By David N. Mosser
Where
should we place the wedding sermon within the worship service? Some suggest
early on, perhaps after the opening prayer or before the couple takes their
vows. In my experience the best place for the message seems to be either right
before or right after the giving, receiving, and blessing of the rings. If the
preacher delivers the homily too early in the service then the congregation
seems ill equipped to receive it. A congregation needs some reflective time
of preparation to hear the Word of God. However, if we place the sermon too
late in the liturgy, then it may appear as the focal point of the service. This
sermonic placement may be inappropriate to the subsequent declaration of the
marriage. Each pastor must decide about the sermon's liturgical placement in
order to be fitting for the worship circumstance.
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How
long shall the wedding sermon be?
In
some parts of the country (and in some traditions), those who attend weddings
may be unaccustomed to a wedding homily. In that event, preachers may want to
limit the sermon's length -- perhaps to 10-15 minutes. If, however, tradition
endorses preaching at weddings, then the preacher may adjust the length according
to what seems suitable.
If
the couple and the wedding party remain standing, however, this circumstance
will naturally limit the homily's length. Nothing is worse than one of the wedding
party slumping to the floor during a rousing sermon on love and commitment.
Most pastors know their people and circumstance so well that this is a call
that only the pastor can make. On occasions when it is appropriate, the seating
of the wedding party can be helpful. In these cases a preacher has the luxury
of a reasonably longer sermon. Similar to funerals, local custom and traditions
will best guide preachers in these decisions.
What
is a Wedding Sermon Like?
Many
pastors are curious about the tone to use during this kind of specialized wedding
preaching. Generally, most preachers will not face this homiletical circumstance
often. Wedding sermons do not occur with nearly the frequency that Sunday morning
sermons or funerals do. For this reason they can be tricky for some preachers.
For
example, a preacher might specialize in prophetic or evangelistic preaching.
This pastor might hold forth on Sunday morning by bringing people's individual
sin squarely into the sanctuary. The preacher might call for repentance and
encourage the people to renew their covenant commitment to God. On the other
hand, a pastor may focus on the social gospel and encourage/chastise the congregation
for not feeding the hungry, giving a drink to the thirsty, welcoming the stranger,
visiting the sick or imprisoned, or giving clothing to those without (Matthew
25:35-36). Clearly, although there may be elements of this theological perspective
in the wedding service, the wedding homily is of a different order. Therefore,
the preacher's tone will necessarily be different.