CAPTION: Six couples took part in the special vow renewal ceremony
‘To Have and to Hold:’ Couples Celebrate Faith in Church Vow Renewal Service
A special celebration recently took place in a church in Devon, which saw couples from all walks of life come together to reaffirm their wedding vows in during a Sunday service.
Six couples, all at different stages in life, decided to renew their vows in the service held at St Paul’s Church in Barnstaple.
For one couple who were celebrating their first year of marriage, the service was an opportunity to not only to celebrate their love for one another, but to recognise their Christian faith that they had recently embraced.
Rev’d Marilyn Sanders, the Vicar at St Paul’s Church in Barnstaple, said, “a young couple, who had recently come to faith, asked if they could renew their wedding vows at St Paul’s as they felt they hadn’t invited God to their registry office ceremony a year earlier.
“The answer of course, was ‘yes!'”
Henry and Benay recently became Christians at an Alpha course they attended at St Paul’s Church, Barnstaple.
Henry said, “We wanted to speak our vows in a holy place. When we first married, we were atheists, and we wanted to declare our love for another with God as our witness.”
Marilyn said, “Once the church family heard the news, I was asked if others could renew their vows at the same time. It snowballed from there, and we ended up with many couples facing one another and renewing their commitment.”
Carole and Chris also decided to renew their vows after 18 years of marriage. Chris had recently completed the same Alpha course as Henry and Benay, and they felt now would be a special time for them to renew their vows.
Carole said, “After 18 years of marriage, it felt appropriate to mark this as a sort of priority ‘reset’.”
“With Jesus at the centre, it was very special for our church family to be the witnesses of the reaffirmation and also for their commitment to support us.
“Although the room was full, we were focussed on each other and it was a really meaningful reaffirmation.”
During the Sunday service, the couples stood facing towards one another, and speak their wedding vows as the church congregation watched on in support.
Reflecting on how it felt to stand in front of the church congregation and renew their wedding vows, Henry said, “It was overwhelmingly beautiful. To share that moment in the presence of our church family filled my heart with gratitude and joy.”
Benay said, “It made me feel very emotional to say these important vows with my husband, in what is for us a very special place.”
The vows renewal was particularly special for Henry and Benay as they are expecting their first child, and it marked both their new adventure of faith but also parenthood. As they spoke their vows to one another, Henry held his bible in between them as a visual reminder of God as their foundation.
Henry said, “For me, it was a chance to relive what was already beautiful, but this time with Jesus at the very centre.”
“If you began your marriage without faith, I can promise that renewing your vows in God’s presence is a truly transformative experience. It deepens not only your love for each other, but also your love for Christ.”
John and Anne decided to renew their vows after almost sixty years if marriage.
John said, “It was strange to hear ourselves saying words that we last spoke almost sixty years ago.We found it all very meaningful and emotional.”
Marilyn said, “Seeing six couples from St Paul’s renewing their wedding vows at the same time was a huge privilege in my ministry.
“It was quite emotional to hear the words ‘to have and to hold from that day forward’ echoing around the church. Some couples had said those words 50+ years ago, and some only 12 months previously.”
“The wedding renewal service was a huge family event, complete with a wedding cake and feast!”
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Find out more about renewing your vows
It is possible to renew your wedding vows after your wedding day, regardless of whether you had a church wedding or not. They can be an intimate service, with few or no guests, or they can be filled with friends and family.
There are no statutory legal fees for a vow renewal, however there might be some costs for the service, which could include covering the use of the building, or any additional extras such as an organist, flowers, or help of a verger. If you are interested in renewing your vows, please contact your local church to discuss the best option for you.
