Tanya and Chantelle enter in followed by Deborah.

Barb comes down the aisle escorted by David and Barb’s Aunt.

Beloved, we are gathered together today, in the sight of God, to witness and rejoice in the exchange of marriage vows between Yvon Lehoux and Barb Thomson. However, before we begin, this afternoon, let me first make a few necessary announcements:

1. Please, no throwing of confetti in the church or on church property.
2. Please refrain from taking pictures during the ceremony - the only exception of course being the photographer who has been hired to capture images of the service.
3. If you have a cell phone or pager please turn them off.
4. Following the service, the Bride and Groom will be happy to receive you on the outside steps as you leave.
5. Yvon and Barb and their families, thank you for coming to be a part of this special day.

Yvon and Barb, I was reading a newspaper article this week about some people’s interest and involvement in the occult because they think that God is far away and disinterested in their lives.

As I said before, this story reminds me that God is very interested in and very close to our everyday lives.

First of all, Jesus was at this wedding. That’s a pretty amazing fact right there. Jesus, the son of God attended someone’s wedding. That to me is not the picture of a God who isn’t close by or involved in our lives. It was everyday people in everyday circumstances that Jesus spent time with.

Second of all we see that God is close to us and interested in our lives because Jesus helped out when the reception became a disaster. It those days, even more so than today, the reception that you held after a wedding was a statement. It meant a lot for the family putting on the reception for everything to go well. They wanted to look good before their guests and visiting family members and they wanted to celebrate the marriage that was behind the occasion. For a reception or wedding feast to run out of wine before it was over was just like a race car running out of gas before the end of the Indianapolis 500 – extremely embarrassing.

Jesus mother observed that the wine had run out. Maybe she asked for a glass and was told it was gone. Maybe she saw the father of the bride faint when he was told the news. Maybe she was helping the hosts serve when the last wineskin was brought out. However she found out, she went to Jesus and told Him with the expectation that He would help.

Now even though it was not yet the time for Jesus to be revealed as the Son of God, not yet time to begin performing miraculous signs, Jesus helped. He could have said, "It’s their own fault – let them deal with the consequences" or "let’s get out of here before there is a scene." No Jesus helped out and turned 120-180 gallons of water into wine.

Yvon and Barb, my last point about God being close to us and wanting to be part of our everyday life is the answer to this question, "What on earth was Jesus doing on earth in the first place?" When Mary told Jesus the wine had run out He answered, "My time has not yet come." Obviously Jesus had some greater schedule of events going on in His life besides attending weddings and making wine. What was that schedule? What was that greater purpose? What on earth was He doing on earth anyway?

Jesus answered that question one chapter later in the Bible. He explained that, "God so loved the world that he gave His only son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." Jesus was on earth because God had sent Him so people could be forgiven for their sins.

Let me put it this way. If you want to be far away from someone the last thing you will do is move in with them. But that’s what God did. He came in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, and lived amongst us and died for our sins so that anyone who places their trust in his death for their sins, and gives Him the control of their lives, will be forgiven and live for ever in heaven with God.

God really wants us to be close to Him. God really wants to be a part of our lives. He is not off in outerspace somewhere – He is as close as the calling out of His Name - Jesus

Thank God for salvation through Jesus Christ - a relationship not a religion

Marriage is much more than just a legal agreement. It is a covenant that is entered into by making vows before almighty God.

Do you?

(I do)

Barb, do you take this man, whose hand you hold, to be your lawful wedded husband; do you sincerely promise in reverence before God and in the presence of this company to be to him a loving, tender, and true wife, through sunshine and shadow alike, keeping yourself unto him alone, for long as you both shall live?

Do You?

(I do)

Now will you repeat these vows.

I, Yvon, take you, Barb, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better 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 you my love.

And Barb, will you likewise repeat these vows

I, Barb, take you, Yvon, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better 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 you my love.

Yvon, what token do you give as an everlasting symbol of your love, sincerity, and faithfulness?

With this ring

I thee wed.

With loyal love

I thee endow,

and all my worldly goods

with You I share,

in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Bride:

With this ring

I thee wed.

With loyal love

I thee endow,

and all my worldly goods

with You I share,

marriage licence

marriage register