Weddings at Trinity Church

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We are authorized to conduct Christian marriage services under the authority of the Bishop of Pittsburgh and so this policy reflects his guidelines.

Christian Marriage
A Christian Marriage is a life-long public covenant where a man and a woman exchange solemn promises before God and his people. The congregation also makes a promise to uphold you in your new life together. Trinity Church takes this promise seriously. The Rectors and the intercessory team are always here to serve you. 

Eligibility
This is a public Christian service, and so we will only marry adults who are baptized, submit to Jesus as their Lord and Savior and freely wish to marry one another. Non-members are asked to make a simple statement of their faith in their own words. You must also be legally allowed to marry. We will ask to see your license before the ceremony, and will sign all the necessary paperwork. 
We will marry any such man and woman where at least one of you is a member of this church. We will marry non-members who are closely related to a member of this church (though we encourage you to marry in your own church where you will experience more active support in upholding you in your marriage).
To be a member, one must be a believer who is active in the worshipping life of the church. A member is defined  as someone who is baptized, a communicant, eighteen (18) years of age or over, recognized by the Rector and Wardens as a regular attendee at services, and on the Treasurer’s records as a regular contributor to the revenues of the Congregation.

Divorce and Remarriage
Christians faithfully hold a range of differing views on marriage following a divorce. At Trinity Church we take the view that while it is not always permissible to marry again, there are certain biblical exceptions where we may.
 
We recognize that this is a complex and delicate area to discuss. Because many of us have been hurt in our human relationships, we want to be gracious and as generous as scripture allows. So, while we cannot guarantee that we will be able to marry you, the best thing is to talk it through honestly with one of the Rectors.
When there has been a divorce, we will also be required to seek the bishop’s permission to marry you. This includes completing an application form and having a frank discussion with the Rectors. As this process can take several months, we recommend beginning the conversation as early as possible.

A Service of Prayer and Dedication
It is also possible for us to conduct a beautiful service of prayer and dedication here in our sanctuary. A Christian man and a Christian woman who are already legally married to one another may use this service for a variety of reasons: perhaps you are growing in faith and now want the benefits of a Christian Marriage; maybe you are getting married and your families live a long way apart and two services are required; or you have been married a long time and wish to rededicate yourselves to the Lord after a significant event such as an anniversary or time of reconciliation.

Marriage Preparation and Arranging the Date
Before we can marry you, the officiating minster will want to meet with you at least four times to prepare you for marriage and then again to discuss the wedding itself. If we are running an evening bible study course, we also recommend that you join that too.
After preparation, the marriage service will take place when most convenient for the church and the couple. 

Fees
For non-members, there are certain minimal fees for use of the sanctuary, and for the ministers, musicians, wedding team and bulletins. Please contact the Rectors for a break down of these costs. 
Members of Trinity Church only pay for the musicians and the wedding team, as performing weddings is a beautiful part of being your Rectors, and one we look forward to. Donations are always welcome, but we have no expectations.