I attended a wedding ceremony where I heard the presiding pastor use these words in the vows that the bride and groom were to repeat: “I vow, before God and these witnesses…”. This led to a list of things both people promised to each other.
As I heard this it crossed my mind for the first time that I am one of those witnesses and my participation in this ceremony is a promise to be a reminder to the bride and groom of these vows. I wonder how many of us realize this? Even more important, do any of us act it out?
I wonder if this couple has trouble down the road, and God-forbid I heard a divorce was being planned, if I would call to challenge this decision, remind the couple that I was a witness to their vows. Does anyone do this anymore? I would sure hope so but I don’t know. Maybe it has become a mere formality.
the archives near Emmaus 
Did anyone ever do this before?
I just did my first wedding, not sure that I want to do anymore. Not because of the couple I married, they were really great people. But because I don’t feel comfortable doing those things, and I really don’t like doing them. Which makes me question myself on being a pastor.
I have never done a wedding. I did receive local ordination through my last church when in San Francisco. I planned on doing one but it never happened. I am not so sure I will ever seek any sort of ordination ever again so I doubt I will do a wedding ceremony. What was it that you disliked and made you uncomfortable?
I’m just not personally comfortable doing those sorts of things. I don’t like doing funerals either. There are several things about pastoring that I don’t like hahaha, maybe I should blog about it. That’s terrible isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy some aspects of being a pastor.
Maybe it is the pressure of weddings and funerals. It seems like to much emotion is at stake. I don’t think I’d want to officiate either one!
Brian, I have to tell you that in the back of my mind I kept wondering “what if they get divorce, did I do enough counseling to prevent it?” Subconsciously I think one of the reason I went back to school is because I think I would better the serve the community of God by teaching, and writing. I am more comfortable in these areas than I am on the day to day responsibilities of being a pastor.
Being a pastor is a much more a people person task, especially if your church is less than 150 people, which most churches are. Lots of counseling, meeting with people, attending meetings, being a mediator, visiting folks, planning services, oh and you still have to make time to prepare a sermon. And don’t forget people calling you, I won’t answer any phone calls when I am having dinner with my family. Matter of fact I won’t answer my cell phone half the time. I learned a long time ago, that just because I have a cell phone does not give people the right to interrupt me whenever they feel like it.
Ok, got that off my chest 😉
Ha! It is exactly these types of stresses that cause me to have no interest in pastoral work. If I become a pastor it is divine intervention. 🙂
Witnesses at a wedding holding the couple accountable to their vows is probably generally a formality – sort of like Christians actually holding each other accountable to living for God. That strikes most of us as rude anymore. Rather inconvenient that the concept is glaringly apparent in the Bible.
Crystal,
It is sad, isn’t it? Whenever we go to hold each other accountable someone inevitably quotes Jesus’ “judge not lest you be judge”. He didn’t mean “don’t hold each other accountable” but that sure seems to be how so many read it!