#1
Eternal God, without your grace no promise is sure. Strengthen N. and N. with patience, kindness, gentleness, and all other gifts of your Spirit, so that they may fulfill the vows they have made. Keep them faithful to each other and to you. Fill them with such love and joy that they may build a home of peace and welcome. Guide them by your Word to serve you all their days.
Help us all, O God, to do your will in each of our homes and lives. Enrich us with your grace so that, supporting one another, we may serve those in need and hasten the coming of peace, love, and justice on earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
#2
Eternal God, Creator and preserver of all life, author of salvation, and giver of all grace: look with favor upon the world you have made and redeemed, and especially upon N. and N.
Give them wisdom and devotion in their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy.
Grant that their wills may be so knit together in your will, and their spirits in your Spirit, that they may grow in love and peace with you and each other all the days of their life.
Give them the grace, when they hurt each other, to recognize and confess their fault, and to seek each other’s forgiveness and yours. Make their life together a sign of Christ’s love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair. Give them such fulfillment of their mutual love that they may reach out in concern for others.
Give to them, if it is your will, the gift of children, and the wisdom to bring them up to know you, to love you, and to serve you.
Grant that all who have witnessed these vows may find their lives strengthened, and that all who are married may depart with their own promises renewed. Enrich with your grace all husbands and wives, parents and children, that, loving and supporting one another, they may serve those in need and be a sign of your kingdom.
Grant that the bonds by which all your children are tied to one another may be so transformed by your Spirit that your peace and justice may fill the earth, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
#3
O God who gives us life, we bring the lives of N. and N. before you. Bless their commitment. Breathe into their marriage the vitality that only your spirit gives. Grant them the strength, the energy and the fortitude to nurture this marriage through whatever they face. Protect them and guide them through the everydays so that they can live before you, honoring you with this union. Only you, O Lord, have given us life and love. Lead N. and N. in the path of love. May their lives, joined together, reflect your presence in this world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
#4
God of all joyful things, we relish the warmth of your smile upon N. and N. today. As they lay their lives on the altar of love, give them the deep pleasure of knowing that your will involves their dreams coming true. Let us all with joyful hearts celebrate your love for the church made manifest in the love this man has for this woman. Let us remember our love for you as we see the love this woman has for this man. Bless this melding of hearts, spirits, families and lives with the delight of your heart. Give them this joyous moment, etched in their memories, so that they may return to this marker time and time again, knowing that it is for this joy that you brought them together. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
#5
Most holy God, you know the sacrifices required by love. You, more than we, know the price of unconditional commitment. Pour your wisdom on N. and N. as they pour their lives on this altar. Give them the ability to place self aside and to love without reserve. Within their affection build a lavish supply of forgiveness and grace for each other. Plant them deeply in the soil of their families and of your Word. Ingrain in them a resilience that will guard and guide the choices they make as they honor each other on this day and for the rest of their lives. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
#6
Holy God, who is the same forever, we are here to witness the beginning of the life together of N. and N. It will be a life with many changes to negotiate. Our road here on the earth is one that bends and turns, often when we least expect it. O God, as N. and N. step out into their journey, may they hold on to the unchangeableness of your nature as they face the shifting of life. Give them a commitment that will not be tossed by any wind or storm. Help them to hold on to the parts of their love that reflect your very nature – the same yesterday, today and forever. We rejoice with them that no matter what they face in the days ahead, you will be there as surely as you are here today. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.