Pachelbel's Canon
WELCOME (Minister)
On this glorious evening, and in this
beautiful place like no other, it is my privilege to welcome you to celebrate in
this joyous occasion – the marriage of Dave Hendrickson and Daniel Sonnenfeld.
Let us welcome God into our presence, and invoke the spirits of those who cannot be physically with us today; those who rest peacefully in the next realm, whom I assure you are with us now, especially Daniel’s mother, Giselle. Let us invite each of them here with us; let us allow ourselves to feel their warmth and their love in our midst to share in this happy moment.
FLOWER CEREMONY (Minister)
As the parents of Daniel and Dave come
forward, they offer flower leis to their sons.
The lei is traditionally a symbol of greeting.
Today, for these families, it also symbolizes the deep love, support, and
affection between parents and sons.
Now each of the parents will greet their
sons-in-law as a sign of welcome, peace, and inclusion as members of their
extended families of love.
For centuries, families have born and raised, nurtured and loved their children; and from these separate houses of life and love, new life is given and formed; it is from these separate and distinct families that new family springs forth, which we celebrate today.
First
Reading (Peter and Agnes)
“Meditations on the stories of David and Jonathan
and Naomi and Ruth”
| 1st Reader: | When David returned from killing Goliath, he was brought
before Saul, King of the Israelites, and the king's son, Jonathan. Saul
asked of David, "Whose son are you?" David replied, "I am
the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."
|
| 2nd Reader: | After Naomi's husband died, followed by the deaths of her
two sons, she said to her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, "Go back
to your mother's house. May God deal kindly with you, as you have dealt
with the dead and with me. God grant that you may find security, each of
you, in the home of another husband." Orpah left, but Ruth clung to
Naomi.
|
| 1st Reader: | Jonathan became one in spirit with
David, and he loved him as himself. Jonathan made a pact with David to
love him as his own soul; he took off the cloak he was wearing and gave it
to David, and his armor too, even his sword, his bow and belt.
|
| 2nd Reader: | Wherever you go, I will go. I will live and love
beside you. Your family will be my family, and together we
will go with God.
|
| 1st Reader: | The next morning Jonathan went out
into the fields for the agreed meeting with David. David rose from beside
the hillock and fell with his face to the ground and bowed three times.
Then they kissed each other and shed many tears.
|
| 2nd Reader: | Wherever you stay, I will stay, content and secure
around you. Your hopes will be the source of my hope and together we
will hope in God.
|
| 1st Reader: | Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in
peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of God, saying, 'God be
between you and me, between your descendants and mine forever.'"
|
| 2nd Reader: | Wherever you are, I will be, living and loving inside
you. Your dreams will be my energy, and our future will be in
God.
|
| 1st Reader: | When David learned of Jonathan's death, he took hold of his
clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same.
They mourned and wept the death of Jonathan, and fasted until evening.
Then David chanted, "Your love for me was
wonderful, more wonderful than that of women."
|
| 2nd Reader: | Blessed be God, who sinks deep roots in us as the new creation, taking the best of what has been for the seeds of what will be. |
Second
Reading (Sherry and Derek)
1 Corinthians 13: 1-7, 13
If I speak with
human tongues and angelic as well, but do not know love, I am a noisy gong, a
clanging cymbal.
If I have the love of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all
mysteries; if I have the faith great enough to move mountains, but have not
love, I am nothing.
If I give everything to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned, but
have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is
patient, love is kind.
Love is not jealous, it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish.
Love is never rude, it is not selfish, it is not prone to anger; neither does it
brood over injuries.
Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices with the truth.
There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to
endure
Music
(T.J. Istavan)
“In Whatever Time We Have”, Steven Scwartz
In
whatever time we have
For as long as we are living
We can face whatever comes
If we face it now as one
I could make it on my own
Let me know that I don't have to
No one really wants to be alone
In whatever time we have
If
at times we are afraid
With so little to believe in
It's alright to feel afraid
I will hold you in the dark
All
we know for sure is this
Though the world could end tomorrow
You and I will be together
In whatever time we have
We know life can be a battlefield
But we won't run and we won't yield
You'll be my fortress
And I will be your shield
No one really wants to be alone
In whatever time we have
There
are times I've been afraid
In a world that's so uncertain
Then I feel your hand in mine
And there's courage in my heart
We could live a hundred years
Or the world could end tomorrow
But we know we'll be together
In whatever time we have
From
this day forward
Nights won't seem so black
From this day forward
We will never look back
In whatever time we have
We will make the most of time
And at least we'll be together
In whatever time we have
If
at times we are afraid
With so little to believe in
It's alright to be afraid
I will hold you in the dark
HOMILY (Minister)
Marriage is a sign to all that two people have embodied God’s love for
each of them into love for one another. It
is an open, and public, acknowledgment. It
is something shared, not something hidden away and kept secret.
