If you wish,
you may add a more personal touch to the introductory sermon by telling
your officiate a little about yourselves: how you met, a funny story,
shared interests. We'll weave these details into the sermon. You may
also wish to incorporate prayers, poems, or rituals which are part
of either family's traditions.
Optional addition
and prayer #1 to add at
the end of either sermon #1 or sermon#2
_______________________________________ and _______________________,
you are about to make vows and promises to one another. Today, these
vows are beautiful words representing even more beautiful intentions.
My prayer for you is that as you live these vows over the years, offering
freely your time and your love to one another, the meaning of these
words will deepen, and the happy times of your life will be twice
as joyous, because you'll be sharing them with someone you love. And
when life gets tough, it will only be half as difficult, because there
will be someone by your side to help carry the burden. For those times
when life presents all of us with challenges, I would like to offer
you this simple prayer to remember:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things
I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Optional Prayer
#2: 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, and the power,
and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Optional Prayer
#3: O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind,
Giver of all spiritual grace, and Author of everlasting life, send
Thy blessing upon these Thy servants, _________ and _____________,
whom we bless in thy name, that they, living faithfully
together, may surely perform
and keep the vow and covenant made between them, and may ever remain
in love and in peace together, living according to Thy laws, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Optional Prayer
#4: O God, look mercifully upon these thy servants, that
they may love, honor and cherish each other, and so live together
in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their
home may be a haven of blessing and peace; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, Amen.
Continue
to Part Three:
Readings
[More
sample Ceremonies]
[Declaration of
Marriage]