ELW Wedding Order (with Communion) - Clover Sites



Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) Order of Worship for Weddings

Many families choose to make their own bulletins for the wedding service. I welcome that! The purpose of a bulletin is to thank, give credit to leaders and participants and help the congregation participate in the worship service. Worshipping (even at a wedding) is not a spectator sport. Hopefully, your bulletin will help the congregation who is there to “uphold and care for you throughout your life together.” This sheet is meant to help you create a helpful resource for the congregation. Adding all the stylistic flares, naming all the attendants and any other ‘stuff’ is up to you.

On the left side of this sheet you’ll see required words that make up what is the order for worship at a Lutheran wedding. “Prelude”, “Processional”, “Greeting” are all going to happen – so include them in your bulletin. The words on the left in BOLD letters are optional, albeit common options. This order is not set in stone. We can talk about consolidating or expanding any part of worship. This is simply the ‘normal’ order meant to help you create your bulletin. Please do not print your bulletins before having your Pastor proof it. We want to be of help amidst the stress, so ask questions and enjoy!

Prelude This is a chance to name musical leaders or cite the tune’s name

Processional (etc) Some families choose to spell this out a little more: ‘Seating of the grandparents’ followed by a line for the ‘seating of the parents’ etc. ‘Processional’ works.

Gather

Greeting The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God…

Declaration of Intention This calls on the 1) couple, but also the 2) congregation to explicitly say that which many only assume: 1) we intend to begin a faithful life together & 2) we will uphold and care for you.

Confession & Forgiveness What better way to enter a marriage relationship than with a clean slate with all sins and burdens behind us? C & F is meant to return us to baptism and refresh us for the vows the couple will make soon hereafter.

Gathering Hymn (Optional) If you have only one congregational hymn, this is its

place. Solos go better after the sermon or during the unity candle.

Prayer of the Day Self-explanatory, I think

Word

1st Lesson All texts are to be from the Bible. A reader is welcome, but the pastor is

willing to read them himself. I do, however, insist on reading the gospel.

2nd Lesson (Optional)

Gospel

Sermon If an assisting minister has been invited from another congregation she/he

would most likely offer the sermon.

Hymn of the Day (Optional) This is a great place for a solo, and a very

nice spot for another congregational hymn.

Marriage

Vows I discourage writing your own, and have many to choose from.

Giving of Rings

Acclamation “… Those whom God has joined let no one put asunder.”

Lighting of the Unity Candle (Optional) This is the very best place for a solo, special music, or any other ‘out of the ordinary’ rite.

Marriage Blessing These are the prayers of the Church for the new marriage

(Additional Words of Blessing) (Optional) Parents or others are welcome to add brief words of

blessing and encouragement at this point.

Prayers of Intercession (Optional) Prayers for the world and its needs may be prayed

[A service without communion would continue from here with the Lord’s Prayer, an optional sharing of the Peace, and the 3 parts of the Sending rite listed below.]

Peace Share it!

Meal

Holy Communion Within this rite is the 1) Great Thanksgiving, 2) Sanctus, 3) Preface, 4) Eucharistic Prayer, 5) Lord’s Prayer, 6) Distribution and 7) Post-Communion Prayer. I assume you’d rather not list all of those out on the left, but you could if you’d like. I also strongly suggest – since weddings inevitably gather Christians from different denominations – adding a line to your bulletin (right next to “Holy Communion”) that says something like, “All baptized Christians are welcome to the Lord’s Table.” I will announce this at the worship service also, but it is good to have that in print.

Sending

Benediction

Presentation of Couple “I now present Him and Her, Husband and Wife.”

You may now kiss the bride! (The kiss is to be a worship service kiss; not a honeymoon kiss. ()

Processional Please do not call this the Re-cessional. We do not want to give the wrong impression that now that the couple is married they are taking a recess from the Church or the vows they just made. The couple, now married, processes into the world as One from Two!

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