Although we cannot offer a legal ceremony, the religious celebration can take place after your partnership is signed. The Rector is happy to work with you to create a ceremony that is right for you. Please contact the Parish Office to discuss your needs.
Fess begin from £220 (2010)
SAMPLE SERVICE: BLESSING OF A COVENANT
THE GREETING
P: In the name of the Father + and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
P: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
All: And also with you.
S/He then offers this prayer:
Let us pray: (Silence)
Blessed are you, O Holy One,
for you are pleased to dwell among us
and to fill our lives with your presence.
May N and M,
who seek your blessing upon their covenant,
be filled with your love.
May their life together be to us a sign
of your promised reign of justice and peace.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
The First Reading
At the end of the reading:Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
All: Thanks be to God.
The Holy Gospel
All stand for the Gospel. The reader says,
The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to …
All: Glory to you, O Lord.
At the conclusion of the Gospel, the reader says,
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
THE COVENANT
The Priest invites N and M to stand before him. S/ He addresses the couple in these or similar words.
A covenant is an ancient form of promise, a public declaration of commitment that binds people in an enduring relationship. The Bible tells the story of God’s covenant with human beings. God’s covenant with Israel was the basis of the people’s liberation from slavery and exile. God’s covenant with the followers of Jesus brings us into a new community where there is no male nor female, Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, but one people united in Christ.
All our covenants with family and friends are signs of God’s faithfulness and love. They are living expressions of God’s promises to us and sources of hope to others. Today we gather to witness and to bless the public commitment of N and M to such a covenant.
S/He then addresses the couple as follows.
N and M, do you believe you are called into a life-long covenant of love and fidelity?
Couple: We do.
Will you live together in love?
Couple: We will, with God’s help.
Will you be faithful to one another?
Couple: We will, with God’s help.
Will you support one another in love?
Couple: We will, with God’s help.
S/He then invites the couple to stand and face each other. Taking each other by the hands, each says to the other in turn.
N., I give myself to you.
I love you, trust you, and delight in you.
I will share your burdens and your joys.
I will go with you wherever life leads you.
This is my solemn vow.
The Blessing of the Covenant
S/He then says:
You, the friends of N and M, are witnesses to this covenant. Will you support them in the vows they have made?
All: We will.
Will you stand by them, encourage, guide, and pray for them in times of trouble and distress?
All: We will.
Do you give them your blessing?
All: We do.
N and M then kneel before the Altar
Let us pray.
(Silence)
We give thanks and praise to you, O gracious God,
for your unfailing love and wonderful deeds among us:
for the splendour of creation, the beauty of this world,
the mystery of our lives and the mystery of human love.
We give you thanks and praise for N and M,
because you create in them
the desire for intimacy and companionship,
calling them out of isolation and exile,
strengthening them against prejudice and fear,
and embracing them in a family of friends and loved ones.
Pour out your abundant blessing upon them.
May they grow in love for one another
and for all your creation.
Lead them into accomplishments that satisfy and delight.
Grant that in the years ahead
they may be faithful to the promises they make this day,
and that in the strength of the Holy Spirit they may grow together
in the love, joy, and peace of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
All: Blessed are you, O gracious God, source of all love, now and for ever. Amen.
The Exchange of the Peace
The priest invites everyone to exchange the Kiss of Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
All exchange the greeting of peace. If the celebration is within the context of the Mass, the Offertory flows. Otherwise:
The Our Father
S/He then invites us to pray:
As Jesus taught us, so we pray,
All: Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
The Final Litany of Blessing
The priest says:
N and M have been drawn into a covenant of mind and body, heart and will. We have celebrated this covenant and pray that the life they share will reflect that eternal and divine love in which all things came into being and are constantly being renewed. Let us join in prayer asking God’s blessing upon us
Abundant God, Lover of all creation, pour out your blessing on us and the covenant we have celebrated.
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our solitude and our companionship,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our acts of tenderness and intimacy,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our delight at knowing and being known,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our acts of self-sacrifice to build up one another,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our being comfort to each other,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our passion for justice,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In our generosity and tenacity,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
In all our fruitfulness,
All: May we be blessed by you for ever.
May God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
the holy and undivided Trinity,
+ guard you, save you,
and bring you to that heavenly city,
where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
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