We AFFIRM that marriage is a gift of God through which Christians make a covenant with one another and with God in a service of worship.

Having said that we believe that the solemnizing  of Marriage should not be limited to church members only.

As a church we believe Marriage should be made available to members of the wider secular community.

We believe that offering Marriage to the wider non-church community can be a vehicle for church growth and outreach called in theology ‘Friendship Evangelism’.

All marriages conducted through Clergy Support Memorial Church (CSMC) must follow the governing laws of each Province and Canada, and the policies of CSMC.

A marriage ceremony performed by one of our Christian Ministers is both a civil contract and a religious worship ceremony.

All Ministers of CSMC are registered religious officials, certified to solemnize marriages within the province they serve. They are responsible for seeing that all legal requirements plus the church’s rites and usages are met and upheld.

There are many different styles of marriage ceremonies and they can be as simple or as unique as you desire. All elements to be added to the ceremony need to be discussed with, and agreed to, by the minister and must comply with this marriage policy.

As in all Christian marriages, God is praised, Gospel values are expressed. Scripture is read and proclaimed in some form; witnesses in the legal sense are acknowledged, as well as the presence and support of family, guests, and congregation, and promises are made between the couple and before God.

We will work hard to make sure that the big day is a faithful and meaningful reflection of the couple.

We, at CSMC, encourage family members and friends to be involved in the ceremony. We recognize that there are many different family configurations in a modern world and are are happy to work with you, the couple, to include children in the ceremony, if you wish. Honouring and remembering those who have passed away or are unable to present with us may also be something for you to consider.

Some couples like to include elements or rituals within their wedding ceremony that reflect the coming together of their families and lives. These elements might include the lighting of a unity candle, the blending of coloured sand or something similar, like a handfasting at the vows. Please feel free to ask the minister about these rituals and they will provide resources to help you find something that is meaningful to you both.

Clergy Support Memorial Church celebrates the marriage of:

• same-sex couples
• couples not members of any church or faith,
• previously divorced people
• couples of different faith backgrounds

Revised & reapproved at our annual meeting June 18, 2019.