It is joyous, and calls for celebration and proclamation.
The segment today from the letter of Paul to
the Corinthians is a simple one: without
love, life is all but empty. All of
other great gifts from God, and there are many, lose their luster, if they are
not founded in, and represented through love.
Love is the most natural condition, according to Paul.
If we strip away all of our limitations and attempts to control both
ourselves, and one another, at the very core of ourselves love resides.
Dave and Daniel, in many ways, remind me of David and Jonathan: both strong and independent; neither ashamed of the love they bear for one another, and indeed, they are quite public about it, which is why we are gathered here today; it’s not important to them to distinguish or to identify the “type” of love that flows between them; their relationship seems very clear on the surface, but it runs deep inside of them; they are passionate, intertwined, and interconnected; and their connection is irreversible, long-lasting, and life-giving.
To Dave and Daniel, this marriage is a bond between them made in the sight of God. Indeed, our presence is not necessary for this marriage to take place. But it was their choice to declare publicly their love for one another. I am honored – as each of us should be honored – to accept the invitation to bear witness to them and for them – now and in the future.
It has been my privilege to get to know Dave and Daniel; to see them together; to watch them converse and engage with the whole of their beings: their minds, their bodies, their hands, and their hearts. Even the casual observer comes to the same conclusion: these two are indeed, soul mates – and as of this day, they are for each other, and belong to one another.
CONGREGATIONAL
READING (Minister)
It is Dave and Daniel’s great hope that you, as family and friends, will stand beside them always, and encourage them, guide them (when they ask for guidance), include them, challenge them, and support them with your deep love and heartfelt intention. It is your recognition and witness that makes viable the love that they celebrate today. Please stand and join me in reading the Congregational Response.
Responsive
Reading (Congregation)
We, your family and friends/Celebrate with
you today/
And pledge/To share in your lives/And honor your love/always.
VOWS
(Minister)
Dave and Daniel will now pledge their vows to one another.
DANIEL'S VOWS
You bring out the best in me,
and I pledge to always be accepting of you. You challenge me and make me grow,
and I promise to be open to your insights. You give me so much support in
my hard times, and I will always reach out to you. All that I have, and
all that I desire, all that I love, I will share with you.
With these words that I tell you, my heart, mind and soul are filled with joy. My love for you is undying, my commitment to you is unconditional, and I will be your husband forever more.
DAVE'S VOWS
Daniel, I stand beside you, prepared to share with you all I have: My possessions, my heart, my soul, my life. I promise to always listen to you, with my eyes, ears and heart. I promise to never let any person, object, or goal be more important to me than you. You have already made me a better man than I had ever dared imagine. Your fiery determination and steadfast devotion are my constant inspiration.
I will stand by you through all the times of our life, sharing in blessings and burdens we encounter, always grateful that I will never have to know them alone. You are and always will be my best friend and the one and only true love of my life
BLESSING
OF THE RINGS (Minister)
These rings symbolize the bonds of love that encircle these two men; the exchange of rings represents their pure intention to preserve forever the eternal bond that holds them together and makes them one.
RING EXCHANGE
I give you this ring as an everlasting symbol of the trust, devotion and love we share. This is gift from the man who loves you very much.
FINAL
BLESSING (Minister)
In the words of Oscar Wilde: “Love is fed by the imagination, by which we become wiser than we know, better than we feel, nobler than we are; by which we can see life as a whole; by which, and by which alone, we can understand others in their real, as in their ideal relations.”
As we release the spirits that we have called forth to celebrate with us, I now, by the authority vested in me by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, pronounce you, Daniel and Dave, forever joined in love and in life. God bless you and be with you always. Amen.
You may now kiss the groom!
