The Celebration and Blessing of the Marriage
of
Emily Anne Blunden
and
Sean William Carney

August 9, 2008
saint benedict's table

The Gathering of the Community

Processional

Officiant

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with you all.

People

And also with you.

Officiant

We have come together to ask God’s blessing on Emily and Sean, to witness their marriage and to bring them our love and support.

I ask you now to pray for them; and not just to pray today or only in this place but to pray in your hearts continually and over the years.

Eternal love never fails; our love needs to forgive and be forgiven. As we pray and forgive we minister reconciliation. Those who marry are God’s ministers to each other of reconciliation and change. As they grow together, wife and husband foster one another’s strengths, they provide each other with the reassurance and love needed to overcome their weaknesses.

From this beginning God draws them now to a completely new life. They become awake to each other, aware of each other, sensitive to each other’s needs.

Emily and Sean, you are welcome here.
Pray that God will uphold and bless your life together,
that your promises be honoured, your words true,
now in time to come. Amen.

May God’s grace surround you and keep you,
The peace of God, which is beyond our understanding
keep guard over your thoughts and hearts.
God keep you friends with one another,
forgiving one another in kindness.
May hope keep you joyful.
Stand firm in trouble.
Be strong in your commitments.
May God make you compassionate and brave.
May there always be love
to bind and keep your whole.

The Proclamation of the Word

Song of Solomon 2:10-13

A reading from the Song of Solomon

My beloved speaks and says to me:

‘Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away;
for now the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtle-dove
is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.

Arise, my love, my fair one,
and come away.

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

John 15:9-12

A reading from the Gospel according to John:

Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Poetry

Homily

Music

The Wedding

The giving and receiving of consent

Officiant

Sean will you give yourself to Emily to be her husband: to love her, comfort her, honour and protect her; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to her so long as you both shall live?

I will.

Officiant

Emily will you give yourself to Sean to be his wife: to love him, comfort him, honour and protect him; and forsaking all others, to be faithful to him so long as you both shall live?

I will.

Officiant

Do you, members of the families of Emily and Sean, give your blessing to this marriage?

Answer

We do.

Officiant

You are the witnesses to these vows now being made. Will you do all in your power to support and uphold this marriage?

Answer

We will.

Officiant

Jesus, do for Sean and Emily
as you did in Cana of Galilee.
Take the old water, their busy individual lives,
and turn them into new wine.

The Vows

I Sean take you Emily, to be my wife. All that I have I offer you; what you have to give I gladly receive; wherever you go I will go. You are my friend; you are my love. God keep me true to you always and you to me.

I Emily take you Sean, to be my husband. All that I have I offer you; what you have to give I gladly receive; wherever you go I will go. You are my friend; you are my love. God keep me true to you always and you to me.

The Blessing and Exchange of Rings

I give you this ring,
as a symbol of my vow.
With all that I am and all that I have,
I honour you in the name of God.

Officiant

Emily and Sean have joined themselves to each other by solemn vows, signified by the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings. I declare that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.

People

Amen.

The Signing of the Register

Music

The Prayers of the People

Let us pray.

Almighty God, in whom we live and move and have our being, look graciously upon the world which you have made and for which your Son gave his life, and especially on all whom you make to be one flesh in holy marriage.
May their lives together be a sacrament of your love to this broken world, so that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy overcome despair.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

May Emily and Sean so live together that the strength of their love may enrich our common life and become a sign of your faithfulness.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

May they receive the gift and heritage of children and the grace to bring them up to know and love you.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

May their home be a place of truth, security, and love; and their lives an example of concern for others.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

May we who have witnessed these vows find our lives strengthened and our loyalties confirmed.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

The Communion

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!

The Lord’s Prayer

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.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

This is the body of Christ:
behold what you are;
become what you receive. Amen.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

After Emily and Sean have shared in communion, the gathered community is welcome to come forward to receive. Everyone is most welcome to participate, though no one should feel any obligation.

Music during communion

The Blessing of the Marriage

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.

The Recessional

Officiant: Jamie Howison
Music: Lyndon James
Communion Assistants: Helen Manfield, Sean and Emily
Readers: Rachel Blunden and Laura Blunden
Poetry Reading: Sarah Blunden
Prayers: Sara Matyas