Marriage at St. Peter's
Marriage, in some form, is a universal human institution, predating recorded history. Ceremonies and rites acknowledging a formal relationship have varied enormously over the centuries and continue to do so today. There is sometimes confusion in equating a ceremony with a marriage. Once a ceremony has taken place, it is the beginning of the couple's marriage. The ceremony involves the community - family and friends who have come together to celebrate and witness the public affirmation of love between two individuals.
In the United States, church ceremonies have become a cultural tradition for many people. Often the couple's participation in the life and ministry of the Christian community and their commitment to Jesus Christ are minimal, if they exist at all. Still, getting married in a church seems to be a must. Many sentimental, secular, social and cultural traditions, that have little to do with the spiritual nature of marriage, have emerged over the years.
Marriage in the Church is a privilege, not a right. When persons seek marriage in the Church, they should clearly understand that they are asking God, through Jesus Christ, to be an active part not only of the ceremony, but their entire lifetime together. The building in which this takes place is completely coincidental to the primary act of lifetime commitment.
We occasionally get requests from non-members about getting married at St. Peter's because of the beauty of the location, or for other reasons. Because of our understanding of Christian community (i.e., the Body of Christ), the use of the facility as a principal consideration is not a valid reason for a ceremony at St. Peter's.
It is the duty of every Bishop and priest of the Church to be morally responsible for the proper preparation, celebration and administration of Marriage. Therefore, we offer a ministry to people who are sincerely seeking to begin a lifetime relationship through Jesus Christ with the support of the Church.
The following guidelines are intended to help couples and their families to maintain a Christian perspective - not only on the day of the ceremony, but in the lifetime of marriage that the couple will have together. The priest will be glad to consult with you after you have carefully examined these guidelines.
Membership
One of the individuals must be a member in good standing of the Episcopal Church and canonically resident at St. Peter's. Exceptions must be presented to the Liturgy Committee.
Pre-marital Preparation
In accordance with the Canons of the Episcopal Church, premarital counseling by a priest of the Church is required. At St. Peter's, a minimum of 12 hours of counseling over a period of time must be held with the priest before the date of the ceremony. Each couple is required to sign a "Declaration of Intention" as prescribed by the Canons of the Episcopal Church.
Scheduling
Arrangements as to the date and time should be made well in advance and must take into consideration the normal services, operations, and activities of the church. At St. John's we consider the primary worship service on Sunday morning to be an appropriate time for the celebration and blessing of a marriage, in addition to other times considered. The scheduling of the service is at the discretion of the priest, so please be sure to consult with the clergy before announcing a date or booking a reception.