Marriage Vows Renewal Liturgy

APA | Liturgics

Marriage Vows Renewal

SONG: “I Will Be Here”

CALL TO WORSHIP

DEARLY BELOVED: WE HAVE COME TODAY TO WITNESS AND TO CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION POWER OF GOD. THROUGH THE FAITH, THE PRAYERS, AND THE HARD WORK OF (name) AND (name), WE HAVE COME NOW TO CELEBRATE THE RENEWAL OF THEIR MARRIAGE COVENANT. WE OFTEN SPEAK OF MARRIAGE AS AN INSTITUTION OR AS AN ESTATE, BUT IT’S REALLY MUCH MORE THAN THAT. MARRIAGE IS A LIVING ORGANISM. AS SUCH, IT IS SUBJECT TO DISEASE AND SICKNESS, SOMETIMES EVEN DEATH. THE WORLD BELIEVES THAT WHEN A MARRIAGE DIES THAT’S THE END OF THE STORY, BUT WE SERVE A GOD OF RESURRECTION!

OUR GOD KNOWS HOW TO BRING NEW LIFE WHERE ONLY DEATH WOULD BE EXPECTED. HE MAKES STREAMS IN THE DESERT, PATHWAYS IN THE WILDERNESS.

SO, (names), WE YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR SPIRITUAL FRIENDS, HAVE COME TODAY TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND TO REJOICE WITH YOU. BUT FAR MORE THAN THAT, WE HAVE COME TO WORSHIP WITH YOU AT THE THRONE OF OUR GOD, WHO IS MAKING ALL THINGS NEW.

WE HAVE COME TO REESTABLISH COVENANT. IT’S SOMETHING THAT GOD KNOWS A LOT ABOUT. TIME AFTER TIME IN THE STORY OF GOD AND HIS PEOPLE, HE MADE COVENANTS WITH THEM AND MANY TIMES THEY WERE BROKEN OR UNFULFILLED.

BUT IN HIS INFINITE MERCY AND NEVER ENDING LOVE, HE ALWAYS SOUGHT OUT HIS PEOPLE IN ORDER TO REESTABLISH THE COVENANT OF LOVE. IT WASN’T BECAUSE HE’S A GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT. IT WAS AND IS BECAUSE HE IS FULL OF GRACE, FULL OF MERCY AND FORGIVENESS, AND FULL OF LOVE. IT’S PRECISELY THAT GRACE AND LOVE THAT WE’VE COME TO CELEBRATE TODAY.

DECLARATION OF INTENTIONS

(husband), I ASK YOU NOW IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND BEFORE THESE WITNESSES, IS IT YOUR DESIRE AND INTENTION TO RENEW THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE WITH THE BRIDE OF YOUR YOUTH? DO YOU TAKE (wife) ONCE AGAIN AS YOUR COVENANT PARTNER AND FRIEND?

(wife), I ASK YOU NOW IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND BEFORE THESE WITNESSES, IS IT YOUR DESIRE AND INTENTION TO RENEW THE COVENANT OF MARRIAGE WITH YOUR HUSBAND? DO YOU TAKE (husband) ONCE AGAIN AS YOUR COVENANT PARTNER AND FRIEND?

FAMILY VOWS

YOU ARE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS. YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE MADE SOME PROMISES TO EACH OTHER THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO YOU AS WELL. THEY WANT TO PUT JESUS FIRST IN THEIR MARRIAGE SO THAT JESUS WILL BE FIRST IN YOUR HOME. THEY ALSO WANT NOTHING MORE THAN THAT JESUS WOULD BE FIRST IN YOUR LIVES. IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, YOU ALL NEED TO HELP EACH OTHER. IF YOU TREAT EACH OTHER WITH LOVE, PATIENCE, AND FORGIVENESS, IT WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT JESUS IS FIRST IN YOUR HOME. YOU ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD, AFFECTS EVERY OTHER PERSON IN YOUR FAMILY. SO I ASK YOU, DO ALL OF YOU PROMISE, WITH GOD’S HELP, TO LIVE TOGETHER SO THAT JESUS IS FIRST? DO YOU PROMISE TO BE A BLESSING TO EACH OTHER? DO YOU PROMISE TO LOVE EACH OTHER FOREVER? IF SO, PLEASE ANSWER: “WE DO.”​

A WORD OF BLESSING (friends)

EXCHANGE OF VOWS (written by couple)

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

“THIS RING I GIVE YOU AS A SIGN OF OUR RENEWAL AND AS A PLEDGE OF MY NEW PROMISES TO YOU. I CHOOSE YOU AGAIN, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN.”

UNITY CANDLE

THROUGHOUT THE AGES, CANDLE LIGHT HAS SERVED AS A SIGN TO GOD’S PEOPLE. IT’S A SIGN OF HIS PRESENCE, A SIGN OF NEW LIFE, A SIGN OF HOPE. AS YOU COME TO LIGHT THE UNITY CANDLE, MAY IT BE WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT WHILE WE EXPECT YOUR UNION TO BE STRONG AND ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE STORMS OF LIFE, IT IS ON THE OTHER HAND A FRAGILE THING THAT WILL REQUIRE YOUR UTMOST ATTENTION, CARE, AND PROTECTION. MAY IT ALSO BE A SIGN TO YOU THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU AS HUSBAND AND WIFE, IF ONLY YOU WILL LIVE YOUR LIVES IN SURRENDER TO HIM.

CHARGE TO THE COMMUNITY OF FAITH

Our responsibility to nurture this couple, hold them accountable to their vows, provide an atmosphere of relational health, and pray for their protection.

COMMUNION (SONG: “Family Prayer Song”)

THE PRAYER OF GOD’S PEOPLE (at the altar)

PRONOUNCEMENT

FORASMUCH AS YOU (names) HAVE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, RENEWED YOUR MARRIAGE COVENANT, AND HAVE, IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD, YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR FRIENDS, PLEDGED LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS TO EACH OTHER, AND HAVE CONFIRMED THE SAME BY SHARING WITH ONE ANOTHER THE SYMBOLS OF COVENANT, I NOW DECLARE ON BEHALF OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH THAT YOUR MARRIAGE COVENANT IS RENEWED, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BENEDICTION

– Resource provided by Rev. Jeren Rowell