Patrick Erick Joseph

Welcome Statement

PROCESSIONAL

Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

Kevin: I do

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Thank you.

Welcome Friends, Family, and loved ones! We are gathered together today in the sight of God, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and in the sight of each other as witnesses to celebrate the marriage of Michael Immanuel Joseph and Alexia Daniella O’Malley. We hold Michael and Alexia up to the Lord in fellowship as a family, and a community of loved ones, to bless them as these two become one in what we pray will be a long, happy, and healthy life together!

Each of you here has had a role in this love story, sharing moments of laughter, connection, and support along the way, as these two found each other and fell in love. We know that this is what love looks like when you finally meet your soulmate! A love that delights in differences, and shines with honesty and openness. The love of two – sharing in one grand adventure!

Love isn’t just a feeling. It’s an action, and a decision not to act. It’s an essence, and an energy, the invisible fabric of our cosmos, our paths woven together in intricate patterns of compassion, compromise, understanding, and acceptance. Love is a power greater than us, and within us. Love is language, and the warmth of sitting in shared silence with someone who truly sees us – the way Michael and Alexia truly see each other.

Christian marriage is a joyful covenanting between a man and a woman. In this covenant they proclaim, before God and human witnesses, their commitment to live together in spiritual, physical, and material unity. In this covenant they acknowledge that the great love God has shown for each of them enables them to love each other. They affirm that God’s gracious presence and abiding power are needed for them to keep their vows, to continue to live in love, and to be faithful servants of Christ in this world. Human commitment is fragile and human love imperfect, but the promise of God is eternal and the love of God can bring our love to perfection.

Now, we celebrate with them as they commit to honor this love for a lifetime.

Moment of Remembrance

Officiant

Let us take a moment to remember those who can’t be with us today, either because of distance or because they have passed on to glory.

Although they aren’t with us here in body today, they are with us always in spirit. Love reaches across any distance, and every dimension.

Officiant TO THE COUPLE

Michael and Alexia, we welcome you to this moment in your lives. You have our unwavering support and friendship. You have built a home for each other in your hearts, a safe and infinite haven. Today, we celebrate you as you begin to build a marriage.

Speech / Sermon / Introduction

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Before we begin, let us bow our heads and pray that God bless Michael and Alexia and their new life together.

(Congregants bow heads)

(Officiant leads congregation in prayer appropriate to denomination of service - if no prayer is requested or provided by the couple, the following may be used)

Heavenly Lord, Jesus,

We come here to pray and ask your blessings upon Michael and Alexia, and we ask that you walk with them together as you’ve walked with them each in their lives to this point. Heavenly father, we know that you have a plan for their lives, and we know that you love them.

We ask, father, that you keep them committed to you, Lord, and that you keep them committed to one another as they begin this journey as one flesh, in your name. Lord you’ve told us in your word, in the book of Jeremiah, that you know the plans you have for us… Plans to prosper us and not to harm us, but to give us a hope and a future!

Lord, we ask that for Michael and Alexia, today, and we pray that you will heap blessings upon them as they walk together with you from today forward. Bless them with your love, that their love for each other may grow deeper, and their love for you may shine forth before the world. Bless them with your mercy, that they may be patient and caring, willing to share each other’s joys and sorrows, to forgive and to be forgiven, on their life together and in the world. Bless them with your peace, that they may be calm and sure, trusting in you with confident hearts. May they live in harmony and concord within their family and among all people. Bless them with your presence, that within their hearts and home Christ may reign as head. May they confess Christ with praise and thanksgiving, now and through all their life together, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Please join me in reciting the Lords prayer:

Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. 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, the power and the glory both now and forever.

