A Service for Marriage
FIRST FORM
1 At the day and time appointed for solemnization of matrimony, the persons to be married come into the church with their friends and neighbours; and there standing together, the man on the right hand, and the woman on the left, the priest says
We have come together here in the sight of God, and in the presence of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; which is an honourable state of life, instituted from the beginning by God himself, signifying to us the spiritual union that is between Christ and his Church.
Christ adorned and beautified matrimony with his presence, and with the first sign by which he revealed his glory, at the marriage in Cana of Galilee; and holy scripture commands that all should hold it in honour.
It is therefore not to be entered upon unadvisedly, lightly, or merely to satisfy physical desires; but prayerfully, with careful thought, and with reverence for God, duly considering the purposes for which it was ordained.
It was ordained for the procreation of children and that they might be brought up in the nurture and instruction of the Lord, to the praise of his holy name.
It was ordained so that those to whom God has granted the gift of marriage might live a chaste and holy life, as befits members of Christ's body. And it was ordained for the mutual companionship, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.
Into this holy manner of life N and N come now to be joined. Therefore if anyone can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him speak now, or hereafter remain silent.
2 Speaking to the persons to be married, the priest says
I charge you both, as you will answer before God, who is the judge of all and from whom no secrets are hidden, that if either of you know any reason why you may not lawfully be joined together in matrimony, you now confess it. For be assured that those who marry otherwise than God's word allows are not joined together by God, neither is their matrimony lawful in his sight.
THE CONSENT
3 If no impediment be alleged, the priest says to the man
N, will you have N as your wife, to live together, as God has ordained,
in the holy state of matrimony?
Will you love her, cherish her,
honour and protect her,
in sickness and in health;
and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to her, as long as you both shall live?
The man answers
I will.
4 Then the priest says to the woman
N, will you have N as your husband,
to live together, as God has ordained,
in the holy state of matrimony?
Will you love him, obey him, honour and protect him,
in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others,
be faithful to him, as long as you both shall live?
The woman answers
I will.
5 If the bride is to be given away, the priest says
Who gives this woman to be married to this man?
And he receives her at her father's or friend's hands, taking her by the right hand.
THE BETROTHAL AND WEDDING
6 They give their troth to each other in this manner.
They face each other, and the minister causes the man with his right hand to take the woman by her right hand and to say
I N take you N to be my wife,
according to God's holy ordinance:
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 we are parted by death.
And to this I pledge you my word.
7 Then they loose their hands; and the woman, with her right hand taking the man by his right hand, says
I N take you N to be my husband,
according to God's holy ordinance:
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 obey,
until we are parted by death.
And to this I pledge you my word.
8 They again loose their hands, and the man gives the woman a ring, placing it on the book*. The priest takes it and gives it to the man to put it on the fourth finger of the woman's left hand. The man holds the ring there, and says
With this ring I wed you,
with my body I worship you;
with all that I am and all that I have I honour you:
in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
* At §8 while the ring is on the book the priest may say Lord, we pray that this ring may be to your servants a token of their solemn vows, and a pledge of pure and abiding love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
If the bride is to give the bridegroom a ring, she does so after §8.
9 They both kneel. The minister says
Let us pray.
Eternal God,
creator and preserver of all mankind,
giver of all spiritual grace and author of everlasting life:
send your blessing upon this man and this woman
whom we bless in your name;
that as Isaac and Rebecca lived faithfully together,
so N and N may surely perform and keep
the vow and covenant made between them,of which this ring given and received is a token and pledge,and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live according to your laws;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
10 Then the priest joins their right hands together and says
Those whom God has joined together let not man put asunder.
THE DECLARATION OF THE MARRIAGE
11 The priest addresses the people
N and N have now witnessed to their mutual consent before God and this company;
they have pledged their solemn word to each other; and they have confirmed it
by the giving and receiving of a ring
and by the joining of hands.
I therefore declare them to be husband and wife: in the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
And he adds this blessing
God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep you;the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you
and fill you with all spiritual blessing and grace,
that you may so live together in this life,
that in the world to come you may have life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS
12 One of the following psalms is said or sung.
The minister, followed by the man and the woman, may go to the Lord's table during the reading or singing of the psalm.
Psalm 128
1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord and walks in the confine of his ways.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labours:
happy shall you be and all shall go well with you.
3 Your wife within your house shall be as a fruitful vine;
4 Your children around your table like the fresh shoots of the olive.
5 Behold thus shall the man be blessed who lives in the fear of the Lord.
6 May the Lord so bless you from Zion that you see Jerusalem in prosperity all the days of your life.
7 May you see your children's children and in Israel let there be peace.
Glory to God: Father Son and Holy Spirit;
As in the beginning so now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 37:3-7
3 Trust in the Lord and do good and you shall dwell in the land and feed in safe pastures.
4 Let the Lord be your delight and he will grant you your heart's desire.
5 Commit your way to the Lord: trust him and he will act.
6 He will make your righteousness shine as clear as the light
and your innocence as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.
Glory to God: Father Son and Holy Spirit;
As in the beginning so now and for ever. Amen.
Psalm 67
1 Let God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,
2 That your ways may be known on earth, your liberating power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you O God, let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing:
for you judge the peoples with integrity and govern the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you O God, let all the peoples praise you.
