Holy Matrimony Presentation Booklet

The Anglican Church in North America’s presentation booklet titled Holy Matrimony introduces a new resource for pastoral ministry by the clergy. It contains the Church’s new Rite of Holy Matrimony. The clergy is to take great care to prepare all candidates for Holy Matrimony, and this attractively printed booklet is a resource to that end, and may also be a treasured keepsake for the couple. The attractively printed booklet can be used to conduct the wedding service, serve in premarital instruction, and as a teaching tool for the church as it fosters a fresh culture of faithful and godly marriage. The overarching purpose of the Holy Matrimony booklet is to help make the renewal of marriage and family life a priority of our Church. In it you will find not only the exact text of the new rite, but in addition there are duplicate copies of the Marriage Certificates and a Declaration of Intention to be married. There is also a supplemental liturgy for use with the Declaration of Intention.

The Church considers marriage to be a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman, binding both to self-giving love and exclusive fidelity. The rite of Holy Matrimony is a worship service of the Church, in which the couple exchanges vows to uphold this covenant. They do this before God and in the presence of witnesses, who pray that God will bless their life together. The covenantal union of man and woman in marriage signifies the communion between Christ, the heavenly bridegroom, and the Church, his holy bride (Ephesians 5:32). While all do not marry, Holy Matrimony symbolizes the union all Christians share with their Lord.

In Holy Matrimony, God establishes and blesses the covenant between husband and wife, and joins them to live together in a communion of love, faithfulness and peace within the fellowship of Christ and his Church. God enables all married people to grow in love, wisdom and godliness through a common life patterned on the sacrificial love of Christ.