|
|
       |
|
 |
|
|
 |
 Dear Interested Wedding Party, Congratulations on your planned marriage! This packet will inform you about the policies and procedures for those who wish to be married at Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church or by the pastoral staff of this church. A Christian Wedding A wedding at Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church involves far more than a beautiful setting. It is a service of Christian worship in which a lifelong commitment of a man and a women to each other is made, publicly witnessed, and acknowledged by the community of faith. It means that those who seek a wedding in this church are willing to begin or to rekindle their faith in Jesus Christ. It means that the couples' faith will not be a private or temporary commitment, but one which will continue regularly after the wedding through involvement in a faith community (a church). It means that the couple recognizes that they are dependent on God revealed in Jesus Christ to enable them to fulfill their pledge of lifelong love and fidelity for one another. Date The church calendar is developed far in advance. Your first act should be to call the church office to see if your hoped-for wedding date is clear for the use of the church facility and open on one of the pastors’ schedule. One of the pastors will call back to arrange dates and times for the service and to set up a meeting with both you and your future spouse. Normally the wedding date should be arranged at least three months in advance. Pastor Generally, the pastor will officiate at wedding services held at this church. Guest ministers may be invited to assist with the ceremony. Under some circumstances, the Session (governing board) may authorize another minister to officiate at a service held at this church. This must be arranged well in advance. A pastor is required to be at the wedding rehearsal. The First Meeting The first meeting with the pastor will provide him/her the opportunity to get acquainted with the couple by exploring personal histories, future aspirations, present feelings, and beliefs. The pastor will be seeking insight into the couple's level of maturity, responsibility, Christian commitment, and readiness for this marriage. In most cases, the pastor can tell the couple at the conclusion of this session if he or she is willing to officiate in the service. Pre-Marital Conversations Couples are normally required to go through at least three sessions of pre-marital conversations. The sessions are designed to explore significant marriage issues (e.g., communication, in-laws, family and career expectations) in order to better prepare the couple for the rigors of a satisfying and healthy marriage. Coordinator The Wedding Coordinator will assist you with all the arrangements for the use of the church facilities and will also assist the minister with the conduct of the wedding service. The Wedding Coordinator oversees the operation of the wedding service, e.g., opening and closing, arranging set-ups, and giving instructions to the wedding party during the service. The wedding rehearsal should take 1 to 2 hrs. If it exceeds 2 hrs. there will be an additional charge. Any decorating of the pews can be done at the rehearsal. It will be your responsibility to call the coordinator early in this process. Music Music for the wedding should be in the worship and music tradition of the church. Musical services available include: organist, pianist, soloists, other musicians, and playing recorded music. The church music staff may be able to suggest appropriate music to contribute to the mood you wish to create with your service. You may be asked to provide sheet music for special requests if not already in our music library. It will be your responsibility to contact our organist shortly after you have set the date and completed the first meeting with the pastor. (Note: Special microphone setups or the use of recorded music require the use of the church’s sound technician.) Photography Photographs may be taken during the service if done inconspicuously and without flash. Normal wedding photographs may be taken either before or after the service. If pictures are to be taken before the wedding, the photographer should be at the church 1 hour before the service. If more time is needed please contact the Wedding Coordinator. Videos and recordings are also permitted with the requirement that they not be obtrusive. Flowers flower drop-off arrangements, candles, carpet runner, kneeling bench, reception coordination at the church, etc., should be discussed with the wedding coordinator early in the planning. It is suggested that the flowers be delivered to the church1 hour before the wedding. Meeting with the Pastor A meeting will be scheduled with the pastor approximately one month prior to your wedding to review the counseling and to design the actual service. The pastor will work with you in designing a Christian wedding service compatible with your personality and desires. Sanctuary Ornamentation Because you are holding your wedding in a church, we would like you to be aware that at various times of the year the sanctuary has special decorations which cannot be removed for your event. During Lent (from Ash Wednesday to Easter) there are purple and lavender drapes hanging from the side columns; the cross is also draped in purple and there is a crown of thorns hanging from it. On Easter and for several Sundays following, there are white paper banners hanging from the side columns, the cross is draped in white, and there are large white banners hanging from the banner poles. The Sunday of Pentecost (fifty days after Easter), there are yellow, red, and orange streamers hanging to represent tongues of flame. During the month of October we have several hundred paper doves hanging from the cross out over the sanctuary pews in honor of Peacemaking. Finally, during the Christmas season the church is decorated with greens, pine cones, ribbon and gold stars hanging over the sanctuary pews. If you have questions about these decorations, our Wedding Coordinator would be happy to answer them. Sanctuary Furnishings Please do not move or set aside the following items: pulpit, piano, drums, lectern, keyboard, communion table, or the hanging par aments. |
| ©2008 Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church. All Rights Reserved. | |
 |