6 Then the earth will yield its fruitfulness and God our God will I bless us.
t7 God shall bless us and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Glory to God: Father Son and Holy Spirit;
As in the beginning so now: and for ever. Amen.
13 One or more passages of scripture may be read (see Note 4) and a sermon declaring the duties of husband and wife may be preached here or later in the service.
If no sermon is preached, Ephesians 5:20-33 at least must be read.
Hear now the teaching of Saint Paul on the duties of husband and wife.
Always give thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit yourselves to one another, because of your reverence for Christ.
Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as to the Lord. For a husband has authority over his wife in the same way that Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is him¬self the Saviour of the church, his body. And so wives must submit themselves completely to their husbands, in the same way that the church submits itself to Christ.
Husbands, love your wives in the same way that Christ loved the church and gave his life for it. He did this to dedi¬cate the church to God, by his word, after making it clean by the washing in water, in order to present the church to himself, in all its beauty, pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle, or any other imperfection.
Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself. (No one ever hates his own flesh. Instead, he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ does the church; for we are members of his body.) As the scripture says, Tor this reason, a man will leave his father and mother, and unite with his wife, and the two will become one.' There is a great truth revealed in this scrip¬ture, and I understand it applies to Christ and the church. But it also applies to you: every husband must love his wife as himself, and every wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:20-33 (TEV)
14 Then, the people kneeling, and the man and the woman kneeling before the Lord's Table, the priest stands at the Table and, turning towards them says
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Lord, save your servants,
who put their trust in you.
Lord, send them help from your holy place,
and evermore defend them.
Be to them a tower of strength,
against every enemy.
Father, hear our prayer,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
A prayer for the blessing of eternal life
God of Abraham,
God of Isaac,
God of Jacob,
bless these your servants
and sow the seed of eternal life in their hearts,
that whatever they learn in your holy word
they may indeed fulfil.
Look in love upon them, Father,
and bless them with the blessing you sent on Abraham and Sarah
that, obeying your will and secure in your protection, they may abide in your love to their lives' end;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A prayer for the blessing of children
We praise you, Father,
for creating us in your own image
and for your gracious gift whereby mankind is increased; give to N and N the blessing of children,
and grant them the wisdom and grace to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,
to your praise and honour;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
A prayer for the blessing of mutual love and faithfulness
Almighty God,
who by joining man and woman together
taught us from the beginning
that we should not separate what you have joined as one; we praise you that you have consecrated the state of matrimony to such an excellent purpose
that in it is signified the spiritual marriage and unity between Christ and his Church.
Look mercifully on these your servants,
that this man may love his wife, according to your word, as Christ loved his bride the Church,
and gave himself for it,
cherishing it as himself;
and also that this woman may be loving and generous, responsive and faithful to her husband.
O Lord, bless them both,
and grant them to inherit your everlasting kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
or
Lord God,
you have consecrated marriage
to be a sign of the spiritual unity between Christ and his Church;
bless these your servants
that they may love, honour, and cherish each other in faithfulness, patience, wisdom, and true godliness; may their home be a place of love and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
15 Then the priest says
Almighty God,
who created our first parents
and sanctified and joined them together in marriage, pour upon you the riches of his love,
sanctify and bless you,
that you may please him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love to your lives' end. Amen.
Or
God the Father enrich you with his grace, God the Son make you holy in his love,
God the Holy Spirit strengthen you with his joy. The Lord bless you and keep you in eternal life. Amen.
16 If there is no Communion, the minister concludes
And the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen.
NOTES
1 It is fitting that the newly-married persons should receive the holy communion at the time of their marriage or at the first opportunity after their marriage.
2 If the Holy Communion is celebrated at the time of the marriage, the priest may incorporate the Marriage service as is most appropriate in the circumstances.
The Psalm (§12), readings (§13), and the Lord's Prayer (from §14) may be omitted from the Marriage service;
the Prayers (§§14-15) may replace the Intercession in the Communion service; the Marriage service may begin after the Gospel and Sermon of the Communion service, and the Communion service resume at the Preparation for the Lord's Supper; or the Communion service may begin after §11;
one or more of the prayers at §§14-15 may be said before the Blessing of the Communion service.
3 The Marriage service may be preceded by the ministry of the word from the Communion service even when the Holy Communion is not celebrated.
4 Collects and readings appropriate for reading at a Marriage are to be found on page 292.
5 Only those impediments to a marriage can be alleged which are recognized by God's law or the laws of this Commonwealth. Any person alleging an impediment on the occasion of a marriage must give an indemnity against any pecuniary loss, in the event of his allegation failing, which his action brings upon the parties. If such an allegation is made and an indemnity is given, the marriage must be deferred until the truth has been tried.
6 The placing of hymns and directions regarding posture, other than those noted in the rubrics of the order of service, may be determined by the priest.
7 The marriage certificates are to be signed at the conclusion of the service or after §11 at the discretion of the priest.
8 Where the couple are unable to have children, the prayer for the blessing of children at §14 is omitted.
This service is © 1978 The Anglican Church of Australia Trust Corporation and used by permission. See www.bettergatherings.com/copyright for details.
