Bethany English Lutheran Church

Wedding Information

15460 Triskett Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44111
Phone 216-941-7880 • Fax 216-941-4922 • www.bethanyenglish.org
Ministers: The Congregation
Robert Ferro, Jr., Pastor
J. William Kerrick, Visitation Pastor • Thomas Hanson, Music Director
Melissa Todd, Director of Christian Education & Youth Ministries & Church Secretary
Gerry Weiss, Custodian

Joining in Christ

Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner."
Genesis 2:18

Preliminary Considerations

We are pleased that you want to have your wedding at Bethany English. Marriage services performed at Bethany English are consistent with the Christian understanding of marriage.

When you are planning your wedding, call the church office as soon as possible to check on the availability of the church.

The Pastor

Pastor Ferro meets with all couples two or three times before the wedding. These sessions are designed to help the couple prepare for the wedding and the marriage. The schedule and number of these sessions is worked out between the pastor and the couple.

If you wish a clergy person from another congregation to participate in the wedding, you should first consult with Pastor Ferro. Pastor Ferro will contact the visiting pastor and make the necessary arrangements and role assignments.

If you want Pastor Ferro and/or his family to attend the rehearsal dinner and/or the reception, you will need to send an invitation.

Musicians

Bethany English's staff organist is available to play at weddings where music is desired. Should the couple desire another organist or musicians, arrangements must be made with Pastor Ferro before the invitation is extended to the guest musicians. It is the responsibility of the wedding couple to contact the staff organist about two months prior to the wedding to discuss the music. Please read the section regarding music and discuss your plans with the staff organist before arrangements are made with a soloist or other instrumentalists.

Organist Name: Christopher Toth ~ Phone no: 216-406-0228

The License

The license must be obtained at the probate court office of the county in which you reside with both bride and groom being present when making application. Proper identification and proof of age are required. If either party has been divorced, the places, dates and case numbers are required. You should apply for the license no earlier than 30 days before the wedding date and no later than seven days prior. Bring the license to the rehearsal.

Rehearsal

A rehearsal is standard for all large weddings (over 30 guests). Rehearsals are required for all weddings with a wedding party. It is held a day or two before the wedding. All members of the wedding party - bride, groom, bridesmaids and groomsmen, ushers, flower girls, ring bearers, lectors, parents, and grandparents (if possible) of the bride and groom - should be at the rehearsal to walk through the ceremony from beginning to end.

The Reception

The church facilities are available for your reception and should be requested as soon as possible. Kitchen facilities are available for food preparation. Food must be provided or catered. Alcoholic beverages (except for a champagne toast) may not be served on church premises and smoking in the church building is prohibited.

Fees

Fees cover the cost of the use of the church, pastoral services, custodian, and bulletins.

Type of serviceMade Payable toMember CostNon-Member Cost
Large Wedding
(over 30 guests)		Bethany English$ 450.00$ 700.00
Small Wedding
(under 30 guests)		Bethany English$ 200.00$ 400.00
Staff OrganistBethany English$ 150.00$ 150.00
ReceptionBethany English$ 250.00$ 500.00


Fifty percent (50%) of the total fee to the church is due at the time of the second session with the pastor and the balance is due at the time of the wedding rehearsal.

The Marriage Service

You should recognize that because the wedding ceremony is set within the context of Christian worship, what is done at the service must be appropriate to a worship service and in keeping with the church's understanding of marriage. Pastor Ferro makes the final decisions as to what is or is not appropriate.

The Order of the Service

	Prelude
	Seating of the Family
	Procession (or processional hymn)
	Greeting
	*Parental/Family Blessing
	The Declaration of Consent
	*Hymn/Solo
	Prayer
	Scripture Readings
	Sermon 
	*Hymn/Solo
	Vows
	Exchange of Rings
	Marriage Pronouncement 
	*Unity Candle
	*Hymn/Solo
	Blessing 
	Prayer
	Lord's Prayer (spoken or sung)
	*Communion
	Benediction
	Presentation
	Recession (or Recessional Hymn)
		*  (Optional)


The service allows for a variety of options. You may wish to modify the service in consultation with Pastor Ferro. If you are considering Holy Communion at your wedding, you should discuss this with the pastor in your planning sessions.

Music

The Marriage Service is an order of worship of the church. The various parts of the service also offer praise and thanks to God for the Gift of marriage and for God's ever-present support in marriage.

The Manual of the Liturgy reads: “ . . . the music therefore must be carefully and discriminatingly chosen. It should embody high standards of quality and the texts should reflect the praise of God, the steadfast love of Christ as the foundation and model of love and fidelity in marriage, the invocation of God's presence and blessing."

In summary, if you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, the music is probably appropriate:

  1. Does this music/text reflect praise and/or thanksgiving to God?
  2. Is it based on, or does it reflect, a Scriptural theme?
  3. Is this piece of music appropriate for use in a Sunday morning service of worship?

