Marriage is God’s design and His great gift to us. No other human relationship can approach the potential for intimacy and oneness than that which can be found within the context of marriage. At Calvary we seek to support and strengthen marriage so couples can experience the joy that God intended as well as be equipped to withstand the challenges that arise over the years.
Counseling, Mentoring & Classes
Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling is available to Calvary couples approved to marry by Calvary Church and is required for couples marrying at Calvary. Counseling is comprised of:
- 6 hours/3 months of personalized counseling with a Calvary pastor
Remarriage Counseling
Remarriage counseling will be tailored to the needs of the couple by a Calvary Church Pastor.
Marriage Counseling
Meet with a Calvary pastor for biblical marital counseling. For more information, contact Calvary Care at ext. 5623.
Classes
Family Life Conference – Weekend to Remember
Strengthen your relationship by attending a conference on marriage together.
Check for upcoming conferences in West Michigan at http://www.familylife.com/weekendtoremember.
Weddings
Couples who are members of Calvary Church are eligible to be married at Calvary, or if one set of parents are members at Calvary. If couples are not members they can begin the membership process simultaneously to their wedding process.
A Believer Joining in Marriage with Another Believer
Calvary Church supports a believer marrying another believer (2 Cor 6:14, 1 Cor 7:39). As a result of this biblical teaching Calvary will not be able to officiate a wedding between a believer and a non-believer.
Sharing Life Start-Date
Calvary Church understands God’s Word to support living together as husband and wife only within the context of a lawful marriage relationship. Because of this understanding of God’s design for holy and healthy living, Calvary will work with a cohabiting engaged couple to explore the best ways to facilitate God’s design during the engagement process.
Previous Marriage
In situations where there has been a previous marriage for one or both parties of the engaged couple, care will be taken to understand the circumstances of the divorce with a view to ascertaining if a remarriage is biblically permissible.
Wedding Preparation Process
Applications
After we receive your application, Erika Sparks will contact you to schedule your Wedding Application Appointment. Your Wedding Application Appointment must take place at least three months to 18 months prior to your wedding date. You will both need to be present for this appointment that will take place in the Calvary Care Offices.
Please click link below for electronic application. Forms will be directly submitted to Erika for processing.
If you prefer a hard copy paper application, please contact Erika Sparks at esparks@calvarygr.org or by phone at (616) 956-9377 ext. 5013.
Wedding Officiant
The application has a section for you to request a Calvary pastor for your ceremony. If that pastor is not available, we will help identify another Calvary pastor for your ceremony. You may utilize a pastor from outside of Calvary, if you prefer. Outside officiants must be pre-approved by Calvary.
Preparing for Marriage
All engaged couples are required to complete a course of pre-marital or remarriage counseling.
For pre-marital counseling, a couple will meet with a Calvary pastor for approximately six sessions. Information from your pre-marital counseling may be shared with the pastor who marries you.
Ceremony Planning Guide
You will be given a Ceremony Planning Guide at the Wedding Application Appointment. This booklet will provide important building information, ceremony information, and staff contact names and phone numbers for planning your wedding.
Ceremony Coordinator
Calvary Church will provide a Calvary Ceremony Coordinator to assist in preparing you ahead of time for your ceremony and your meeting with your Calvary Officiating Pastor. You will be contacted by your Calvary Ceremony Coordinator three to four months prior to your wedding and will attend your on-site rehearsal and ceremony.
Personal Ceremony Facilitator for Off-site Weddings
If you are having an off-site wedding but a Calvary officiant, you will need to select and prepare a Personal Ceremony Facilitator to be present at your ceremony because the Calvary Ceremony Coordinator will not be present to oversee the ceremony details.
We look forward to celebrating with you what God is doing in bringing the two of you together in marriage. We pray that your experience during this engagement process will be both an encouragement and a blessing.