Who May Be Married At Trinity Church?

Marriage in The Episcopal Church is a sacramental union through which a man and a woman are bound to each other in a covenant relationship with the blessing of God.  Each marriage is a celebration that takes place within and through the community of faith.  We hold marriage to be, by intention, a mature, serious, and lifelong commitment by the parties.  It is an extension of each party’s faith and commitment to God, made within the context of the larger sacramental life of the Church. 

Prior to receiving permission to have their marriage solemnized at Trinity Church, the couple must speak to the Rector to discuss the proposed marriage.  If the Rector agrees to the wedding at Trinity Church, he will arrange with the couple for a series of pre-marital counseling sessions.  These sessions will cover the nature of Christian marriage and the challenges, opportunities, and issues of marriage for the individuals involved.  There are usually at least four such sessions, lasting approximately one to one-and-a-half hours each.  The Rector may assign the wedding to another priest on staff based on scheduling and availability.

If either party has had a previous marriage to a person still living and which was terminated by divorce, the written consent of the Bishop must be obtained, following guidelines set forth by the canons of The Episcopal Church.

As you can imagine, we receive quite a number of requests for weddings at Trinity Church.  Due to counseling requirements and the amount of time required on the part of the parish staff, altar guild, and other church groups and individuals who work very hard for each wedding, it is impossible to honor all requests.  By Vestry resolution, therefore, we have restricted weddings to active communicant members of Trinity Church and their children in good standing and who attend regularly, have been confirmed, received, or transferred into the parish, and contribute regularly and are of record with the Treasurer.  For those who are not but who are members of another Episcopal Church, we have made arrangements for the use of the church building for an established fee, with the ceremony to be performed by their own priest with the consent of Trinity's Rector.  That priest would also be responsible for the pre-marital counseling.  All other normal regulations regarding marriage at Trinity Church would also apply.

Please contact the Parish Office at 401-846-0660 and speak to Ms. Marie Maguire, our Administrative Assistant, for further details.