Weddings: Suggestions for gender-free wedding services.
Celebrating Equal Marriage
Mark Johnston, 2013 (format: Free Download)
A short paper by Mark Johnston, Executive Director of GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program, describing equal marriage and making practical suggestions.
(categories: All, Weddings)I Do! Getting Ready for Marriage: Today’s Guide for Couples
Stillspeaking Writers' Group, 2014 (format: Book)
I Do! Getting Ready for Marriage: Today’s Guide for Couples, by the Stillspeaking Writiers’ Group of the United Church of Christ, is a short but comprehensive guide to working with couples and planning weddings that is thoughtful, comprehensive, and gender inclusive.
I Do! Getting Ready for Marriage includes short essays ranging from “What I No Longer Say at Weddings” to “Vows That Still Have Value: What I Still Say at Weddings” to “The Second Time Around.” This booklet includes useful top 10 lists such as 10 Bad Reasons to Get Married in a Church as well as 10 Good Reasons to Get Married in a Church.
Also included is a list of 13 Real-Life Conversations to Have Before the Wedding and advice on planning the wedding service.
(categories: All, Weddings)Inclusive Marriage Services: A Wedding Sourcebook
Kimberly Bracken Long and David Maxwell, 2015 (format: book)
Inclusive Marriage Services: A Wedding Sourcebook edited by Kimberly Bracken Long and David Maxwell, is exactly what the title promises, a book full of both complete wedding services and additional liturgical material for weddings.
The material in this book sounds familiar and traditionally Christian, but what’s different is exactly what the title offers: the language is not gendered and a variety of services are offered.
Inclusive Marriage Services includes complete services for those who are marrying for the first time, for those who have already shared a long term relationship, for those with children, and for couples where one is not Christian. Beyond that, complete services are adapted from the Church of Scotland, Uniting Network of Australia, United Church of Canada, United Church of Christ, and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) along with two services for reaffirmation of vows.
And that’s only Part One of the book. Part Two includes a variety of alternate material for every aspect of a wedding service, and Part Three includes practical advice for a variety of couples and situations, including LGBT couples, couples with children, music suggestions, sermon ideas, and even walking down the aisle.
Want to know more about this resource? Check out this in-depth review by Disciples Pastor Bob Cornwall.
(categories: All, Weddings)Marriage & the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): A People’s Guide for Study & Conversation
More Light Presbyterians (format: Free Download)
A brief but thorough study guide on marriage from the More Light Presbyterians including sections on Biblical, theological, and historical considerations.
(categories: All, Christian Marriage and Equal Marriage, Weddings)
Sample Wedding Services
(format: Free Download)
Here are some sample gender-free wedding services.
Order For Marriage: an Inclusive Version from the United Church of Christ.
The Witnessing and Blessing of a Lifelong Covenant from the Episcopal Church.