07 June 2009

Sunday Morning Matrimony

I officiated at my first ever Sunday morning wedding rite, and what a joy it was! The young couple getting married wanted to avoid all of the pomp and circumstance associated with the typical wedding service. They simply wanted to get married in a reverent and modest way. We simply embedded the Rite of Holy Matrimony in the Divine Service between the service of the Word and the service of the Sacrament. It went over very well with just about everyone! I told the groom afterward that I am hopeful that this may set a precedence to be followed by others.

So why did it work so well? The service, as all wedding services ought to be, was focused entirely on Christ and His Gospel. The main theme was not the couple's love for one another, or even marriage itself, but the mystery of the Holy Trinity and God's mysterious works among us through His incarnation, sacraments, and yes the gift of marriage. Propers and hymnody were used according to what was already in place for the Feast Day. No schmalz. No wierd, quasi-religious ceremonies, no attendants to deal with, no soloists, etc, etc. What a joy this was for a pastor! And what an opportunity for people to experience the Church's liturgy the right way and hear the Gospel preached!

I think this was also good for the congregation, to illustrate once again what marriage is really about, and how Christ must be in the forefront of every service the Church performs. I hope to have a chance to do a wedding like this again!

5 comments:

Pr. H. R. said...

That's how my wife and I were united in matrimony lo, these nine years ago.

Definitely the way to go - but it's a unique woman who wants to forgo all the wedding business...

+HRC

WM Cwirla said...

And it is also the unique mother-of-the-bride (MOB) who will go along with this scheme.

Rev. Wright II said...

This is wonderful! I am very excited that my sister and her husband to be will be united in holy matrimony on the first Sunday of August during the Divine Service. I hope others take notice of what and how the Service takes place as you said "what an opportunity for people to experience the Church's liturgy the right way and hear the Gospel preached!"
Thanks be to God!

Rev. Eric J Brown said...

It is how I had desired to be married - but alas, I was not married 9 years ago when such a wedding would have been practical for a then college student - but two years ago when. . . well. . . I had already started working on Sunday mornings.

William Weedon said...

Good for you! We got rid of ours once for two years - it was great. And then when we moved to Illinois, we got the dish, and then had it disconnected for another 3 years or so. It was mostly just junk. We did end up putting it back on, and the kids watch it occasionally. Cindi and I tune in only for big breaking news stories or for weather when tornadoes and big storms are in the offing (like now!). But we could definitely do without it. All told, there are weeks it sits unused. We also put the danged thing in the basement where it is INCONVENIENT to watch it. But the loss of the net would be a hard sell in this house...