In Jesus’ Holy name we pray,

Amen

CONGREGATION: Amen

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Family and friends, when God created Adam at the beginning of all things, He said to Himself in Genesis 2:18, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

It’s not a part of our makeup to be alone. God didn’t design us that way. He made us so that we need to depend on one another. He made us so that we need each other to hold us up, and sometimes carry us through the rough stuff. He made us so that when we triumph, we triumph that much more with each other than we do when we’re alone. In fact, the Apostle Paul spoke about how for most people, marriage is necessary in 1 Corinthians 7. He also gave us a vision of holy love in that same book a few chapters later.

He writes, “Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

OFFICIANT (to couple):

Michael and Alexia, I want to urge you to hold to that vision of your love for one another, because that is the kind of love God has planned for your lives. Michael, God has a plan for you, and from this day forward, that plan involves Alexia. Alexia, God has a plan for you, too. He always has, and that plan, from this day forward, involves Michael.

Keeping this knowledge in your hearts and minds, it’s time to declare yourselves to one another.

Declaration of Intent

OFFICIANT (to Michael):

Michael, do you take Alexia to be your lawfully wedded wife from this day forward - whether times are good or bad, rich or poor, healthy or ill; will you love, honor, comfort, protect, cherish and be faithful to her, holding her up in faith long as you both shall live?

Michael: I do.

OFFICIANT (to Alexia):

Alexia, do you take Michael to be your lawfully wedded husband from this day forward - whether times are good or bad, rich or poor, healthy or ill; will you love, honor, comfort, protect, cherish and be faithful to him, holding him up in faith long as you both shall live?

Alexia: I do.

Communion

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

At this time the couple, having expressed their love for each other, now wish to partake in their first communion together as an expression of their love of God.

In essence, the significance of communion in a wedding lies in its ability to encapsulate the spiritual, emotional, and communal dimensions of the marital union. It serves as a tangible expression of the couple's shared faith, their commitment to each other, and their desire to seek spiritual nourishment as they navigate the path of marriage.

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Beloved in Christ, we gather today not only to celebrate the love of Michael and Alexia, but also to share in the sacred meal of Holy Communion, a symbol of Christ's love for us and a reminder of our unity in Him.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, you have blessed Michael and Alexia with the gift of love and companionship. As you have made them one flesh in Holy Matrimony, so now make them one in love for each other. May their lives together be a reflection of your own love, a source of joy and peace, and a witness to your grace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us now remember the words of our Lord Jesus:

"On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'Take and eat; this is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'"

"In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.'"

As we share in this bread and cup, may we be reminded of Christ's love for us and for each other, and may we be strengthened in our faith and commitment to one another.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, and for the love he has shown us through his death and resurrection. May this Holy Communion nourish our souls and strengthen our faith, that we may live in unity with you and with one another.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

Vow/Ring Exchange

OFFICIANT (to couple):

Michael, Alexia, it’s now time to say your vows.

OFFICIANT (to Michael):

Michael, please repeat after me: Alexia, with this ring, In the name of God I promise to love, honor, and cherish you, and to hold you up in faith, whether times are good or bad, whether we’re rich or poor, and through whatever God has in store for us, as long as I live.

(Michael puts ring on Alexia’s finger)

OFFICIANT (to Alexia):

Alexia, please repeat after me: Michael, with this ring, In the name of God I promise to love, honor, and cherish you, and to hold you up in faith, whether times are good or bad, whether we’re rich or poor, and through whatever God has in store for us, as long as I live.

(Alexia puts ring on Michael’s finger)

Pronouncement

OFFICIANT (to couple):

Michael, Alexia, having proclaimed your love for, and commitment to one another in the sight of the Lord and of these witnesses, it is my pleasure, by the power vested in me by God and by the state of Florida, to pronounce you husband and wife! Michael you may now kiss your bride!

(Michael and Alexia kiss)

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Family and friends, it is my great pleasure to present to you for the first time as a married couple Mr. and Mrs. Michael Immanuel Joseph! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord be kind and gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. Amen.

Closing Statement

OFFICIANT (to congregation):

Following the processional, Michael and Alexia will greet family and friend for pictures. We will then head back to the house for a light brunch. Thank you so much for joining us today. God bless you all.