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Policy Regarding Legal Weddings and Holy Unions |
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Note: The following was adopted by the Church Council of Broadway United Methodist Church on September 12, 2000 and revised by that body on November 11, 2003. The actions were taken with the understanding that the policy is only advisory to the pastor of the congregation.
Broadway United Methodist Church (BUMC) re-affirms its intent to minister to all people and exclude no group or individual. Celebrating a covenant between two people is one of our ministries. We see such covenants as not only a commitment of two people to each other, but also a declaration of new ministry and relationship to the Broadway congregation and the world.
Our policy going forward, until such a time as we deem it necessary to change it, will be as follows.
CELEBRANTS
Since the United Methodist Book of Worship assumes that couples actually are the ones who "make" a covenant, the pastor at BUMC will no longer "conduct" legal weddings or holy union covenants. The couples will "conduct" their Holy Union or legal wedding covenant (i.e. create and celebrate their covenant through the exchange of vows) or may ask their primary attendants to assist them. All Holy Union and legal wedding covenanting done by couples will occur with the pastor present at a site separate from the church building and at a time chosen by the couple. This is in keeping with The United Methodist Book of Discipline (Paragraph 332.6, 2000 Discipline).
WORSHIP SERVICES
Worship services in celebration of God’s grace for couples will be held in the BUMC sanctuary as scheduled by the pastor. These may include, among other elements, the re-affirmation of the covenanting vows, the exchange of symbols and the celebration of Holy Communion. The pastor will participate in the worship service to affirm God’s grace for all loving relationships.
Because the couple’s covenant is also with a community of faith, legal weddings and Holy Unions will be celebrated primarily with couples who are members, constituents, and friends of BUMC.
MEDIA
The pastor of BUMC will not comment to the media in advance about planned legal weddings or Holy Unions. We strongly request that couples do the same.
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