A Christian marriage is a time of great joy with a solemn purpose, as two people meet before the altar of God, in the presence of Christian community, to pledge to each other a lifelong union of fidelity and love. Together they seek God’s blessing on their life together. Marriage is an event of primary significance and celebration not just for the individual but for the whole church.
Marriage is a sacrament received by a couple within the context of church community. Christians usually enter into Holy Matrimony within the Christian community where they worship or have a connection.
The Episcopal Church defines what marriage means in the Liturgy for Marriage in the Book of Common Prayer. (external link) You may find this description helpful in your planning.
If you have questions about marriage in an Episcopal Church please contact St Paul's or the Episcopal Church closest to your home. If you are planning to be married you can learn about the traditions, customs and flow of the Episcopal Church services by reviewing St Paul's Wedding Customary.
We follow the same basic practices of all Episcopal Churches.
Our priest will meet with you several occasions prior to the wedding. These sessions are designed to address a number of important issues:
- to give the couple and our priest time to become acquainted
- to allow for a discussion of what hopes the couple have for their life together
- to explore the wisdom handed down to us by many generations of Christians
- and to prepare the Marriage Ceremony.
Couples who are not seeking a Christian service can refer to this page to to see other options in Ohio.
Often couples married outside the church by a Justice of the Peace or other marriage facilitator who is lisenced by the state, will ask to have their marriage blessed at a later date.
If your marriage was more than six months ago, if you intend to hold your faith as a centeral tenent of your marriage, and you seek service of Christian blessing we invite you to contact us. We offer a service of blessing of Civil Marriage in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Planning for this service will follow a similar path as the preparation for a Marriage as outlined above.
Celebrate your marriage by renewing your wedding vows at St Paul's. If you have made the marriage vows before God over 5 years ago and want to renew your vows, please contact us to discuss this possibility.
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