Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!  

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As a Christian church, we have two goals for any wedding conducted at Grace:

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1. That the engaged couple, with the Pastor, plan and celebrate a Christ-centered, God-glorifying wedding service.

2. That the engaged couple understand and commit to God’s plan for marriage and family through the study of God’s Word and counseling with the Pastor.

 

The following guidelines have been adopted by the Board of Elders of Grace Lutheran Church as the policy of the congregation regarding all weddings held at the church.

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• Any couple wishing to have their wedding performed at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church must begin by making an appointment to see the pastor.

• The couple needs to meet the following minimum requirements. Exceptions must be approved by the Pastor and the Board of Elders.

 

a.  One of the couple must be a member in good standing of Grace Lutheran Church.

b.  The couple will make arrangements with the pastor and the church office for a time when they can come to the church and take the marriage preparation inventory tests used by the pastor in premarital counseling. Any costs related to the inventories are the responsibility of the couple (exceptions made on the basis of need).

c.  The couple will arrange with the pastor to have at least four premarital counseling classes. This registration can be made with the pastor or by calling the church office. These classes must be taken prior to the wedding.

d.  Upon completion of the above requirements, the couple will plan the particulars of their wedding service with the pastor.

 

• Grace Lutheran Church understands the church wedding ceremony to be a worship service which takes place in the sight of Almighty God. As such, all  aspects of the wedding must conform to God’s Word. All music selections should focus on God and what He has done for us in Christ. Only music with Pastor’s approval will be used.

• The pastor of Grace Lutheran Church will officiate at all wedding services with only those clergy who share our public confession of faith, i.e., only with clergy of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

• There will be no alcoholic beverages or drunkenness tolerated on the church property. 

• Smoking is not permitted inside the church building at any time. 

• Organists and all singers/soloists must be approved by the pastor.

• There will be no flash pictures taken during the worship service. There will be no “roving” photography or videography during the worship service.  Pictures may also be taken either before or after the service itself.  The service may be video-recorded from the balcony or from another location as approved by the pastor.

• Normally, only one wedding will be scheduled on any particular day.

• We expect the church to be left in the condition in which you found it.

• Gifts (monetary or otherwise) to the church, pastor, or musician are at the discretion of the couple.

 

The Board of Elders
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church     Revised 9/9/2005