Pipeline is published by Dr. Harold L. White

This page is about How To Do weddings, Funerals, Building Dedications, Baby Dedications and others.

Marriage Ceremonies:

Marriage Ceremony - 1

Marriage Ceremony - 1

Holy and happy is the sacred hour when two devoted hearts are bound by the enchanting
ties of matrimony.
And these precious evidences of purity of heart and contentment of mind, for all their future,
are made more sure, when the contracting parties enter this glad time, clad in the comely robes
of reverence, humility, and faith, that they may then be blessed of our Heavenly Father,
Maker of us all – the One who has ordained marriage as the cornerstone of family life
and the guarantee of honorable human society.

First and noblest of human contracts, marriage was divinely instituted when Jehovah God spoke
the nuptial words to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
Jesus of Nazareth honored its celebration by his presence in the wedding in Cana of Galilee,
and chose its beautiful relations as the figure of that benign union between himself and his Church.
Paul, militant missionary Apostle, commends it as a worthy institution, alike essential to social order,
human efficiency, and well-being while the race inhabits the earth, and tells the husband
to love his wife as Christ loved his church and gave himself for it, and the wife to be faithful
to her husband, even as the Church is obedient to Christ in everything.

Thus the two, husband and wife, forsaking all others become one flesh, one in thought, intent,
and hope, in all the concerns of the present life.

You _______________________, and You _____________________, having come to me signifying
your desire to be formally united in marriage, and being assured that no legal, moral,
or religious barriers hinder this property union, I command you to join your right hands
and give heed to the questions now ask you.

___________________________ In taking the woman whom you hold by the right hand
to be your lawful and wedded wife, do you promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her,
in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, in the bad that may darken your days,
in the good that may light your ways, and to be true to her in all things
until death alone shall part you.

Do you so promise? (Answer - I do) ... MORE

Marriage Ceremony - 2

Marriage Ceremony – 2

(After day and time appointed for the marriage service, the persons to be married
should come into the church, or shall be ready in the house with their friends and neighbors.
They shall stand together, the man on the right hand and the woman on the left,
and the minister shall say):

Dearly beloved:

We are gathered together here in the sight of God, then the face of this company,
to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony; which is commended
of Saint Paul to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be
entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, and in the fear of God.
Into this holy estate, these two persons come now to be joined.

(Now speaking unto the persons who are to be married, you will say to the man:

" _______________________________ , Will thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife,
to live together after God's ordinance, and the holy estate of matrimony?

Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health;
and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as you both shall live?

The man shall answer, I will.

Then the minister shall say to the woman: 
______________________________, Will thou have this man to be thy wedded husband,
to live together after God's ordinance, and the holy estate of matrimony?
Wilt thou love him, honor him, and keep him in sickness and in health;
and forsaking all others, keep thee only unto him as long as you both shall live?

The woman shall answer, I will.

Then the ministers shall say:
Who gives this woman to be married to this man?

Then shall they give their vows to each other in this manner:

The minister, receiving the woman at her father's or friend's hand,
shall ask the man to take the woman by her right hand with his right hand,
and to repeat after him as follows:


________________________, take thee, ___________________, to be my wedded wife,
to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer for poorer,
in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part
according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my love.

Then they shall loose their hands; and the woman with her right hand taking the man
by his right hand, shall likewise repeat after the minister: ... MORE

Wedding Suggestions

Suggestions For The Conduct Of A Minister At Weddings

1. The wedding ceremony should be neither too long nor too short.
Many couples will ask for a short ceremony.
There will be times when the minister is called upon to perform marriage ceremonies
at formal home weddings or church weddings.
Of course, in these a more formal ceremony is desired.
So, every minister should have at least two married ceremonies.
One should be brief, and the other more formal.

2. The marriage ceremony is among the most solemn of the ceremonies of life.
Every minister should remember this.
Many ministers will be tempted to use poetic and have high sounding sentences in their ceremonies.
They should be careful to avoid an extreme in this respect.

