Here it is, for those of you who are interested.
We gather in the presence of God to give thanks for God’s blessings upon those who love,
to witness the joining together of This Woman and This Man,
to surround them with our love and prayers,
and to ask God’s blessing upon them,
that they may be strengthened for their life together,
and nurtured in their love for God.
God created us individuals, made in God’s own image, unique, amazing.
And God calls individuals into relationships of love, so that
they might comfort each other,
living faithfully together in plenty and in want,
in joy and in sorrow,
in sickness and in health,
throughout all their days.
God calls us into the fullest expression of human love.
In the relation called “marriage” two human beings commit themselves to one another,
and with affection and tenderness, they freely give themselves to one another.
God calls us into relationships that enrich all of society,
into families, where we learn the lessons of love for one another.
God calls us into the deep mystery of love:
into partnership by which we will participate in God’s plan for blessing, renewing and healing creation;
into joy, as Jesus blessed the wedding at Cana with goodness overflowing ;
into community, as the first followers of Jesus shared their lives together.
In marriage, God calls people into a new way of life, a way in which God’s abundant blessings are made available by acts of kindness, forgiveness, and even daring.
This way of life must not be entered into carelessly, or from selfish motives, but responsibly and prayerfully.
In witnessing this marriage, we ask that God affirm it, that our Lord Jesus Christ bless it, and that the Holy Spirit sustain it.
17 comments:
WOW! I wish you would have performed my marriage ceremony. of course it was 35 years ago and you were probably only 12.
This speaks to everyone. Thank you.
SET
gorgeous! what a good pastor you are. So glad they have you to do this!
Beautiful. Thanks.
This really is amazing. I think the couples reaction is interesting. There is this fear and assumption that those of us working in the church are not open to LGBT people. I know I had/have it. I think we would be amazed to find out how many people are dying to speak out and act out just like we are.
Just lovely, Cecilia. :-)
What a wonderful inclusive prayer. Thank you for sharing it, and thank you for your lovely Mawwiage reference. It made me smile, and remember my dear friends' wedding a few years back when the bride's mother did the homily, starting it with the line, "wuv... twue wuv..."
I rejoice in your gifts, poured out for many, and grieve that you may not yet share them openly.
Still prayin for ya.
Lovely. In the same vein, I don't remember where i saw this one (was it here)? but it also sums it up:
Apache Wedding Blessing - Marriage Prayer
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 for the other.
Now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two persons,
but there is only one life before you.
May your days together be good and long
upon the earth.
IT
I just found your blog. Thank you for writing.
Beautiful, C., thank you for posting. My couples will love it...
beautiful...wish you were around to perform our wedding. it's just like you were able to take our thoughts and put them on paper.
i dont really know where to begin, but i am so thankful that the Lord led me to your writing. i was thinking about creating a similar blog but i'm so glad you did! you and i are in similar situations. i'm in full-time ministry as a worship leader. i, too, am living an extremely closeted life. it's hard, but i move on in freedom, thanks to the peace Christ has given me. i hated gays for 20 years because that's what my denomination taught me to do. but then i started realizing i had same sex attractions and the battle waged from there. i tried to fight my desires for countless years through many tears, prayers, and even fasting. but nothing changed. i have been with several guys but never felt that was natural.
you dont have to post this if you dont want to, i would just like to talk to you as a resource. who knew someone else was going through what i'm going through?
God :) He's good like that!
Thanks, Cecelia, for posting this. You have done a great job of rewriting and you are doing a great job of pastoring and preaching - proclaiming the love of God and the Good News. Truly, you are a blessing for us all.
Cecelia, what you wrote is lovely -- thank you for it.
And IT -- I love the Apache Wedding Poem.
hey! It's me again, i think i said i was anonymous earlier. but now i've finally gotten into the blogging thing so here's the address should you ever want to read it. thanks again for inspiring me to get out what's in my head and heart!
http://hiddeninchristandfromothers.blogspot.com/
Oh this is gorgeous- amazing - filled with the love of God.
Thank you for sharing it.
yes, thank you!
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