Harold Stephen Issen

WELCOME AND ITRODUCTION

Family and Friends, thank you all for coming today to share in this wonderful occasion. Today we are here together to celebrate and welcome a new life, the child of Diana Olivia Arellano and Theodore Campbell Issen. And also dearly beloved and honored guests, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the joining of Diana Olivia Arellano and Theodore Campbell Issen in marriage.

Marriage is a unique institution; it is the voluntary lifelong joining together of two individuals in mutual commitment to care for each other and to form one life together. Marriage is respected and cherished by all people everywhere, and blessed by all that is sacred and holy. It is especially significant for two people to combine their strength and resources as their family grows, and the responsibilities of raising a family creates more demands on their time, money, support, and love. Two people united in a common purpose can achieve more than two people working independently, and life together can be more full, enriching, satisfying, and productive as a result. Partners can not only complement each other’s talents, strengths, and gifts, they actually uplift the life of each other. Reading from the New Testament (1 Corinthians 7:1-14) [NOTE: Very liberally interpreted]

[1] It is good to live like a monk or a nun,[2] but human nature being what it is, let every man and woman choose a partner.[3] A man must give his love to his partner in all manners and matters, and a woman must also give her love to her partner in all manners and matters.[4] A man and a woman no longer have sole authority over their own life, but shares it now with another.

[5] Do not withhold love from each other or deprive each other of your companionship, except by mutual agreement for a time to devote yourself unhindered to commune with the holy, and come together again so that living apart doesn’t become a habit, least you forget your obligations to each other.

[7] Each person has their own gifts, this one in one direction, this one in another. [12-13] If some brother or sister has a partner who is not a believer but they enjoy living together, let them be married. [14] For the unbelieving man is dedicated through his believing partner, and the unbelieving woman is dedicated through her believing partner, else their children would have no blessing, but now these children are dedicated in faith.

THE MOTHERS’ BLESSINGS

We know Diana and Ted to be loving, responsible, thoughtful, caring, accomplished, generous, and productive people. We know that this did not happen is a vacuum, and that both were raised in households where they were nurtured, encouraged, supported and surrounded by love. When a child is grown and leaves their parent’s house the relationship between the child and their parent changes but usually doesn’t end; the continued love and the support that a parent gives their child is important regardless of age. I invite you to take a moment to reflect on the investment that your own parents gave to each of you here today. In particular, I think it is important to recognize and acknowledge the essential role that mothers take in raising children. It is a full-body involvement that contains pain and sacrifice, as well as pride and reward. At this time, I call on the mothers of Diana and Ted to stand by their offspring and give their blessings to this marriage.

Alison Campbell Issen, do you promise to give these two your support in their marriage, to help them without interference, to love Diana as if she were your own daughter, to cherish their children and be the best grandmother you can be?

Yolanda Arellano, do you promise to give these two your support in their marriage, to help them without interference, to love Ted as if he were your own son, to cherish their children and be the best grandmother you can be?

EXHANGE OF VOWS

Now that they have the blessings of their mothers, we can proceed with the ceremony to the most solemn and important part, the exchange of vows. This is when we are witnesses as Ted and Diana declare their commitment to each other and their intentions to maintain their relationship. Typical for a couple who have lived their lives on their own terms and accomplished so much while juggling multiple responsibilities, Ted and Diana have written their own vows.

Ted, will you please recite your vows to Diana now?

Diana, will you please recite your vows to Ted now?

RING EXCHANGE

This is the time in the ceremony for the exchange of rings. A ring has no beginning or end. Its path is endless and a symbol of your endless love and respect for each other.

By placing these rings on each other's fingers, you are promising not just to love each other, but to honor and respect each other, to be compassionate, patient, and understanding as you build your future together. This room is full of love, these rings represent this love. Not just your love for each other, but from everyone here today. Let these rings be a reminder of that love, what you are feeling today.

Diana, place the ring Ted’s finger. Now repeat after me:

"Theodore Campbell Issen, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love with the pledge to love and support you today, tomorrow, always, and forever."

And now, Ted place the ring on Diana's finger. Repeat after me:

"Diana Olivia Arellano, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love with the pledge to love and support you today, tomorrow, always, and forever."

CHARGE TO THE COUPLE

As the officiant it is my prerogative to provide a charge to the couple. While these general instructions are usually intended to give guidance to people starting out life together as a committed couple, it is an opportunity for those considering marriage to reflect on the necessities of a successful marriage, and also a chance for couples already married to rededicate themselves to the commitments they’ve made to their partner.

Sustaining a healthy marriage takes love. It takes trust. It takes honesty. It takes patience. It takes teamwork, and compromise, and understanding. You will need to have faith in each other, to go forward together, into an unpredictable future. It will take dedication, to stay open to one another - and to learn and grow together.

Do not take each other for granted, and make efforts to remain interesting and attractive to each other. Jealousy and resentment are corrosives that eat away a relationship, do not allow either to take root in your soul. Turn to each other for comfort. Take turns being grumpy, and put limits on how long you remain grumpy. Avoid complacency and continue to develop yourself intellectually and spiritually in order to be engage with the world and remain appealing to each other. But while growing individually, be carefully not to grow apart. Continue to view the world with a sense of wonder, and assume innocence and goodwill from all you encounter. Reading from the Old Testament (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10): [NOTE: Very liberally interpreted]

[9] Take pleasure, young people, in your youth and let your heart cheer you in your youthful days; follow the ways of your heart, and the sight of your eyes, and be aware that all you embrace will be the accounting of your lives. [10] As much as you can, banish grief from your mind and keep pain from your body, for youth and the dawn of life are transitory.

BREAKING THE GLASS

It is traditional to conclude Jewish weddings with the groom breaking a glass. There are many explanations for this tradition. Some say it represents the destruction of the Temples in Jerusalem. Others say it demonstrates that marriage has sorrow and joy and represents the commitment to stand by one another even in hard times. It is also to remind us that like glass is fragile, so are human relationships.

Once the glass is broken, it can never return to what it was. The same is true for you today, you can never again return to how you were before this marriage. Knowing that this marriage is permanent, may the two of you strive daily to show each other love and respect.

After the glass is broken, I invite everyone to shout the Hebrew words “Mazel Tov,” which means Good Luck and Congratulations.

LEGAL DECLARATION AND CONCLUSION

You both have declared your intent to marry, you have promised to be committed to one another, and have exchanged rings. Therefore, by the power vested in me by the State of Illinois and the American Marriage Ministries, I now pronounce you officially married.

Ted and Diana, you may now kiss.

Friends, family, and honored guests, it is my honor and privilege to introduce to you Ted and Diana Issen for the first time as a married couple.