Wedding Rental Introduction
Congratulations! It is wonderful that you have decided to enter the commitment and joy of marriage. This is one of the greatest decisions you will ever make! Because of the immense importance the Bible places upon marriage, Cornerstone has the following wedding policy. It is not necessary for your wedding to be officiated by the pastor of Cornerstone. However, weddings at Cornerstone must be in line with our beliefs and practices around marriage.
The basis for our approach is the sanctity and permanence of marriage. It was God’s idea from the beginning of time for a man and woman to unite their lives as one. God very wisely warns couples not to unite if they do not share spiritual values, such as a personal relationship with Him.
The definition of marriage has shifted within culture. In the broadest sense, “marriage” is used to refer to the formal union of consenting partners into a personal and familial relationship, typically involving sexual intimacy. As Christians, we believe that God is the originator and designer of marriage, that He has communicated His design through the Bible, and that His design is binding on how we define and practice marriage.
Cornerstone follows a definition of marriage from our the belief in the Bible, as outlined in the Policy Statement on Marriage and Human Sexuality of the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. We believe that marriage is reserved for the formalized covenant relationship between one man and one woman who commit themselves through legal declaration to exclusive, intimate companionship and sexual union with the intention of permanence. We view marriage as monogamous, heterosexual, and intended for life.
If you are looking for someone to officiate at your wedding, our pastor would count it a privilege to assist you in making your wedding a memorable occasion. His focus will be upon presenting you with the Biblical foundations and principles for marriage. The goal is to help you plan a ceremony that honors God and is meaningful for you, your family, and friends. To bring more meaning to your special day, at Cornerstone we require couples to complete the CNC pre-marriage course (or another course at the discretion of the pastor). This involves the Prepare~Enrich couple assessment, minimum of four feedback sessions, including time to plan of your ceremony
To have your wedding at Cornerstone, you are not required to have our pastor officiate. Nor do you need to be a member of Cornerstone for our pastor to officiate your ceremony. However, you will be required to complete some pre-marriage sessions which offers you and important opportunity for him to assist you in assessing your marriage readiness.
May God bless you on your special day!