23 July 2005

 

 

SIMON AND CAROL SPRINGETT

 

 

A Celebration of

 

25 Years of Marriage

 

 

Hymn:  PRAISE, MY SOUL, THE KING OF HEAVEN

 

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven,

To his feet your tribute bring;

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,

Who, like me, his praise should sing?

Alleluia! Alleluia! praise the everlasting King!

 

Praise him for his grace and favour

To our fathers in distress;

Praise him, still the same as ever,

Slow to blame and swift to bless;

Alleluia! Alleluia! glorious in his faithfulness.

 

Father-like he tends and spares us;
All our hopes and fears he knows;
In his hands he gently bears us;
Rescues us from all our foes;
Alleluia! Alleluia! widely as his mercy flows.

 

Angels, help us to adore him;

You behold him face to face;

Sun and moon, bow down before him,

Dwellers all in time and space,

Alleluia! Alleluia! praise with us the God of grace.

 

Introduction

 

We have invited you here today to celebrate with us our marriage of 25 years.  As we renew our vows we thank you, for your enduring friendship; we thank God for the joys we have known and the strength with which we have been blessed; and we thank each other for the love we have shared.  Today we want to declare that love publicly before God, family and friends, and to reaffirm our lasting commitment as partners in love and life.

 

We declare our commitment, with God's help, to love and be faithful to one another.  We recommit ourselves to a love for one another that involves total self‑giving. We covenant to accept each other totally, creating a safe and loving space for each other to grow as individuals and partners and to mature in faith.

 

We make this covenant today before God, the creator of the life that we share, and the giver of the love that we have for each other.  Please pray with us that our love will continue to grow and blossom in years to come.

 

Silence is kept for reflection on the years that have passed and on shared experiences, good and bad.

 

Reading

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.   Ephesians 3:14-19

 

Renewal of Vows

 

I, Simon, took you, Carol, to be my wife;

 

I, Carol, took you, Simon, to be my husband;

 

to have and to hold from that day forward,

for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,

in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,

till death us do part, according to God's holy law,

and this was our solemn vow.

Today, in the presence of family and friends,

we affirm our continuing commitment to this vow.

 

Will you, as family and friends,

continue to support and uphold us

in our marriage now and in the years to come?

We will.

Prayers

Eternal God, we offer our thanks that through our earthly lives you speak of your eternal life.  We rejoice in the wonder of creation, the gift of human life and the many blessings that our relationships bring.  Especially this day we give thanks with Simon and Carol for their 25 years of marriage.  Renew in them, and in all of us, the fruit of your Holy Spirit; that we may know love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

 

Spirit of God, in whom we live and move and have our being, you give us the life and grace of human love that draws us to each other.  Today we pray for all who are married.  May they be strengthened to keep the vows they have made, to cherish the life they share, and to honour each other in love.  Amen.

 

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever.  Amen.

 

May God of his infinite goodness and mercy continue to bless you and your union.  May the Father who created you, the Son who redeems you, and the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you, preserve and keep you all your days.  The Lord with his favour look upon you, and so fill you with all spiritual blessing and grace; that you may so please him in this life, that in the world to come you may have life everlasting.  Amen.

 

Hymn:  HELP US TO HELP EACH OTHER, LORD

 

Help us to help each other, Lord, 
each other's load to bear, 
that all may live in true accord, 
our joys and pains to share. 

Help us to build each other up, 
your strength within us prove. 
Increase our faith, confirm our hope, 
and fill us with your love. 

Together make us free indeed - 
your life within us show, 
and into you, our living Head, 
let us in all things grow. 

Drawn by the magnet of your love 
we find our hearts made new. 
Nearer each other let us move, 
and nearer still to you.

The Dismissal

 

Heavenly Father,

we offer you our souls and bodies,

our thoughts and words and deeds,

our love for one another.

Unite our wills in your will,

that we may grow together

in love and peace

all the days of our life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

God the Holy Trinity make you strong in faith and love,

defend you on every side, and guide you in truth and peace;

and the blessing of God almighty,

the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

be among you and remain with you always.  Amen.