Getting Married in a
Methodist Church Usually as a couple wishing to
get married you should approach the Methodist
Minister of the church at which you wish to be
married. This would normally have to be in the
civil registration district in which you live.
Marriage preparation is
provided at a local level by one of the
Ministers from a local Circuit. The best route
is to start making links with the Minister most
likely to conduct the wedding. As part of the
legal process, prospective marriage partners
need to go to the local registry office and
there you will be given a copy of a book called
'Married Life', which is a helpful resource for
people thinking about the implications of
getting married.
There is also an
ecumenical website about marriage
preparation.

Divorce and Remarriage
The rules and laws relating to
divorce are not made by the church but rather by
the State. If you need advice and clarification
on your particular circumstances, please contact
the local minister or the Superintendent
Minister of the Methodist Circuit where you
live. You will find to an email link to your
local Superintendent Minister on the relevant
Circuit page on this website.
The Methodist Church is
generally willing to marry people who have been
divorced, while their previous spouse is still
alive, as long as there are not major obvious
reasons why it would be inappropriate to do so.
There are a very few Ministers who will never
marry someone who has been divorced, but such a
minister will refer you to a Minister who is
willing to marry divorced people. The local
Minister will be able to explain the legalities
about going to the registrar for a certificate
and so on.
The Methodist Church does not
argue that the grounds for divorce should be
changed from the present ones. We would
certainly encourage any couple going through
difficulties in their relationship to seek
advice, counselling and support to see if they
can rebuild it. We would also expect people to
take very seriously their responsibilities to
any children of the marriage.
Non-Methodist Members
You do not have to be a
member/s of the church in order to marry in
church, but most Ministers will ask you why you
wish to marry in church if you are not. A church
marriage is a solemn Christian ceremony, with
prayers and Bible readings reflecting Christian
understandings of what marriage is about. So,
whilst people wishing to marry in a Methodist
church do not need to be church members, most
Ministers will look for a genuine desire on the
part of a couple to take their marriage
seriously along the lines set out in the
service. Discussing what this means in practice
will be part of the marriage preparation.
Different Denominations
Many couples marrying in
Methodist churches include people from different
Christian denominations. Where two people from
different church traditions marry, it is quite
common for a Minister from both churches to take
part in the ceremony. This is welcomed.
Sometimes, people from different faiths marry -
and there is advice available for such. |