They should remember that things can be both beautiful and formal,
and that in seeking to string together a lot of beautiful words, composing
beautiful sentences, formality and dignity can be sacrificed to the practical ruin
of the impressiveness of the ceremony.

3. Some ministers will prepare their own ceremonies, but the same line of thought
runs through them all, the only material difference is in the terms
and expressions used. ... MUCH MORE

Conducting A Funeral

Conducting a Funeral

1. The funeral service should be characterized by orderliness, simplicity, and brevity.
Here are the secrets of successful and gratifying work in performing this difficult and delicate task.
Simplicity without order will leave its unsatisfying impression on the minds of the bereaved and orderliness without simplicity may disappoint the bereaved and tire them out by its length.

2. The purpose of the funeral service is to calm and soothe the bereaved.
It is the duty of the minister to use such aids and to conduct the services as to promote calmness
to those who are bereaved.

Therefore, he should avoid the use of any language in the prayer, address, or sermon,
the use of any hymn or poetry or even Scripture, which is calculated to disturb the feelings
of the bereaved or to reopen their wounds.
Experience tells us that Scripture plays the most important part in bringing comfort
to those who are grieving.

Accordingly, it should be given the major place in the funeral service.
More time may be spent in reading the Scriptures than in any other feature of the service.
Next to the Scriptures in importance is prayer.
This should be neither too short nor too long, and above all things it should not be very flowery.

3. If hymns are used, they should be chosen with extreme discretion,
for their singing usually serves as an intimate reminder of the departed one,
and can give rise to renewed outbursts of grief.
Old hymns are the best.

4. As to the address or sermon, it should be kept in mind that brevity is a real virtue. ... MUCH MORE

Suggestions For A Funeral Service

Suggestions For Funeral Sermons

Comfort For Troubled Hearts

"Let not your hearts be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1)
1. Man a creature of sorrow and trouble; man's peculiar heritage – Psalm 90:10; Job 5:7; 14:1.
2. Man's sad heritage of sorrow not hopeless.
– It argues superior capacities and endowments of soul life.
– It argues that an all-wise and all-loving Creator should provide some solace
or comfort for sorrow. (Isaiah 51:12)
3. Jesus presents the only true solace to the world – Isaiah 61: number 1-2; Luke 4:16-21.
Jesus offers heaven's remedy freely to all: His love, sacrifice, sympathy, healing, and help
– Luke 7:11-15; John 11:33-44; Matthew 11:28-29.
4. Of all sorrows and troubles, none so distracting and despairing as those caused by death.
Jesus was facing death and His disciples despair.
Soon He would be on the cross and His disciples would be scattered; so He says,
"Let not…" (John 14:1-6)
5. Faith in God and Jesus Christ His Son is the solace for troubled hearts.
God, Christ, heaven to the great words for such a time like this.

Comfort All That Mourn

1. Mourning for the dead is common to all mankind which began with Eve; has continued
through all ages among all peoples.
2. We should thank God for the power to love and to mourn.
Not like brute beasts; man is godlike in love, sorrow, and in all of life.
Mourning shows all the finer qualities of the soul – John 11:31, 35.
3. Special mission of Jesus, as announced by Himself was "to heal the broken-hearted"
– Luke 4:18, and "comfort all that mourn" – Isaiah 61:2; Matthew 5:4.
Definition of the word "comfort." Jesus cares.
He is the Great Comforter – John 14:1-2.
Other comforters: friends -- John 11:31; the Holy Spirit – John 14:16.
4. He comforts with hopes of future life, and meeting our loved ones there – John 11:25;
Matthews 5:4.

The Earthly Tent And The Heavenly House

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved,
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
– 2 Corinthians 5:1. ... MUCH MORE

More To Be Added on Funerals -- Poetry

Baby Dedication -- To be added

Building Dedications -- To be added

Dedication of New House -- To be added