Marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, binding both to self-giving love and exclusive fidelity. In the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, the couple exchange vows to uphold this covenant. They do this before God and in the presence of witnesses, who pray that God will bless their life together (Genesis 2:23-24; Matthew 19; Mark 10:2-9; Romans 7:2-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39). 

 

The marriage between man and woman signifies the communion between Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, and the Church, his holy bride. In Christian marriage, God establishes and blesses the covenant between husband and wife, and joins them to live together in a communion of love, faithfulness, child-rearing, and peace, within the fellowship of Christ and his Church. God enables all married people to grow in love, wisdom and godliness through a common life patterned on the sacrificial love of Christ.  

 

Those who come to the church seeking God’s blessing on their relationship should do so with a clear intention of maintaining an active participation in the life of the Church. It is normative that marriage take place in the church where the couple already worships. Therefore, at least either the bride or the groom is expected to be an active member of Emmanuel Anglican Church.

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If you are interested in receiving the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, or a blessing upon your civil ceremony, both parties should complete a separate application (Bride, Groom).

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Common Questions

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What is the blessing of a civil ceremony?

The Anglican Church recognizes the validity of a civil ceremony which has been conducted in accordance with its understanding of marriage, whether or not the exchange of vows took place in the context of an act of worship at which one of its ordained ministers presided. A civil ceremony at which a man and woman took each other as husband and wife with the intention of lifelong commitment is a legal wedding. At some point later, a mature Christian couple may desire to submit their marriage to Jesus Christ and seek the blessing of God upon their marriage.

 

Protocol for the blessing of a civil ceremony:

1. The couple shall provide a copy of their civil marriage license;

2. The couple shall commit to meeting with the Dean to discern their reason for seeking a blessing upon their civil ceremony;

3. There shall be a minimum of ninety (90) days between the initial request and the blessing;

4. Both the husband and wife must be baptized Christians and members of the church; 

5. A request for the blessing shall be made to the bishop; 

6. The blessing shall be entered in the parish register and noted as a blessing and not as the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. 

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The blessing of a civil ceremony should not be used in contravention of diocesan and church policy relating to remarriage and the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony after divorce as described below.

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What does the Anglican Church require for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony? 

Both of the parties to the marriage must be a baptized Christian, the couple commits to meet with the parish priest over a 90-day period for pre-marital counseling, and the couple signs the ACNA Marriage Declaration: 

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“We, N.N. and N.N., desiring to receive the blessing of Holy Matrimony in the Church, do 
solemnly declare that we hold marriage to be a lifelong union of husband and wife as it is set forth in the Book of Common Prayer. We believe it is established by God for the procreation of children, and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord; for mutual joy, and for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity; to maintain purity, so that husbands and wives, with all the household of God, might serve as holy and undefiled members of the Body of Christ; and for the upbuilding of Christ’s kingdom in family, church, and society, to the praise of his holy Name. We do engage ourselves, so far as in us lies, to make our utmost effort to establish this relationship and to seek God’s help thereto.”

 

Do I need to be a member? 

Yes. Marriages in the Church continue to be nurtured within the community of the Church as a lifelong process. Those who come to the Church seeking God’s blessing on their relationship should do so with a clear intention of maintaining an active participation in the life of the Church. It is normative that marriage take place in the church where the couple already worships. Therefore, at least either the bride or the groom is expected to be an active member of Emmanuel Anglican Church.

 

What if one/both persons are divorced? 

In the case of marriage following divorce, the following additional requirements apply: 

1. The minister has appropriate evidence that any previous marriage has been annulled or dissolved (copies of all divorce decrees constitute evidence of the termination of any previous marriages); 

2. The cause of the divorce falls into one or more of the following categories and appropriate evidence (police reports and/or affidavits from witnesses constitute evidence) is provided:

   1. adultery

   2. abandonment

   3. abuse

   4. addiction; 

3. The divorce decree or annulment has been in effect for one full year prior to the date of the remarriage; 

4. The minister consults with the parties as to continuing concern for the former spouse and children of the prior marriage; 

5. The individual(s) who has been divorced provides a narrative describing the causes of their divorce and the reasons for seeking re-marriage; and

6. The minister has the consent of the Diocesan Bishop (this takes at least 30 days). Because the request for the bishop's permission occurs after the pre-marital counseling period, the typical preparation time for marriage of a divorced person begins several months prior to the wedding date. The bishop expects a priest to meet with all couples for pre-marital conferences. The priest may decline to officiate the service at his discretion.

 

What about pre-marital counseling?

Pre-Marital Counseling as noted previously, occurs over a 90-day period with the Dean or his designee. At the first meeting a schedule will be developed to execute the Declaration of Intent, announcing the Bans of Marriage, establishing a counseling schedule, and planning the liturgy.

