Introduction

Marriage is one of the greatest blessings that God has given us. It was instituted by God at the beginning of creation and continues to be a reflection of His love for this world through His Son. If you are contemplating marriage, we welcome you to consider the following guidelines for weddings at Good Shepherd. They are intended to guide you into the holy miracle of marriage. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call for further information.

Who may be married at Good Shepherd?

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is a congregation of people who are called by the Holy Spirit to faith in Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to live in Christ, teach God’s word, and share the faith in Christ with others. It is important to us that activities connected with Good Shepherd reflect this purpose.

Normally we conduct weddings only for members because we believe it is best for couples to: 1. Put their relationship with Jesus first, 2. Become members of a local church, 3. And then plan their marriage.  Under special circumstances we do sometimes conduct weddings for non-members.  You are welcome to speak with our pastors about that.  

Profession of Faith

Both parties must be professing Christians. A wedding service is a worship service centered on the Triune God of Scripture. It would not be good to ask a non-Christian to participate in something in which he or she does not believe. (By “non-Christian” we refer to all faiths which do not believe in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; or in the main teaching of Christianity: salvation by grace through faith alone. We would be more than happy to instruct anyone who may not yet affirm these teachings but is open to learning about them.

Adult Confirmation Classes

If neither party is Lutheran, we ask that both attend a ten-week session of Adult Confirmation Classes which present the basic teachings of our church. There is no obligation to join Good Shepherd. These classes are offered three times annually. These classes must be completed prior to the wedding.

Pre-Marital Counseling

Members and non-members must attend at least three pre-marital counseling sessions. The purpose of our counseling is to affirm the meaning and blessings of marriage and prepare for the wedding service. 

What if we are already living together?

More and more couples are choosing to co-habitate and to have sexual relations before marriage. This is such a common practice that some couples may be surprised that it is not condoned by God's word.  Throughout the Bible sexual relations are to be reserved for marriage. We see this in the first marriage between Adam and Eve (Genesis 2) and in many prohibitions against adultery or fornication:

"You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20.14)

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality" (1 Thessalonians 4.3).

You might think that if you have committed love for each other then sexual relations are not sinful. You are partly right. Committed love for one another is one of the essential aspects of marriage. But a private commitment between two people is still not marriage. If it was, you wouldn't be coming to us to get married.  The purpose of marriage is to tell the world that we are committed to one another in love for life and to seek God's blessings upon that love.  That public commitment is also an acceptance of all the responsibilities that go along with marriage. Until we are ready to make that level of commitment, sexual relations should wait.

  

So how can we resolve this situation?  

First, couples should be ready to acknowledge that marriage is a very important commitment. It is a life-long union between a man and wife. Husbands and wives should respect, honor, and love one another in Christ. This would include reserving sexual relations for marriage.

Second, if couples have lived together for some time and are already supporting one another and possibly their children, we would ask them simply to make the public commitment of marriage in a simple ceremony as soon as possible. Couples so married may also want to celebrate their commitment in a bigger way later in a public ceremony. 

It may be better for some couples to separate and abstain from sexual relations as they prepare to make that important public commitment of marriage. This is especially important for a couple who might have even the slightest uncertainty about their commitment. Marriage ceremonies do not establish commitments. The ceremony is designed to publicize the commitment and to seek God's blessings upon it.

These brief paragraphs are not designed to answer all the questions a couple might have about this. This is probably the most important decision of your life. Please do not be afraid to talk to one of our pastors. God's word is not given to make your life difficult. We want to help you find and follow the good path of life in Jesus.

Fees
 

Deposit	$50
Wedding Coordinator Fee	$150
Organist/Pianist Fee (May be increased as needed)	$150
Pastor’s Fee (Non-members Only)	$150
Building Use Fee (Non-members Only)	$100
Totals	$600

 

Checks should be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and should be paid before the rehearsal.

 

When Can We Reserve A Date?

A wedding date and rehearsal date may be scheduled when a couple agrees to these guidelines and any special considerations discussed with the pastor.

 

When Can We Be Married?

Church activities will take precedence. Usually most weddings are held Saturday morning or afternoon up to 3:00 p.m. (We have a worship service at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday evenings which prevents later wedding times.)

Can Another Pastor Participate in the Wedding Service?

Good Shepherd follows the Biblical Christian practice of leading worship services only with those who hold to the same confession of faith. Pastors who do not accept the teachings of the Lutheran church are encouraged to participate in other activities outside of the wedding service. For example, they may be asked to lead the prayer at the reception hall.

Can We Have A Reception at Good Shepherd?

Due to Bible Class setup each weekend, Good Shepherd does not permit wedding receptions.

Are There Any Particular Restrictions Which Must Be Followed?

There are certain courtesies that we ask the wedding participants and guest to respect. They will be discussed as the wedding service is planned.