Christian Ministers Association | Marriage & Weddings

Marriage & Weddings

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Conducting Wedding Ceremonies sample service

Marriage and the great desire of God for us.

We clearly see in Scripture God from the beginning chose the marriage covenant relationship as a vivid illustration of his deep love, affection and devotion toward us.

In regard to marriage, the word honour actually carries the meaning of holding something deeply precious. In Hebrews 13 we see the desire of the Father for marriage to be held in HONOUR by all. This scripture on its own, draws us to lean in and HOLD the things that are PRECIOUS to Him as PRECIOUS to us. That is what makes a life deeply rich by valuing the things that our heavenly Father values with deep devotion and care.

We believe that the institution of Marriage is an ordinance that was created by God and therefore belongs to the Church and its arm in the world. Its origin is with God and is therefore authorized and blessed by God and ministers ordained by God.

We have chosen, according to the Scriptures, to uphold the marriage covenant, solely between a man and a woman, as deeply precious.

The blessing of a man and a woman in marriage is the only form of marriage sanctioned by CMA members.

CMA Position on Marriage

Clergy Marriage Licencing

Membership in CMA does not automatically licence you to solemnize marriages in Canada. As a Member you may request a permanent licence to solemnize marrage in the province in which you reside as well as obtaining temporary licences for each wedding outside your province of residency.

All licence applications are submitted on the same form so it is important to apply for the correct licence, which are explained below.

Remember that CMA only authorizes the sacred union of a man and a woman in holy matrimony, in adherence to a literal and orthodox interpretation of scripture.

Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence

For weddings within the province in which you reside, please request a Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence. Only CMA Members in good standing may apply for this permanent licence. These licences are free of charge.

Refer to the above link and select "Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence" in Step 4 of the application.

Temporary Clergy Marriage Licence

For weddings outside of the province in which you reside, please obtain a Temporary Clergy Marriage Licence. A new licence request is required for each wedding. If you currently hold a Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence for your Province, it cannot be used to perform these weddings. These temporary licences are free of charge for CMA Members.

Additionally, special licence requests for Alumni and Interdenominational licence requests are provided under this licence. These licence requests carry a fee which must be paid when the licence application is submitted.

Pay for a Non Member Special Licence Request Here

Refer to the above link and select "Temporary Clergy Marriage Licence" in Step 4 of the application.

Apply For A Licence

APPLY FOR A CLERGY MARRIAGE LICENCE HERE

This one form is used for the following licence applications (see below to understand which one you need):

- Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence (CMA Members Only)

- Temporary Clergy Marriage Licence (Weddings outside your province of residence and special requests)

Please remember that we need a minimum of 8 weeks to process your request.

Marriage Procedures

As a member of CMA you are entitled to request a licence to solemnize marriage.

This is an option you request prior to performing your first wedding. Please submit your request online at least 8 weeks prior to the wedding. This licence to marry carries no extra cost to members.

The right to marry is provincially regulated and must be processed through our office. Your Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence is only valid in the province in which you reside.

If you require the right to solemnize marriages outside of your province, you may request a Temporary Clergy Marriage Licence for the province needed. This online application must be completed no less than 8 weeks prior to the date of the ceremony. Last minute requests will not be entertained. This is due to the paperwork and time requirements of each Provincial regulator.

If you change your province of residence, please inform our office immediately. There are regulations in the Marriage Act which must be adhered to, to ensure you the privilege of conducting marriage ceremonies in the area you now reside. Permanent Clergy Marriage Licences are not transferable between provinces.

Marriage registry books are available upon request in some provinces through the CMA office. The marriage registry book is intended to be used at each ceremony you perform. In most cases the local church or institution will have a book that you can use. If you are in need of your own book please inform us of the reason in writing and we can process your request.

If and when you cease to be a member of CMA*, Please inform us of your decision and relinquish your Permanent Clergy Marriage Licence. If you are in possession of your own personal registry book, you must relinquish this as well. For more details please contact us.

If you are in doubt of the marriage procedures in the Province of the wedding, please contact us and we will assist you in this area.

*Cease to be a member – CMA membership is granted and retained according to the by-laws in our constitution and therefore must be upheld. You may request special consideration in writing to the office stating your desire and current position. Members are never “cut off” without repeated communications from the office. We do rely on each member’s Biblical and moral integrity to fulfill the requirements and privilege of membership.

Conducting Wedding Ceremonies

It is such an honour as ministers to walk along side a couple as they launch out into life together. Getting marriage right is one thing ... solemnizing a wedding right is another. We desire that each member that performs a wedding is relaxed and confident with the process.

If you have any questions about solemnizing a marriage Contact Us.

We created this downloadable basic Christian Wedding Ceremony as a resource for our ministers to use for the ceremony. It can be modified as needed:

Single Sided

(designed to use on a tablet)

Word Version - Colour

Word Version - Black & White

PDF Version Colour (fill in blanks by hand)

PDF Version - Black & White (fill in blanks by hand)

Double Sided

(designed to print and fold as a booklet - setup printer configuration to flip on short edge when printing double sided)

Word Version - Colour

Word VERSION - BLACK & WHITE