That's the hand of my oldest daughter, Lauren, who yesterday accepted a marriage proposal from one Mr. Dean Herberts of Collinsville, Illinois, studying to be a pastor in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Date is not set yet for certain, but thinking about next summer. I told Lauren that we would have competing "dresses" on when I walked her down the aisle. How on earth does a pastor DO that? I'll have to ask around. They are talking about the wedding taking place within the Divine Service. I wonder if they'll have this hymn at the wedding?Gracious Savior, grant Your blessing
To this husband and this wife,
That in peace they live together
In Your love throughout their life.
Christ, defend them from the tempter
And from all that would destroy
Love's foundation You have laid here
And its threshold paved with joy.
Lord, if You are not the builder,
Then the house is built in vain,
For a home without Your presence
Shall without true love remain.
Yet when You within a marriage
Come and dwell with grace divine,
There You fill the empty vessels,
Changing water into wine.
Make their love a living picture
Showing how You loved Your bride:
When You gave Yourself to cleanse her,
When for her You bled and died.
Jesus, You have made her holy,
Pure and fair her radiant train:
To Yourself, Your Church presenting,
Without wrinkle, spot, or stain.
--Stephen Starke, LSB #860
10 comments:
Congratulations! A happy marriage and life to your daughter and her affianced.
Congratulations! Dean's a lucky bloke.
You might consider letting someone else (Fr. Curtis) do the wedding so you can be purely a dad.
Pr. Rock did that with his daughter and doesn't regret it at all, though he fought the idea initially.
One of my sem profs cautioned against walking down the aisle AND doing the wedding.
In his words it is "corny, corny, corny."
I would agree that one or the other role should be chosen. Of course, I'm never letting my daughters grow up or get married, so I don't have to worry.
+INJ+
Lincoln
BoW
There is nothing corny about walking your daughter down the aisle AND performing the marriage ceremony. Why on earth would she want anyone else to do either? Both would be a joy and privelege. And that way you know it will be done right liturgically and in accordance with her wishes.
If she wants you to do both despite your competing dresses, I say figure out the best and least disruptive way and go for it! The families and congregation will understand any minor inconveniences or delays. And she will have a lifetime of beautiful memories of her pastor/dad.
At my daugher's wedding, I walked her down the aisle, she met Rob and I stepped into the chancel. No problem.
However, if the context is the Divine Service, given the fact that they are adults, one might have them step forward at the appropriate time.
Or one could have the couples come in with processional at Divine Liturgy, all together and forgo some of the stuff regularly associated though not ordered with weddings.
But then, as a Lutheran pastor you can do pretty much whatever you want to do (wink wink)
Ezekiel+
My father (a LCMS pastor) and mother walked me together down the aisle together and no one thought it was strange when my father proceeded with the ceremony. Also my father has married all his children and truly believes a father, who is a pastor, should do that if given the chance, because he believes it to be a special privelege.
Finally, I considered letting me dad simply sit in the audience, but there was no one else who knew my husband to be and me better. And then to have my father sing the Lord's Prayer at the end was really neat.
Congrats Fr. Weedong -- you must be (in the Gospel sense) quite proud!
There is nothing corny about stepping aside after giving your daughter's hand to her husband-to-be, and going ahead to perform the ceremony. You do, in fact, commune yourself as I do, do you not? Is there anything "corny" about that? Think on that one a bit... :-)
Blessings to you and yours...
P.S. I repent of calling you "weedong."
I suppose what I meant by the communion comment was this -- just as you commune yourself "by virtue of your office" as you yourself remain, vocationally, a sinner as any other...
So, too, there is nothing wrong with acknowledging in a single service both your vocation as father and pastor. In fact, it is a glorious testimony to the Lord's gift of vocation!
Again, I rejoice with you!
First, I rather fancy "Weedong" as a new moniker for Weedon.
Second, lots of good wisdom here. Simply vest and then lead her down the aisle, no problems.
And have joy of both vocations that day!!
At my sem classmate's wedding (with both fathers being ordained LCMS), his wife was escorted by her dad (in a suit), and they were met by his father at the altar, who did the liturgy. Meanwhile her dad went to the sacristy to vest so that he could preach the wedding sermon. So you could get Dean's pastor to do liturgy... unless Dean is a member of your church. Then you are back to square one.
Second option - Six years ago last Saturday a crucifer walked down the aisle of Bethany Lutheran Church, followed by the pastor, followed by the wedding party, followed by my dear and loving bride Laura walking right next to me! (Got that idea from Cwirla through a friend.)
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