanks for the Lord is good... 
Psalm 150 (Praise to the Lord ... )

Second Lesson (From the New Testament usually the Epistles)

Romans 8:31‑35,37‑39 (Who will separate us from Christ's love ... )
Romans 12:1‑2, 9‑13 (Offer your bodies to God as a living sacrifice
1 Corinthians 6:13‑15,17‑20 Your body is a temple of the Spirit...
1 Corinthians 13:1‑13 The greatest gift is love ... )
Ephesians 5:2a, 21‑33 (As Christ loved the Church...
Colossians 3:12‑17 (Above all, put on love ... )
1 Peter 3: 1‑9 (You should agree with one another ..
1 John 3:18‑24 (Our love is to be real and active ...
1 John 4: 7‑12 (God is love ... )

The Holy Gospel

Matthew 5: 1‑12 (The Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount)
Matthew 5:13‑16 (You are the light of the world ... ))
Matthew 7:21,24‑25 (The house build on a rock ...
Matthew 19: 3‑6 (What God joins together ... )
Matthew 22:35‑40 (The greatest and first commandment...
Mark 10: 6‑9 (No longer two but one ... )
John 2: 1‑ 11 (The Wedding at Cana)
John 15: 9‑12 (Remain in God's love ... )
John 15:12‑17 (Love one another ... )
John 17:20‑26 (That they be completely one...

Optional Vows for the Order of Marriage

Option One:

I take you_______ to be my wife /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.

Option Two:

I take you _______ to be my wife /husband. I promise before God and these witnesses to be your faithful husband/ wife, to share with you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, to forgive and strengthen you and join with you so that together we may serve God and others as long as we both shall live.

Option Three:

_________, I take you to be my husband / wife from this time onward, to join with you and share all that is to come, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all circumstances of our life together to be loyal to you with my whole life and with all my being until death parts us.

Option Four:

I take you__________ to be my husband/ wife, and these things I promise you: I will respect, trust, help and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; I will try with you to better understand ourselves, the world and God; through the best and worst of what is to come until death parts us.

Option Five (for parents to children in blended families)

I, _______promise to receive you into my life, my prayers and my care. I will love you and attempt to be an example of grace for you. I will support decisions made by your father / mother on your behalf and always encourage your growth and well being.

General Help and Guidelines

1. Weddings are usually on Saturdays at 9,11 a.m., I or 3 p.m. although we encourage couples to consider marriage during Sunday morning worship. A rehearsal of approximately 30 minutes is normally on Friday evening before the wedding. It is helpful to have all members of the wedding party present.

2. We prefer that you use musicians who are a part of University Lutheran Church. Sacred music should be the norm for weddings. Our musicians expect to spend time with couples selecting appropriate music.

3. We ask you to care for the church, leaving it as you found it. We discourage people coming to the church to dress because we have inadequate space. Please do not move furniture in the lounges or sanctuary.

4. No alcohol is permitted on the Ecumenical Religious Center premises.

5. Picture and video taking is permitted if natural light is used. Please instruct photographers to not disrupt the service.

6. We do not have adequate space or facilities for wedding receptions.

7. If you would like a visiting pastor to assist with the wedding, we will extend an invitation and help you with arrangements with that clergyperson.

8. A valid marriage license must be brought to the rehearsal. Witnesses must be at least 18 years old.

9. We will provide you with a copy of the wedding service suitable for printing in bulletin form. We also can provide you with a map to help guests locate the Ecumenical Religious Center.

10. We suggest that you contact the university to make sure that there are not special events scheduled at the same time as your wedding.

11. The university permits parking in the Hibbard, Fine Arts and Davies Center lots on the weekends after 5 on Fridays.

Fees

1. The Ecumenical Religious Center requires a $25 fee for custodians. Checks should be payable to: The Ecumenical Religious Center.

2. Musicians expect to receive $75 for their services according to the guidelines of the American Guild of Organists.

3. A fee of $100 is expected from couples who have no Lutheran affiliation or are not students attending the university or technical college.