ORDER OF SERVICE

FOR THE
SOLEMNIZATION

OF
CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

BETWEEN

SIS. MERCY OMINI APLA

AND
BRO. GODWIN EKPE OBOL

@
DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH
UGEP REGION
YAKURR, CROSS RIVER STATE

ON:
JULY, 2022

AT:
10.OO AM PROMPT
 MARRIAGE DECLARATION
The marriage union is the closest relationship that can exist between two human beings.
The uniting of two people in holy wedlock is a sacred event, therefore the tendency to make
it a time of hilarity and frivolity dishonours God. For this reason everyone present will do all
he or she can to make the ceremony impressive, sacred, dignified and solemn.
When two born-again believers know it is God’s will for them to marry they come together
before God, before a minister, and before witnesses to join their hearts and lives for as long
as they shall live. They are united by God and become as one in His sight. They are joined
together as Jesus is joined to the Church.
The world has the idea that marriage is simply a legal contract. It is a legal contract, but at
the same time, it is a spiritual contract. There is an actual miracle that takes place when
two born-again believers speak the words of faith and vow according to the word of
God.
We welcome you to this celebration.
May the miracle of God’s love bring you into a place of union with the Father, union with the
Son, union with the Holy Spirit and union with Christ’s Body, the Church, in Jesus Mighty
Name. Amen.

ORDER OF SERVICE
1. PRELUDE: ORGAN MUSIC
2. PRAYER
3. CONGREGATIONAL HYMN (GHS 23)
4. SCRIPTURAL PRONOUNCEMENT
5. CHOIR PIECE (SPECIAL SELECTION)
6. SCRIPTURE READING (EPH. 5:20-33)
7. CEREMONY: GIVING OF THE BRIDE
SCRIPTURAL VOWS
PRONOUNCEMENT
8. SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER
9. SPECIAL NUMBER
10. SERMON
11. BLESSING OF THE UNION
12. PRAYER (BY OFFICIATING MINISTER)
13. PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLES
14. ANNOUNCEMENT
15. PROCESSIONAL HYMN (GHS 48)

1. PRELUDE : ORGAN MUSIC

2. PRAYER
3. CONGREGATIONAL HYMN 13:TO GOD BE THE GLORY
1. To God be the Glory Great things he hath
Done, so loved He the world that He gave us
Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life Gate that all may go in
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the father through Jesus the son
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done
2. O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God
 The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
3. Great things He hath taught us, Great things He . .hath done,
And great our rejoicing Through Jesus the son
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport When Jesus we see.
4. SCRIPTURAL PRONOUNCEMENT
The couple to be united in marriage and the attendant will take their
places before the minister, the bridegroom on the left, and the bride on
the right of the minister who then will say:
God is We
the are gathered
author of the here to joinofthese
institution couples
marriage, Thatin by
holyHiswedlock,
word thisandholy
since we know between
relationship that Almighty
man
and woman was brought into existence, we do not hesitate to proceed according to the instructions
given us in Holy Bible and in accordance with the law of our country. Obedience to the law of God
always brings blessing even though we may be in temporal adversity and sorrow. Disobedience brings
the displeasure of God, even in times of seeming prosperity and happiness. Therefore our conduct
before each other either as husbands, wives or unmarried individuals, must be regulated by God’s law
if we are to enjoy the supreme blessing of God upon our lives while we live here on earth. Our Lord
and Saviour, Jesus Christ, also sanctioned the institution of marriage by attending and taking part in
the marriage at Cana of Galilee. He further gave His approval to marriage, reminding us of some of its
obligations and privileges when He said; for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and
shall cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh. The Holy Spirit has also blessed marriage, and
has used its bond of love as an illustration of the much close tie that binds the church of Christ to its
bridegroom and Master Jesus Christ; for speaking through the Apostle Paul and terming it one of the
great mysteries of our life on earth, the Holy Spirit said: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as it is fit in the Lord” and “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it… For no man ever yet hated his own flesh but nourished and cherisheth it, even
as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones.”

5. CHOIR
6. SCRIPTURAL READING (Eph. 5:20-33)

7. THE CEREMONY 1
The minister will then address himself to the father who is giving the bride
away and say:
TO FATHER: Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?
RESPONSE: I do.
(After this, the Father who gave the Bride away will retire).

TO GROOM: Bro. Godwin Ekpe Obol have you been born again and made
a new creature by faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ?

