Congratulations on your engagement! We consider it a privilege to be involved in both the preparation for marriage and weddings of couples who are of the Christian faith and active participants in Calvary Church.
The Purpose of Marriage
At Calvary Church, we believe that marriage is a human relationship designed by God from the beginning of creation as a sacred covenant between one man and one woman. When a man and a woman make a sacred and lifelong promise to live together in spiritual, physical, and material unity, it is ultimately designed to reflect the love and faithfulness of God (Genesis 2:23-24; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; Ephesians 5:21-23). Given the purpose and the close partnership of marriage, it is essential that both parties are committed and growing believers in Jesus Christ. Because we believe God has the ultimate authority to define marriage, Calvary will only participate in weddings that meet our understanding of God’s design.
Wedding Policy
Our facilities are available to staff, active church members with at least three months of involvement, and Global Partners. This policy also extends to children of anyone in these three categories, who are themselves committed, active Christians.
Pre-Marital Mentoring
We are excited to be a part of your personal, relational, and spiritual growth that takes place as you purposefully work toward understanding yourselves, each other, and God’s design for marriage. We hope this is just the start of a commitment to regular, intentional activities that help you to grow throughout your marriage.
Pre-marital mentoring is available to all those who are actively involved in ministry at Calvary Church. Couples who want to be married in our Chapel are required to participate in pre-marital counseling.
We provide trained mentors who have committed themselves to meet with couples for eight or more sessions before their wedding, and at least two additional meetings during the first year of marriage.
Our program is designed to equip and resource you in preparation for a lifelong, Christ-centered marriage.
To allow adequate time to complete our pre-marital program, we ask that you request mentorship at least six months before your wedding. If your wedding is less than six months away, please contact us as soon as possible. With a limited time frame, placement with a mentor couple may not be feasible. When possible, we will refer you to an acceptable option.
Officiants
Licensed and ordained members of the Calvary staff and Elder board are available to officiate weddings here at Calvary or at another venue.
If you are getting married at Calvary Church but are planning to have a guest pastor officiate, you’ll be required to meet with a “sponsoring pastor” from Calvary who will affirm our participation in your wedding. We will also ask the guest pastor to sign a document that affirms they are in agreement with our understanding of what the Bible teaches about marriage and the essential doctrines of salvation.
Our Chapel
Our Chapel and Fellowship Hall may be reserved for your wedding ceremony and reception, subject to availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Formal membership is not required to be married at Calvary Church. Our facilities are available for use by active Calvary Church participants. An active Calvary Church participant is one who regularly attends Calvary Church services and ideally is part of additional church opportunities for growth, fellowship, or service. Our facilities are also available to children of active church participants or Global Partners who are themselves committed, active Christians.
We hold the marriage covenant in high regard, knowing that it is a picture of Christ’s relationship with the church, and is to reflect the love and faithfulness of God. We will, therefore, only participate in remarriages in the following situations:
– When one’s former spouse has passed away
– When one’s former spouse is re-married
– When a spouse has committed adultery or continues unrepentant in sexual immorality
– When an unbelieving spouse deserts the family
If a divorce takes place in a situation that does not clearly fit into the categories above (i.e. spousal abuse or a believer deserting a spouse), we invite you to sit down with one of our pastors or pastoral counselors. This is so we can have the opportunity to better understand your situation and talk through how that might relate to our understanding of Scripture.
We uphold the belief that the sexual relationship, as a beautiful expression of covenant love, should only occur within the bounds of marriage, as stated in Hebrews 13:4. As such, Christian marriage is exclusively between two committed Christians upholding sexual integrity. Therefore, we will not participate in the marriage of couples engaged in pre-marital sexual relations, cohabitation, or any unrepentant sexual sin. If you are struggling with maintaining sexual integrity but are committed to living according to God’s design, we are here to support and guide you towards aligning this aspect of your life with your faith in Christ. We welcome the opportunity to discuss this further or answer any questions you may have.
Start the Process
Whether you plan to hold your wedding at Calvary or elsewhere, please fill out the request form below to start the process. Keep in mind that this form is only for members, regular attenders, and their children.