Milestones & Sacraments
Weddings
The coming together of two people, before God and God’s people, is a joyous time. As the Episcopal prayer book says, it is at a wedding in Cana of Galilee that Jesus performed his first miracle. Most often those wishing to marry at All Souls are members of the parish, and though on occasion we celebrate the marriage of couples who are not members, we expect all couples to have an ongoing pastoral relationship. At least one person of the couple must be a baptized Christian (though not an Episcopalian), and we welcome both traditional and same-sex couples. We must have at least three months notice prior to the wedding, and four or more counseling sessions are required with the officiating priest. Under special circumstances, weddings may be celebrated in locations other than the main church. In all weddings performed in the church, the parish music director must be consulted about and compensated for the music performed. For further information and fee schedule, as well as to make an appointment to discuss wedding plans, please call or email the church office.
Funerals and Memorial Services
In the Christian church, a funeral or memorial service for one who has died serves as a communal time for mourning, an opportunity to remember the departed, and a time to proclaim the resurrection promised by Christ. For the celebration of a funeral, memorial service, or burial, please call the church office to make an appointment with the rector or another priest on the staff. Grief counseling is available upon request. Our music director will be available or will recommend a suitable substitute musician for the occasion. Please contact us for more information.
Flowers at Church
If you are interested in dedicating the flowers in the Church on Sunday mornings to a loved one or a particular remembrance, please fill out the form below and indicate which day you would like to contribute the flowers and what you would like the dedication to say. The dedication will appear in our announcement sheet on the Sunday you have selected.
Baptism
The act of Christian Baptism is an ancient sacramental rite that spiritually cleanses and welcomes new members into the community of Jesus Christ. It is so foundational to our faith that the baptismal font is what is first seen as we enter our church and as we leave to return to the world.
The sacrament of Holy Baptism is celebrated on four occasions in the church year: the Sunday after Epiphany (early January); the Easter Vigil (the Saturday night before Easter); Pentecost (in late May/early June); and the Sunday after All Saints Day (November 1).
For the baptism of infants and small children, preparation with the Rector or another priest on staff is required. For adult baptism, we recommend baptism at the Easter Vigil, with participation in our intensive formation process known as the Catechumenate. Please call or email the church office for further information and to make an appointment to discuss plans for baptism.