RESPONSE: I have.
TO BRIDE: Sister Rosemary Okpa have you been born again and made a
new creature by faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ?
RESPONSE: I have.
The minister will then place the right hand of the Bride in the right hand of
the Bridegroom, and turning to the Bridegroom will say:
TO GROOM: Bro. Godwin Ekpe Obol do you take Sis. Mercy Omini Opla
whose right hand you now hold, to be your lawfully wedded wife?
And solemnly promise, God helping you, that you will be a true and
devoted husband to her? That you will love her even as Christ loved
the church, and honour, cherish, protect and care for her for the rest of
your life; and you will keep yourself to her, and to her alone until God
by death, shall separate you?
RESPONSE: I do.
MINISTER: Then turn to her and make this profession of your faith:
RESPONSE: I, Bro. Godwin Ekpe Obol according to the word of God,
leave my father and mother and join myself to you to be a husband
to you, from this moment forward we shall be one.
TO BRIDE: Sister Mercy Omini Opla do you take Bro. Godwin Ekpe Obol
whose right hand you now hold, to be your lawfully wedded husband?
And solemnly promise, God helping you, that you will be a true and
devoted wife to him? That you will submit yourself to him as unto the
Lord, showing reverence to him as the head of this union? That you
will love, honour, cherish, and comfort him for the rest of your life?
And you will keep yourself to him, and to him alone, until God by
death, shall separate you?
RESPONSE: I do

PRONOUNCEMENT
TO GROOM AND BRIDE: Join right hands please (standing)
A miracle took place when you made Jesus Christ your Lord and Saviour. The same power of God
that raised Jesus from the dead, joined you to Jesus. I want you to understand that this day you
are joined together and become one, the same power that joined you with Jesus when you made
Him your Lord and Saviour, has this day, joined you together.
Don’t ever tamper with that union. Don’t ever tamper with that miracle. You are one never to be
separated or divorced.
As a representative of Jesus Christ, before Almighty God and in the name of the Father, of His son
Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, I now pronounce you as one together. You are
now husbands and wives.
From today, when you agree on things, they will come to pass. You have an awesome power at
your disposal. You are going to notice a new realm of your life beginning because of a spiritual
law that says ‘one can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight’. From this times
forward your everyday life will be ten times more powerful spiritually than ever before.
 TO CONGRAGATION (standing)
In as much then as Brother Godwin Ekpe Obol and Sister Mercy Omini Opla have signified that
they believe with all their hearts that it is the perfect will of God for them to be joined together in
the holy bond of matrimony, have borne witness of this fact before God and this company and
have pledged their fidelity and love to each other, I by virtue of the authority vested in me as a
minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ and by the laws of our country now pronounce them
husband and wife, in the name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST… What
therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder .
8. SIGNING OF MARRIAGE REGISTER: The congregation is led in a chorus session as the marriage
Register is signed.

9. SPECIAL NUMBER
10. SERMON
11. BLESSING OF THE UNION
(The Couples shall kneel down before the minister)
Galatians chapter 3, says that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made curse
for us, so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we
might be heirs of the promise of the spirit…
First peter , chapter 3 says a man and his wife are heirs together of the grace of life. According to
Deuteronomy chapter 28. and it shall come to pass , if thou shall harken diligently unto the voice of
the Lord Thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that
the Lord thy God will set you on high above all nations of the earth: All these blessings will come on
you and over take you, if you will hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shalt thou be
in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of
thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed
shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blesses shall thou
be when thou goest out. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten
before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The
Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store houses and in all that thou settest thine hand
unto: and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The LORD thy God
shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he had sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the
commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see
that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall
make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of
thy ground, in the land which the LORD thy God swear unto thy fathers to give thee. The LORD
shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his seasons, and
to bless all the work of thy hand; and thou shall lend unto many nations and thou shall not borrow
and the LORD shall make you the head, and not the tail; and thou shall be above only and thou shall
not be beneath; if thou that hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God which I command
thee this day to observe and to do them.

PRAYER (Minister to lead congregation to pray and then roundup)

 PRESENTATION OF THE COUPLES TO THE
CONGREGATION:
The couples will stand up and face the congregation)
Ladies and gentlemen, I have the pleasure to present to you, Brother & Sister Divine.
ANNOUNCEMENT:
SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVCE - 8. 00AM
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY - 5:50 PM
THURSDAY REVIVAL & EVAGELISM TRAINING SERVICE - 6. 00 PM
Come and be bless-Amen.
RECEPTION AT AGOI-IBAMI, YAKURR L. G. A
CONGREGATIONAL HYMN (PROCESSION) GHS 151)
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING
1. There shall be showers of blessing:”
This is the promise of Love
There shall be seasons refreshing ,
Sent from the Saviour above.
Chorus:
Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need;
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.
2. “There shall be showers of blessing:”
Precious reviving again;
Over the hills and the valleys,
Sound of abundance of rain.
3. There shall be showers of blessing:”
Send them upon us, O Lord,
Grant to now a refreshing;
Come, and now honour They Word.
4. There shall be showers of blessing:”
Oh, that today they might fall,
Now, as to Good we’re confessing,
Now as on Jesus we call.
5. “There shall be showers of blessing:”
If we but trust and obey;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
If we let God have his way.

Reception programme
1. Opening prayer
2. Arrival of people/ choruses
3. Introduction of the chair man
4. Arrival of couple
5. Special number
6. Chairman’s exhortation
7. Support for Couple to begin a new home
7. Refreshment
8. Presentation of gifts
9. Bride groom’s Response
10. Chairman’s closing remark/Benediction
11. Photographs (Optional).

This is to express our profound gratitude to you all for honouring

our invitation and contributing immensely in one way or the
other to the success of this memorable occasion. May GAlmighty
guide, protect and grant you journey mercies back to your various
destinations in Jesus. Amen.

Brother & Sister Godwin