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* Note * Lenny & Paula - Standing behind Podiums Musicians - Standing SR Mike & Mary - Standing SR & SL of Center. Eric & Emily - Top of Amphitheater SR JoiLin & Fred - Top of Amphitheater SL

"THE OPENING"

Lenny Cues Music - Eric & Emily, JoiLin & Fred begin to walk down the isles simultaneously.

MUSIC "The Wedding Song" - Performed by Susan Ransbottom & Phil Geiger

[ Lenny ] Welcome to this most Joyous occasion. We are gathered here on this day, July twenty sixth, nineteen hundred and ninety seven to witness and celebrate the vows of marriage of two of our friends.

[ Paula ] Because Eric and JoiLin believe that it is the community, which outwardly recognizes and sanctifies their union in marriage, they have asked not one, but three of us to act on your behalf to officiate.

[ Fred ] Therefore, Lenny, Paula and I, with your consent will represent our community of Urantians in sanctioning this solemn ceremony. [ Lenny ] Would you, members of our Urantia Community, please stand,..... If its is your will, please acknowledge this consent by responding in unison, and repeating the words, I DO.

[ Assembled Guest Answer ] I DO.

[ Lenny ] We three,

[ Paula ] for the duration of this ceremony,

[ Fred ] accept the responsibility to officiate, the

[ Unison ] Marriage of Eric and JoiLin.

"ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF OUR CELESTIAL GUESTS"

[ Lenny ] Please recall when the master said;

[ Unison ] "Where two or three believers, are gathered together, there am I, in the midst of them". (Page 1763)

[ Paula ] Let us each in our own way and in silence, pause to acknowledge and welcome, Michael of Nebadon our creator son and brother, into our presence,....

[ Fred ] Let us also acknowledge and welcome, Machiventa Melchizedek and all the additional celestial guests and unseen friends whom have come to share in this ceremony. "THE BACKGROUND"

[ Lenny ] Eric and JoiLin first met on the Internet and then, in person at the International Urantia Conference of ‘96. Each had prepared a list of qualities for a companion to share their life. Each had petitioned the Celestial Hosts to aid them in finding their companion.

[ Paula ] The teachings of the Urantia Papers, our Religion, and the quest to know God brought them together.

[ Fred ] And with some help from our unseen friends. But it is the age old urge for companionship and the desire to establish a home together that has truly brought them here today.

[ Lenny ] In the normal and natural progression of relationship building, having taken careful consideration and preparation, they are now ready for the next step. To paraphrase a favorite quote from the Urantia Papers,

[ Paula ] That which spiritually enlightened beings, unselfishly and wholeheartedly want to do,

[ Fred ] in accordance with moral dedication,

[ Lenny ] becomes measurably creative,

[ Paula ] in the doing, of the Father's will.

[ Fred ] When we join in partnership with God,

[ Unison ] Great things do happen. (Page 1467) "THE PRAYER"

* Note * Bell Tone by Susan

MUSIC "CREATE IN ME" as Performed by Susan Ransbottom

[ Singers ] "Create in me, a clean heart oh Lord,..."

[ Lenny ] Father of all, whose Son we honor,

[ Singers ] "Let me be like you, in all my ways,..."

[ Paula ] Make us a pleasure to our divine teachers,

[ Singers ] "Give me your strength, teach me your song..."

[ Fred ] Bestow upon us courage, and forever put truth on our lips.

[ Singers ] "Shelter me in the shadow of your wings..."

[ Lenny ] Deliver us from fear and ignorance.

[ Singers ] "Lead us in righteousness, help us live in love, as we follow your quest...

[ Paula ] In all our just causes, may our hearts fill with your mercy, It is my will, that your will, be done.

[ Singers ] "we shall be born, again to be blessed..."

[ Fred ] In time, may it be said of each of us,

[ Unison ] This my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased.

[Singers ] "In your love, In your love"

[ All in Unison ] Amen. "THE LESSONS"

[ Lenny ] In the Urantia Papers we find Rodan of Alexandra saying;

[ Paula ] "Marriage with its manifold relationships, is best designed to draw forth those precious impulses and those higher motives which are indispensable to the development of a strong character.

[ Fred ] "I do not hesitate thus to glorify family life, for your Master has wisely chosen the father-child relationship, as the very cornerstone of this new gospel of the kingdom.

[ Lenny ] "And such a matchless community of relationship, man and woman in fond embrace of the highest ideals of time, is so valuable and satisfying an experience, that is worth any price, any sacrifice, request for its possession." (page 1776)

[ Unison ] There is a pattern.

[ Paula ] "And then occurs one of the most profoundly touching episodes which ever take place on Paradise. The Universal Father speaks in acknowledgment of the eternal union of the Creator Son and the Creative Spirit..." (page 204)

[ Fred ] So too, here on Urantia, let us acknowledge in our own simple way, the marriage of two friends. Let us recognize that through this marriage something new is born,

[ Lenny ] something fragile yet durable;

[ Paula ] unique, though not unexpected;

[ Fred ] something treasured, yet free;

[ Paula ] dependable, and yet flexible;

[ Fred ] something so wonderful that it deserves a celebration.

[ Lenny ] and indeed that is what we are offering here today. The celebration of a new birth. For truly when two come together in such complete willingness and love, a new creature has emerged in the universe.