Suggested Scripture Readings Couples are encouraged to select appropriate Scripture readings to be read during the service. Typically three passages are selected. Old Testament Readings: 
Genesis 1:26-28			Male and female created by God
Genesis 2:18-24			God's purpose in creating man and woman
Proverbs 31:10-12, 26-30	The good wife
Song of Solomon 2:10-13		Love in the spring
Song of Solomon 8:6-7		Unquenchable love
Isaiah 63:7-9			The steadfast love of God
Jeremiah 32:38-41		God's faithfulness
Tobit 8:5b-8			That we may grow old together
Psalms 33, 68, 100, 117, 127, 128, 136, 150
New Testament Readings: 
Romans 12:1-2			A living offering
I Corinthians 13 		Love as the greatest gift
Ephesians 5:1-2, 21-33		Marriage and the church 
Ephesians 3:14-19		May you know the love of Christ
Philippians 4:4-7		Rejoice in the Lord
Colossians 3:12-17		Live in love and thanksgiving
1 John 4:7-16			Let us love one another
Gospel Readings: 
Matthew 5:3-10			The Beatitudes
Matthew 5:13-16			Let your light shine
Matthew 7:21, 24-29		Build your house on the rock
Mark 10:6-9 (13-16)		Faithfulness in marriage
John 2:1-10			The wedding at Cana
John 15:9-12			Love one another
Wedding Vows

The following vows are appropriate for use in your wedding:

  1. I, _____, take you, _____, to be my wedded wife/husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part according to God's ordinance of marriage; and to this I promise my faithfulness.

  2. I take you, _____, to be my wife/husband from this day forward, to join with you and share all that is to come, and I promise to be faithful to you until death parts us.

  3. _____, I take you to be my wife/husband from this time onward, to join with you and to share all that is to come, to give and to receive, to speak and to listen, to inspire and to respond, and in all circumstances of our life together to be faithful to you until death parts us.

  4. I take you, _____, to be my wife/husband, I promise before God and these witnesses to be your faithful husband/wife, to share with you in plenty and in want, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, to forgive and strengthen you, and to join with you so that together we may serve God and others as long as we both shall live.

  5. I take you, _____, to be my wife/husband, and these things I promise you: I will be faithful to you and honest with you; I will (obey,) respect, trust, help and care for you; I will share my life with you; I will forgive you as we have been forgiven; and I will try with you better to understand ourselves, the world, and God; through the best and the worst of what is to come until death parts us.

    Bulletins

    It is helpful, but not necessary, to have a printed bulletin to inform guests of the order of service and the names of the participants in the wedding party. You should discuss bulletins with the pastor. Bulletin information must be received one month in advance of the wedding if the church office is to print your bulletin.

    Information for the bulletin will need to be "proofread" one week before the wedding.

    Other Items

    Decorations

    Floral decorations and an aisle runner are not necessary, but, if desired, must be provided by the couple. No real flower petals may be dropped on the floor. Silk flower petals may be used with an aisle runner. The aisle in the sanctuary is about 54 feet long and there are 13 rows of pews.

    The couple can use the white paraments (hangings on the altar, lectern and pulpit) or the color determined by the church year calendar.

    If you plan to have a Unity Candle for your wedding, you must supply those candles.

    Altar candles will be lit for your wedding.

    Other decoration should be discussed with the pastor.

    Pictures

    Most people contract with a professional photographer to photograph or videotape the wedding.
    Floodlights or flash are not permitted during the ceremony. Any pictures must be taken from the back of the church or as a re-enactment after the ceremony. Please ask your photographer to speak with the pastor prior to the wedding.

    After the Wedding

    No birdseed, rice, rose petals, or any other matter may be thrown after the wedding service. Bells, bubbles and/or balloons (environmentally safe) are permitted.

    A Final Note

    As you plan your wedding, please remember that while it is your wedding, it is taking place in God's house. All procedures, all music, all decorum should be first to the Glory of God. As you keep this in mind, you will plan and have a wedding that will be a fulfilling worship experience that you and your guests will long remember.

    God bless you as you prepare. God bless you in your life together.

    Suggested Scripture Texts for Weddings

    Old Testament Lessons

    Genesis 1:26-28
    26 Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth."

    Genesis 2:18-24
    18 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner." 19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken." 24 Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.

    Proverbs 31:10-12, 26-30
    10 A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 27 She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her: 29 "Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

    Song of Solomon 2:10-13
    10 My beloved speaks and says to me: "Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; 11 for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

    Song of Solomon 8:6-7
    6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is stronger than death, passion fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If one offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned.

    Isaiah 63:7-9
    7 I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD, the praiseworthy acts of the LORD, because of all that the LORD has done for us, and the great favor to the house of Israel that he has shown them according to his mercy, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. 8 For he said, "Surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely"; and he became their savior 9 in all their distress. It was no messenger or angel but his presence that saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

    Jeremiah 32:38-41
    38 They shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

    Tobit 8:5b-8
    5 "Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name in all generations forever. Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you forever. 6 You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve as a helper and support. From the two of them the human race has sprung. You said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make a helper for him like himself.' 7 I now am taking this kinswoman of mine, not because of lust, but with sincerity. Grant that she and I may find mercy and that we may grow old together." 8 And they both said, "Amen, Amen."

    Epistle Lessons

    Romans 12:1-2
    1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God -- what is good and acceptable and perfect.

    1 Corinthians 13: (1-3), 4-8a, 13
    1 (If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.) 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends. 13 And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

    Ephesians 5:1-2, 21-33
    1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, 2 and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Savior. 24 Just as the church is subject to Christ, so also wives ought to be, in everything, to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, 27 so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind -- yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. 33 Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.

    Ephesians 3:14-19
    14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. 16 I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. 18 I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

    Philippians 4:4-7
    4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

    Colossians 3:12-17
    12 As God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. 13 Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

    1 John 4:7-16
    7 Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.

    Gospel Lessons

    Matthew 5:3-10
    3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    Matthew 5:13-16
    13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

    Matthew 7:21, 24-29
    21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 24 "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell - and great was its fall!" 28 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

    Mark 10:6-9, 13-16
    6 But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' 7 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." 13 People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. 14 But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." 16 And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

    John 2:1-10
    1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it. 9 When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now."

    John 15:9-12
    9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

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