Getting Married?

Congratulations! Whether you or your family are connected with the church or not, we are pleased to have you use our facilities to celebrate your lifelong covenant with one another and with God. Here are some guidelines as you plan your ceremony:

Reservations. The church and ministry center (gym) are available by reservation on a first-come, first-served basis. In particular the ministry center is important to schedule in advance to avoid conflicts, and can be reserved by calling The use of both the ministry center and the church building are permitted at the sole discretion of First Christian Church.

Pastor to officiate. Pastor Nathan is happy to perform the wedding ceremony, with the following requirements:

• The couple is required to meet with the pastor for four sessions of premarital counseling before the wedding, at least one week apart. Sessions include outside reading and writing to help prepare for marriage. The request, then, must be made at the very least one month before the wedding.
• The couple is strongly urged to remain sexually pure before the wedding. It is the express command of the One who invented both sex and marriage, and studies have shown the detrimental effects on a marriage where the couple has cohabitated before marriage. It will not, however, disqualify those who wish to be married.
• The pastor reserves the right to postpone or terminate the wedding plans based on the counseling sessions. Some couples are not ready for marriage, and some are not compatible. Divorce is forbidden by Jesus (Matthew 19), and if either person wishing to get married has been previously divorced, the couple may (with some exceptions) be ineligble for remarriage. This is up to the discretion of the pastor, and it is therefore beneficial to begin premarital counseling well before the wedding date.

Cost. We ask a donation of $75-$100 for the use of the ministry center. There is no specified cost for the church, but we appreciate donations to help offset the cost of utilities. Pastor Nathan asks no honorarium for officiating.