[ Unison ] There is a pattern,

[ Fred ] "The gods have attributes but the Trinity has functions,...." (page 1304)

[ Paula ] We have the man,

[ Lenny ] the woman,

[ Unison ] and now we shall witness their marriage.

[ Fred ] JoiLin

[ Paula ] and Eric

[ Lenny ] as they have been, they are no longer, now ... they are

[ Unison ] more!

"THE FUTURE"

MUSIC "Take My Breath Away " as Performed by Susan Myers

[ Lenny ] By virtue of acceptance of this new marriage, they are now granted a most special gift,

[ Paula ] and we know of what we speak...

[ Fred ] Love,

[ Lenny ] Commitment,

[ Paula ] Family.

[ Fred ] From now on, though outwardly the changes may seem subtle and intangible,

[ Paula ] their newly formed marriage will be continually adding new dimensions to their lives,

[ Lenny ] unexpected excitement,

[ Paula ] courage in the face of doubt,

[ Fred ] steadfast devotion,

[ Paula ] strength to bear life's burdens,

[ Lenny ] unconditional love,

[ Paula ] tenderness to soothe the pain

[ Fred ] Together they will walk the road of life, accepting all challenges as growth experiences to build their inner life and strengthen their outer relationship.

"THE MEANINGS"

MUSIC "The Wedding Prayer " as Performed by Susan Ransbottom

[ Lenny ] Let our thoughts turn to the meanings and values of marriage, [ Fred ] past,

[ Paula ] present,

[ Lenny ] and future.

[ Fred ] "Marriage always has been and still is, man's supreme dream of temporal ideality. Though this beautiful dream is seldom realized in its entirety, it endures as a glorious ideal, ever luring progressing mankind on to greater strivings for human happiness." (Page 930)

[ Paula ] "Marriage, with children and consequent family life, is stimulative of the highest potentials in human nature and simultaneously provides the ideal avenue for the expression of these quickened attributes of mortal personality." (Page 941)

[ Lenny ] "The family is the fundamental unit of fraternity in which parents and children learn those lessons of patience, altruism, tolerance, and forbearance, which are so essential to the realization of brotherhood among all men." (Page 941) [ Fred ] "But even more, a true family, a good family, reveals to the parental procreators the attitude of the Creator to his children, while at the same time such true parents portray to their children the first of a long series of ascending disclosures of the love of the Paradise parent of all universe children." (Page 942)

[ Paula ] Let this ceremony, which initiates the marriage of JoiLin and Eric, also initiate a new beginning for all marriages. Let us cherish the state of Matrimony and honor it. Remember, each and every marriage needs to be,

[ Lenny ] Encouraged,

[ Fred ] Supported,

[ Paula ] Affirmed and loved. Now,

[ Unison ] Let the mystery of Marriage begin. "THE VOWS"

MUSIC "I Will Always Be With You " as Performed by Eric Johnson

[ Lenny ] Do You , Eric take JoiLin to be your wife, to live together in the loving bond of marriage? Will you hold steadfast to the values that you both love ... those supreme values of truth, beauty and goodness? And will you seek to manifest those high values in the home you will create together?

[ Eric ] Yes I Do.

[ Paula ] Do You , JoiLin take Eric to be your husband, to live together in the loving bond of marriage? Will you hold steadfast to the values that you both love ... those supreme values of truth, beauty and goodness? And will you seek to manifest those high values in the home you will create together?

[ JoiLin ] Yes I Do. "THE CEREMONY"

[ Fred ] May we have the rings?

* Note * Susan moves to Standby the Gong. Mike and Mary move to give the Rings to Fred. [ Susan ] SOUNDS THE GONG TONE

[ Fred ] May these rings serve as a symbol, recognized throughout the World of Urantia, that you have joined your life with another.

* Note * Fred then hands the rings to Paula,

[ Susan ] SOUNDS THE GONG TONE [ Paula ] May these Rings serve to remind you of a bond between you not binding, but as a circle of faith, surrounding your lives in love.

* Note * Paula then hands the rings to Lenny

[ Susan ] SOUNDS THE GONG TONE.

[ Lenny ] May these Rings serve to remind you of today, this summer evening in the Rocky Mountains, high above the everyday cares of the world below, where you publicly declared your solemn vows of marriage to one another.

* Note * Pause while Lenny, with the Rings, moves to center and stands behind Eric & JoiLin. "THE MARRIAGE"

[ Paula ] In clear view and strong voice, so that all may hear and witness,

[ Fred ] Exchange and bestow the Rings of your Wedding,

[ Unison ] Declare your Marriage.

[ Eric ] With this Ring, I thee wed.

[ JoiLin ] With this Ring, I thee wed.

"THE PRONOUNCEMENT"

[ Lenny ] Would everyone gathered here please stand, .... Let us all now, join our voices together as one community, with a strong voice of unison, and finalize this joyous moment with the words that will complete this Marriage Ceremony, All together now,....

[ ALL ] We now pronounce you Husband and Wife!

[ Lenny ] In closing let us pray,

May the Blessings of God, who is with us this day, Together with the support and love of our unseen friends, bring our newly-weds all the happiness life on Urantia has to offer. May you always walk with God. Amen.

MUSIC "Agondonter Blues" as Performed by Phil Geiger.