Bride of Christ

Held June 2003 and June 2004 at Providence Assembly of God, 353 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907

Event Type:

Encouragement to Singles
Purpose: To affirm singles of their value in Christ
Location: Sanctuary
Church Fellowship Hall or other large room for reception
Invitation: Wedding Inviation from Christ to individual women
    Dearly Beloved,
    Come and celebrate my love for you.
    Date, Time, Location
    Bring those with whom you would like to celebrate your joy
    RSVP
    (details)
Use wedding invitation kits available at office supply store
Room set up: Decorate sanctuary as for a wedding, including trellis and bows on pews
Food set up: Prepare a table with wedding cake white plates, napkins and punch
Favors: Prepare a headpiece for each bride to be placed on her head
Optional: Purchase purity rings. Avon had a nice silver ring with filigree and a cross in the 2003 & 2004 catalogs
Music Use special music as with a wedding, especially the Wedding Song (Stokey). Have the women process up the aisle during one of the songs.
Message: Use passages related to the bride and Christ, and the king crowning his bride; emphasis on His deep love for her
Ceremony: Bring each bride under the arch and have an older woman crown her (optional give ring) and pray a special blessing over her

We had a "bridesmaid" designated for each "bride" using an older, married woman, who was assigned to the bride the month before. Her role was to call her weekly and pray for her in preparation for the ceremony. We also used her as the woman who crowned her. Several of these led into mentoring relationships.

This was a really powerful for those women who may have never married, or those who had children and never married. It was also special for those women who had become single again. There were many tears amid the joyous time.