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Click here
to request
more information
on St. Luke's |
Marriage
at St. Luke's on the Lake |
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If
you wish to be married at St. Luke's on the Lake,
please contact
the church office.
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| All
weddings at St. Luke's on the Lake are done using the Book of Common
Prayer. The church facilities cannot be used for the wedding of someone
who is not a member. Weddings are scheduled on the church calendar only
after an interview with one of the clergy.
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| The
Book of Common Prayer states that "the bond and covenant of marriage
was established by God in creation," and that marriage is "not
to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately,
and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by
God." The sacraments of the Church are for God's people who, because
of the benefits of the sacrament, are therefore willing to enter into a
covenant relationship with His Body, the Church. Therefore, marriage at
St. Luke's on the Lake Episcopal Church entails certain responsibilities.
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| Expected
Activities: The following are five expected activities of
couples being married at St. Luke's on the Lake.
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| 1.
Worship is to establish, by means of symbols and rites, the expression
of the relationship between God and humankind. External rites and
observances are expressions of an inward faith. The psalmist praising God
said, "In the middle of the congregation I will praise God's
name." (Psalm 21:22) Worship services are regularly held each Sunday.
Regular attendance is expected.
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| 2.
Education is the way we find out more about what God wants us to do as
we increase in knowledge and grow inwardly in our faith journey. The Old
Testament says, "Take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you
today, and observe them that you may have life." (Deuteronomy 4: 1-2)
This is what Jesus meant when he referred to "life...to the
full." (John 10:10) Education at St. Luke's on the Lake occurs
primarily (but not exclusively) in our adult classes on Sunday mornings.
Regular attendance is expected.
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| 3.
Ministry is the way we use our gifts in the kingdom of God to serve in
one of the many places available to us in the Body of Christ. Jesus once
told a story in which the theme was "Who is greater?" He decided
that the one who serves is the greater, and his compliment for one who
completes a task is, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
(Matthew 25:21) There are many places to be of service in the Church, and
eventually persons who have been married here will expect to assume a role
in a place of service.
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| 4.
Stewardship is an important part of the responsibility of a Christian
person. Jesus recognized this by saying, "Wherever your treasury is
your heart will be there also." (Luke 12: 34) He knew that if our
money is in a certain place our interest, our concern, and our heart will
be in that place also. A financial pledge and regular offerings in support
of that pledge are expected of persons to be married at St. Luke's on the
Lake.
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| 5.
Fellowship is our horizontal relationship with each other as our
vertical relationship is to maintain contact with God. Both are important
in the Body of Christ. Christians love one another as Christ loved them.
The Bible is full of references such as "fellow worker,"
"fellow citizen," "fellow heir," and "all of one
accord," which indicate to us that fellowship is making friends with,
and being part of a relationship with other Christians. There are numerous
small groups within the congregation which provide opportunity for
fellowship.
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| Other
pertinent information regarding inquiries about weddings at St.
Luke's on the Lake. Couples who marry at St. Luke's on the Lake are
expected to become members and agree to the above activities which
constitute the five basic elements of a Christian lifestyle.
Additionally,
persons are expected to attend membership classes which provide a
comprehensive introduction to St. Luke's on the Lake, to the Episcopal
Church, and to the spiritual practices which create a framework for
spiritual growth and maturity. These classes are the Newcomer Class,
Discovery Weekend, the Cross Walk series, and, for those who are not
confirmed Episcopalians, the Inquirers' Class.
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The
Newcomer's Class is a four session, Sunday morning non-sequential set
of classes which are a basic introduction to St. Luke's on the Lake and
the Episcopal Church. Discovery is a weekend (usually the last
weekend of October) put on by a team of members of St. Luke's on the Lake
on the subjects of grace and trust, prayer, life in the Spirit,
commitment, growth in the Body, and others. Cross Walk is four
sequential workshops leading from Membership to Spiritual Maturity to
Ministry to Mission; each Cross Walk course is offered three times a year
in a workshop format. The Inquirers' Class is also offered in a
workshop format three times a year and covers the history of the Church,
the Book of Common Prayer, church etiquette, church history, basic beliefs
and concepts of the Christian faith as expressed in the Episcopal Church.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is administered at the Bishop's visit,
usually in the Fall, mid-Winter and in the late Spring.
Couples
expecting to be married in the Church should be baptized, and if not, they
will be baptized prior to Confirmation.
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| Premarital
counseling sessions are required with a member of the clergy prior to
the wedding. The sessions are approximately six in number, spread out over
a period of several months. |
| Divorce:
For persons who have been divorced, permission for remarriage must be
requested from the Bishop by the priest who officiates at the service. At
least one year needs to have elapsed from the date of the final divorce
decree before a petition is granted, and when there has been more than one
divorce by either of those wanting to marry, at least two years needs to
have elapsed from the date of the final divorce decree. Permission is
requested only after the priest has interviewed the divorced person to
determine the reasons for the divorce and how and why the new relationship
will be different from the former. |
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| Sometimes,
but rarely, there are circumstances not covered here. For any
clarification, amplification or unusual circumstances, please contact
the church office. |
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