Christian Marriage
Emily Hi. I'm Emily. Last week my mum got married at our local church. It was a great day. I was a bridesmaid and got to wear an amazing long, like, dress. But I want to find out what the ceremony really meant and why marriage is important for Christians like my mum.
Emily I've come to speak to my mom and stepdad to ask them questions about why it was important for Christians to get married.
Katrina We wanted to show our commitment in front of God, our friends and family.
Emily Were you nervous before the wedding?
David I wasn't nervous. I wasn't nervous at all.
Katrina He was nervous.
David I was nervous. You keeping me waiting for 25 minutes, didn't make me nervous at all.
Emily What was your favourite part about the wedding?
David Walking down the aisle together.
Katrina Yeah. Yeah, I think that-
David On the way out
Katrina I think that was nice actually, being because we were separate to begin with, and then we combined and walked down the aisle ourselves. So yeah, I quite enjoyed that.
Emily This is the church where my mum got married. Traditionally, the bride walks up the aisle to meet the groom who is waiting with the vicar and the best man.
Penny Sawyer My name is Penny Sawyer. I am the vicar here at Saint Albans Church in Dagenham.
Emily After the vicar welcomes everyone, we say a prayer and sing a hymn.
Penny Sawyer In the presence of God, father, Son and Holy Spirit, we have come together to witness the marriage of David and Katrina.
Emily Why is it important for Christians to get married?
Penny Sawyer Christians look to the Bible as their, sort of, the text that teaches them how to do things, and if you remember right at the beginning of the Bible in the book of Genesis, God creates Adam, and Adam is very lonely, so God creates Eve to be a partner and and a helpmate and to go through life together. So, that's really the foundation of family life that a man and a woman come together and they live their lives faithfully together.
Emily After the prayers, the vicar stands here and tells us a little bit about what marriage is.
Penny Sawyer It enriches society and strengthens community. No one should enter into it lightly or selfishly, but reverently and responsibly in the sight of Almighty God.
Emily I know usually brides get married in white, but my mum got married in red. Does that matter?
Penny Sawyer That doesn't matter at all. The most important thing is that you have the man and the woman who wants to be married, and you have two witnesses. So actually all you need is five people minimum, but you had a big family wedding, didn't you? With lots and lots of people.
Emily After that there is a Bible reading. My uncle read a passage which talks about how people should behave when they're in love, and how they should treat each other.
Emily's Uncle Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honour the master. Husbands, go all out in love for your wives. Don't take advantage of them.
Emily Then the vicar gives a sermon. Penny talked about love and marriage.
Penny Sawyer Marriage is a gift from God to all of us. Couples are intended to find delight in each other.
Emily Now we move on to the really exciting bit. The vicar turns to the couple and asks them to hold hands and vow that they love each other and will look after each other.
David I, David Vincent Humber.
Penny Sawyer Take you, Katrina Anne Emerson.
David Take you, Katrina Anne Emerson.
Penny Sawyer To be my wife.
David To be my wife.
Katrina I Katrina Anne Emerson.
S4 Take you, David. Vincent. Tumba. Thank you. David. Vincent. Thank you. To be my husband.
Penny Sawyer Take you, David Vincent Tumba.
Katrina Take you David Vincent Tumba.
Penny Sawyer To be my husband.
Katrina To be my husband.
Emily Why do Christians use wedding rings?
Penny Sawyer Just because it's traditional. You don't have to have wedding rings, and sometimes just the bride will have a ring, not the groom. Um, it's quite symbolic because it goes round and round and round forever, so it's a sign of everlasting love. Heavenly father, by your blessings. Let these rings be to David and Katrina, a symbol of unending love and faithfulness.
Penny Sawyer Katrina. I give you this ring.
David Katrina. I give you this ring.
Penny Sawyer As a sign of our marriage.
David As a sign of our marriage.
Emily They are pronounced husband and wife, and they normally kiss.
Penny Sawyer In the presence of God, and before this congregation. David and Katrina have given their consent and made their marriage vows to each other. They have declared their marriage by the joining of hands and by the giving and receiving of rings.
Emily When the ceremony is over, family and friends got together to have a party. Often speeches are made and there was a wedding cake, but today I've learned that the most important thing is that God is there to blessing the couple and their love for each other. For me, it's great because I have an even bigger family.