 

How soon can the wedding be put on the calendar? 

The date is subject to the schedule of the priest and the church. The date will be chosen after Part I of your pre-marital counseling with the priest has been completed. Weddings must be scheduled at least 60 days in advance. 

 

Are there times when weddings cannot take place? 

Because of the penitential nature of the seasons of Advent (the four Sundays before Christmas) and Lent (Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday), weddings are not typically performed during these times of the year.

 

Who plans the service? 

The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage is a service of worship, and therefore is under the complete direction of the Dean-Rector of Emmanuel Anglican Church. The Dean, or his designee (including Emmanuel's Wedding Coordinator), works with the bride and groom. All weddings at Emmanuel Anglican Church are according to the Book of Common Prayer liturgy (The Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage, page 201 of the 2019 BCP). The liturgy should include Holy Eucharist, as the Blessed Sacrament is the strongest symbol of unity between Jesus Christ and his followers. The scripture options that the Book of Common Prayer provide are listed in Section 4: Appendices. 

 

Who comes to the service?

Weddings are important occasions in the lives of the bride and groom and their friends and families. However, since there are no "private services" in the Church, it is understood that the local congregation is also invited and that an announcement to that effect will be published. This should not be an issue particularly if the bride and groom are already members of the church and have vital relationships within the worshiping community. 

 

What is the seating capacity of the sanctuary?

The sanctuary has a seating capacity of 70 people. Additional chairs in the sanctuary can provide seating capacity for an additional 25 people. It is best to have the chairs for the family marked and the ushers thoroughly instructed in advance so that members of both families may be seated in their proper places. The groom’s family sits in the front pews on the right, facing the altar, and the bride’s family on the left side facing the altar.

 

What music may be played?

Musical arrangements should be discussed with the Dean, or his designee, and the church organist/pianist. You are encouraged to use hymns for your wedding. The Hymnal 1982 is widely regarded as a masterpiece of sacred music. Quality instrumentalists can add a festive tone to the celebration of a marriage. Such instrumentalists are under the direction of the Dean and the organist/pianist. Solo vocal music is unnecessary but allowed as long as the music chosen are hymns or anthems which are appropriate to the liturgies authorized by the Book of Common Prayer. The words are to be from Holy Scripture, from The Book of Common Prayer, or from texts congruent with them. Popular music should be saved for the reception. For a list of pre-approved music please see Section 4: Appendices.

 

What about flowers and other decorations?

Please make arrangements between the Dean, or his designee, and a local florist. We recommend that the dominant color of arrangements be white. Only the church's altar candles and torches may be used during the marriage service. During the Easter season, the Paschal Candle is used at all services.
 

What about pictures? 

It is requested that no flash photography take place during the service to avoid distraction/disruption. If a professional photographer's services are utilized, it is also requested that arrangements with the Dean be made regarding this in order to assist with placement for optimal images and in a place that would not be disruptive to the celebration.

 

What about the reception?

If the reception is to be held at the church, arrangements should be made in advance to reserve the necessary facilities. It is the responsibility of the wedding party to clean up and returning everything to its pre-reception condition. All rented equipment, etc., must also be removed immediately after the reception. No alcoholic beverages of any kind are permitted on church property other than the Eucharist.  

 

What about the rehearsal?

The Rehearsal The rehearsal is normally held on the day before the wedding. All members of the wedding party are expected to attend and to be on time. The Dean, or his designee, is the director of all rehearsals. The purpose of the rehearsal is to familiarize all members of the wedding party with what is expected of them so that the actual service will run smoothly and that no one will feel awkward or ill-at-ease. It is not permissible for someone to “stand-in” for the bride at the rehearsal. The groom is to bring the completed marriage license to the rehearsal. At the conclusion of the rehearsal, the bride, groom, and witnesses will sign the marriage register following the rehearsal. At the conclusion of the liturgy, the Member of Clergy will sign the register.

 

What about the marriage license?

The clergy of the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin are not agents of the State of California. This means that the couple must go to the Fresno County Clerk’s office to secure their completed marriage license before the wedding rehearsal (fresnocountyca.gov/Departments/County-ClerkRegistrar-of-Voters/County-Clerk/Marriage-License). The completed marriage license is to be brought to the rehearsal. At the conclusion of the rehearsal, the bride, groom, and witnesses will sign the marriage register following the rehearsal. At the conclusion of the liturgy the following day, the Member of Clergy will sign the register.

 
Are there any fees?

There are no formal fees for active members of the church. Honorariums/Suggested Donations may be made in the following amount:

1. Dean's Discretionary Fund: $100 (payable to the church)

2. Music: $250 (payable to the organist/pianist)

3. Facility Maintenance: $300.00 (payable to the church) 

4. Altar Servers: $25 each (payable directly to each server)