Weddings
Marriage is an institution established by God in creation and celebrates God joining a man and a woman as husband and wife to become one in the eyes of the Lord. Couples wishing to be married in either Calvary Church or St George’s Church are required to meet with a priest for pre-marital counseling, a requirement of the Episcopal Church’s canon law. Once you have thoroughly read our marriage policies below, you may contact info@calstg.org to schedule your wedding.
Those preparing to be married at Calvary~St. George’s Episcopal Church must be active members of our church or (under special circumstances) relatives or friends of members of our church, and actively involved in their own local Christian community.
Christian marriage is a rite of the church and a spiritual act. Therefore, when held within the church, the marriage service is one of praise, thanksgiving, and worship, in which God’s guidance and blessings are asked for the couple as they pledge their faith and love to each other, “until they are parted by death.” We are not interested in, “renting out the set” hence without this commitment the term “Christian Marriage” becomes meaningless.
Your wedding will be most meaningful to you, your families, and your friends when there is an active Christian faith in the midst of a Christian service. With that goal in mind the following information is provided to assist you in planning your wedding service at Calvary~St. George’s. We sincerely believe that the policies set forth are the most appropriate and practical for all concerned. Please take the time to read them carefully and completely.
The following requirements must be met to secure approval for your wedding at Calvary~St. George’s Church. Clergy can refuse the right to service at any time; this includes the day of the wedding.
First: No other Episcopal minister or church has refused to perform your marriage. Unless it can be shown that such a refusal was unreasonable, unjust, arbitrary, and not scripturally justifiable.
Second: In the case of either party being divorced, documents must be provided that the divorce is complete and at least one year old. If there are children from a previous marriage it must be shown that all responsibilities to those children are being met. Also, before the final approval the clergy must receive permission from the Episcopal Bishop of New York. This permission can take up to six weeks.
Third: Both parties are active members of Calvary~St. George’s Church. Membership is defined as regular church attendance at one of our three services and a giver of record. We encourage all engaged couples to take our CalStG for Newcomers class.