Churches around England are inviting couples to celebrate marriage on Valentine's Day - which this year falls on a Sunday. They are using new liturgical resources that have already been downloaded more than 2,130 times from the Church of England website, having been made available in January here.

The resources are recommended by the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt Revd Stephen Platten, chair of the Liturgical Commission. He said: "Valentine's Day falling on a Sunday is an excellent opportunity for churches up and down the country to celebrate marriage. I encourage churches to use the new resources to organise a special service."

National Worship Development Officer, Revd Peter Moger, has compiled suggestions for a Special Service of Celebration (that can also be used to celebrate marriage at any time); and has suggested that the regular Sunday Worship on 14th February 2010 might adopt a marriage/love theme.

There is a choice of themed readings too, including: Psalm 145:1-8, 1 Corinthians 13, and John 15:9-17.

Many churches are reporting how they are going to use the resources:

• The Revd Rhiannon Jones, of Ely Diocese, is using them at St Vigor's Church, Fulbourn, Cambridge, on 14th February. She enthused: "We've invited all those who were married in the church over the last 20 years using beautiful personal invitations and have encouraged couples to bring friends and family. Everyone who comes will have a chance to give thanks for their marriage in a specially themed service. We'll sing wedding favourites and have cake and champagne. What could be more special than to return to the church where you got married for a service to celebrate your marriage?"
• Curate the Revd Ralph Hudspeth of All Saints, Ripley, in North Yorkshire is using the new liturgy on 14th February for the church's annual Couples Sunday. This year 15 engaged couples are attending the service after which there is a faith lunch and a two-hour group session of wedding preparation at Ripley Castle, a popular wedding reception venue. 
• At Flore Parish Church near Nothampton, the Bishop of Brixworth, Rt Revd Frank White, and his wife, the Revd Alison White, will use some of the new liturgy to host an opportunity for couples to celebrate marriage, renew vows, and enjoy wedding music, before special souvenir photographs are taken and a reception is held with sparkling wine, wedding cake and Valentine's chocolates.
• At St John the Evangelist, Winsford, Cheshire, the Revd David Wilson will be using the resources in a special marriage-themed Service of the Word at 6.30pm on Valentine's Day, which will be followed by cake and champagne.
• It was Revd Adrian Miller of Tas Valley Team Ministry, Saxlingham Nethergate, in Norwich Diocese, who contacted the Church of England's Weddings Project back in November 2009 to request the compilation of new liturgy for Valentine's Day. He said: "In our special service we have one couple coming who married there 29 years ago, and another who married over 40 years ago. We'll have bells, a wedding dress display, flowers, champagne and fruitcake, as well as an opportunity for people to renew their vows." 

Thanks to Revd Adrian Miller, the new resources will be used around the country on Valentine's Day, which also marks the conclusion of Marriage Week UK, taking place 8th-14th February 2010.