This is the ceremony I wrote for my brother and his wife's vow renewal. I thought I would share.
***
Welcome.
Before we bear witness to this renewed pledge of love and companionship, we must first pause for a moment and reflect on just what it is we are celebrating. Joined hand in hand, these two represent a confluence of wonder and joy. For those who do not know, a confluence is the place where two rivers come together to make a new river – one whose renown and power are oft more pronounced than the two from which it was born. So formed is the Amazon River, the Ohio River, the Ganges – each of these finds their source in the joining of other rivers, the swirling of waters that soon become inseparable from one another.
At the point of the joining, cities thrive and grow – tying their fates to the new river, a river strong and alive from the moment of its waking.
So, too, are Jim and Marie a confluence. Behind them, in the years of their lives before they met, they carved out their paths, tumbling over obstacles or finding ways around them. They have brought with them, rolling along in the current of their existence, their experiences and their dreams, their hopes and fears, their families and their friends. And into the headwaters of the new life they are building together, all of these things combine to form a powerful force – one that can carry them wherever they need to go. From these moments onward, they will share their lives and face whatever the world lays before them.
And we, who are gathered here to celebrate the strength of what they have found together, will thrive in their abundance of love and joy. For no matter which tributary we aligned ourselves with, we are now all part of the same river – and their love and joy will be ever stronger because we, too, have joined it, adding our own.
So, I stand here to officiate something that is already official and to give voice to that which we all already know and feel. For my brother, I have pride and not a little relief. I always knew you were a good man with a big heart, but I was never quite sure if you would ever find someone who could draw you out of your private world and, to return to the river metaphor, open the locks so you could show the world just how special you are. I cannot express how pleased and honored I am to be here in this place with you. For my new sister, I welcome you warmly into our circle of family and friends. You’ve already been welcomed, and as you are still here, I know that you belong here. I did not know if I would ever get the chance to welcome a sister in this way, and now that I am, I could not have asked for a better woman and friend. I cannot express how pleased and honored I am to be here in this place with you.
To you both, I offer love and gifts in my words that I have no doubt echo, in some way, the hearts of all of those who have gathered here – and even those who could not be with us today. I cannot truly express how pleased and honored we are to be here in this place with you both.
Each of us should well know that Jim and Marie have asked us to be here today to witness this celebration because each of us plays a vital part in their lives. The friendship, guidance, support, encouragement, and love have made them who they are and have brought them to this place; truly, if we close our eyes and listen closely, we can even hear the heartbeats and laughter of those who are no longer with us. Jim and Marie have already begun their lives together with hearts full of gratitude for the past, joy for the present, and hope for the future and now they wish to share it with those most dear to them.
They have already come through sickness and health, through richness and poorness, for better and for worse. On a Sunday afternoon in May, over one year ago, they pledged themselves to one another. And now, I ask if they are ready to affirm, to their gathered friends and family, their commitment to one another. Jim and Marie, are you ready to once again make the pledges to which you commit yourselves to each other in love?
Before we bear witness to this renewed pledge of love and companionship, we must first pause for a moment and reflect on just what it is we are celebrating. Joined hand in hand, these two represent a confluence of wonder and joy. For those who do not know, a confluence is the place where two rivers come together to make a new river – one whose renown and power are oft more pronounced than the two from which it was born. So formed is the Amazon River, the Ohio River, the Ganges – each of these finds their source in the joining of other rivers, the swirling of waters that soon become inseparable from one another.
At the point of the joining, cities thrive and grow – tying their fates to the new river, a river strong and alive from the moment of its waking.
So, too, are Jim and Marie a confluence. Behind them, in the years of their lives before they met, they carved out their paths, tumbling over obstacles or finding ways around them. They have brought with them, rolling along in the current of their existence, their experiences and their dreams, their hopes and fears, their families and their friends. And into the headwaters of the new life they are building together, all of these things combine to form a powerful force – one that can carry them wherever they need to go. From these moments onward, they will share their lives and face whatever the world lays before them.
And we, who are gathered here to celebrate the strength of what they have found together, will thrive in their abundance of love and joy. For no matter which tributary we aligned ourselves with, we are now all part of the same river – and their love and joy will be ever stronger because we, too, have joined it, adding our own.
So, I stand here to officiate something that is already official and to give voice to that which we all already know and feel. For my brother, I have pride and not a little relief. I always knew you were a good man with a big heart, but I was never quite sure if you would ever find someone who could draw you out of your private world and, to return to the river metaphor, open the locks so you could show the world just how special you are. I cannot express how pleased and honored I am to be here in this place with you. For my new sister, I welcome you warmly into our circle of family and friends. You’ve already been welcomed, and as you are still here, I know that you belong here. I did not know if I would ever get the chance to welcome a sister in this way, and now that I am, I could not have asked for a better woman and friend. I cannot express how pleased and honored I am to be here in this place with you.
To you both, I offer love and gifts in my words that I have no doubt echo, in some way, the hearts of all of those who have gathered here – and even those who could not be with us today. I cannot truly express how pleased and honored we are to be here in this place with you both.
Each of us should well know that Jim and Marie have asked us to be here today to witness this celebration because each of us plays a vital part in their lives. The friendship, guidance, support, encouragement, and love have made them who they are and have brought them to this place; truly, if we close our eyes and listen closely, we can even hear the heartbeats and laughter of those who are no longer with us. Jim and Marie have already begun their lives together with hearts full of gratitude for the past, joy for the present, and hope for the future and now they wish to share it with those most dear to them.
They have already come through sickness and health, through richness and poorness, for better and for worse. On a Sunday afternoon in May, over one year ago, they pledged themselves to one another. And now, I ask if they are ready to affirm, to their gathered friends and family, their commitment to one another. Jim and Marie, are you ready to once again make the pledges to which you commit yourselves to each other in love?
Exchange of Vows
“I take youto be no other than yourself
loving what I know of you
trusting what I do not yet know
with respect for who you are
and faith in your love for me
through all our years
and in all that life may bring us
with my earnest and complete devotion
I give you my love.”
Exchange of Rings
“With all that I am, and all that I have, I once more offer this ring as a sign of my renewed vow and a symbol of a love which knows no end.”
Pronouncement
The way is long -- let us go together
The way is difficult -- let us help each other
The way is joyful -- let us share it
The way is ours alone -- let us go in love
The way grows before us -- let us begin
You may now share the kiss that will begin your lives together from this day forward and begin the joint celebration of all your gathered loved ones.
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