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More C of E Sites
More Church of England Sites
- - Your Church Wedding Whether you're just dreaming of a church wedding, or well into the planning already, your church wants to help and support you.
  - Shrinking the footprint The Church of England's environmental campaign aimed at resourcing the reduction of the church's carbon footprint.
  - Churchcare A comprehensive resource for anyone involved in the running of a church, with a wide range of practical advice and tips.
  - Call Waiting The Church of England wants to encourage gifted and committed young men and women, from all backgrounds, to consider whether God is calling them into ordained ministry as priests.
  - The Church and Community Fund The CCF encourages the church to engage with their local communities by funding effective and innovative community outreach projects.
  - Going for Growth Going for Growth challenges the Church of England to work towards every child and young person having a life-enhancing encounter with the Christian faith.
  - Church Legacy Find out why and how to make a Will, and see how gifts in Wills make dreams come true!
  - Worship Workshop WorshipWorkshop offers Church schools a way of creating engaging collective worship as well as access to a bank of 100 hymns and songs.
- - Church House Publishing The Archbishops' Council publishes a range of liturgy, reference and other resources under the CHP imprint.
  - Parish Resources All things stewardship: resources and guidance on preaching, giving and fundraising with helpful online guides.
  - Diocesan websites The Church of England comprises two Provinces, Canterbury and York. Each province is broken down into dioceses. There are 43 in England (44 including the Diocese in Europe).
  - Communications Training High quality media, presentation and new media training for the Church of England and related charities. Find out more about our current courses.
  - Lambeth Palace Library The historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury. Its collections and those of its sister body the Church of England Record Centre (CERC) are freely available for research.
  - Parish Buying Offering national contracts and buying tips to help the Church buy and save together.
  - Celebrate 200 years of Church Schools The National Society celebrates 200 years of Church schools in England and Wales. Find out more about the anniversary and the work of the National Society.

A Christian presence in every community

Marriage

		The Marriage Service

¶		Pastoral Introduction

		This may be read by those present before the service begins.

		A wedding is one of life's great moments, a time of solemn commitment as well as good wishes, feasting and joy. St John tells us how Jesus shared in such an occasion at Cana, and gave there a sign of new beginnings as he turned water into wine.

		Marriage is intended by God to be a creative relationship, as his blessing enables husband and wife to love and support each other in good times and in bad, and to share in the care and upbringing of children. For Christians, marriage is also an invitation to share life together in the spirit of Jesus Christ. It is based upon a solemn, public and life-long covenant between a man and a woman, declared and celebrated in the presence of God and before witnesses.

		On this their wedding day the bride and bridegroom face each other, make their promises and receive God's blessing. You are witnesses of the marriage, and express your support by your presence and your prayers. Your support does not end today: the couple will value continued encouragement in the days and years ahead of them.


		Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
		1 Corinthians 13.4-7

More Church of England Sites

A Christian presence in every community

Marriage