In September the ELCA released a new marriage resource intended to supplement the existing ELW marriage service with language suitable for all couples.
“These supplemental resources have been created to offer more inclusivity in language, pastoral care, and openness for all persons who seek to be married within this church,” said the Rev. Kevin Strickland, ELCA executive for worship. Strickland emphasized that the resources are supplemental to the marriage service included in both the Evangelical Lutheran Worship and the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Occasional Services for the Assembly.
The new resources offer materials for each section of the service, which include the gathering, word, marriage, prayer, meal and sending.
“It has been said that marriage is a gift of God, intended for the joy and strength of those who enter it and for the well-being of the whole human family,” said Strickland. “It is my hope that these supplemental resources help point us as a church, in offering this gift for the whole human family.”
See for yourself! A downloadable pdf of the new resource is available online here: http://download.elca.org/ELCA%20Resource%20Repository/Supplemental_Marriage_Resources.pdf