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| PLACES TO GO: |
Yolanda Marie and Nathan Edward Pralle 18th December 2004, 3:00 PM United Methodist Church, Hampton, IA Officiant - Reverend Jerry K. Miller
The Dinner and Dance Reception will be following the service at the Franklin County Fairgrounds on the west side of Hampton on Highway 3. Contrary to typical American wedding traditions, the bride and groom will not be ushering out guests nor forming a receiving line at the church. Instead, the guests at the reception hall will form the Australian tradition of a wedding arch. Please proceed after the service to the reception hall and await instructions from the Master of Ceremonies. The couple plans to then greet you at your table during the reception after you have gone through the food line. We look forward to seeing each of you as we make the rounds! Thank You Nathan and Yolanda would sincerely like to thank everyone for attending their wedding celebration and festivities. We are extremely grateful for those who have made trips to be here on this day and all the support we have received. Our special thanks to those who have put forth efforts in helping us prepare and plan this event. Our thoughts and hearts go out to those who could not be with us today, especially the majority of Yolanda's family who were unable to make the expensive trip over here from Australia. Although they are not here in person, we know they are here in spirit. The Inscription The inscription that adorns the margins of this program as well as the margins of our invitations is written in Sindarin, a mode of Elvish, written with the Tengwar alphabet. It reads, "Chen annon melethen" and means, "My love, you have opened the great door to my heart."
Sanctuary Lighting and Candlelit Processional The sanctuary is purposely dimly lit for our ceremony. The Bride and Groom chose this for a variety of reasons. The dim lighting brings out the smallest of lights in the decorations and accents, symbolizing the small glimmers of hope and joy in a world often shrouded by darkness. The lighting also enhances the intimate feel of the ceremony for the participants. Candles, which are used in many Christmas settings and were used as primary lighting for Christmas trees before electric lights, symbolize for us the life within each of us -- the lives we have enjoyed of each of our guests here today and how they have touched us. The candlelit processional celebrates not only our own commitment to be the life-long light in each other's lives, but to be the light in each and every other person's life that we contact. The Handfasting We have chosen today, in lieu of a formal wedding ring ceremony, to perform the ancient ritual of handfasting. Handfasting is an ancient Celtic tradition performed long before the formal marriage ceremony ever came to be what it is today. In those times, the traditions in much of Western Europe dictated that a man and a woman, upon taking each other's hands and declaring their intent, were legally married. This tradition was further enhanced in later years by the tying on of a rope around the couple's intertwined hands. This rope symbolized the joining of the two into a couple and is the source of today's modern colloquialism of, "tying the knot". Our handfasting rope, made especially for the occasion, is made of many different colors of ribbon, each color symbolizing a blessing for our marriage and life together. They are woven together into a rope to symbolize that none of these blessings is without the others and all decisions, events, and actions in our lives affects every other. The Colors of the Handfasting Rope: Jumping the Broom As the bride and groom leave the sanctuary today, you will see an ancient ritual being performed. A broom will be placed in front of the couple and they will step over it. This is to symbolize that during a marriage it is not all about love, romance, and happiness -- sometimes it is about who sweeps the floor. This tradition is carried down from ancient Welsh weddings. Carol of the Bells Adapted by Peter J. Wilhousky Arranged by John Innes Leon Kuehner, Organist Carol of the Bells is the bride's choice for the processional. The tune incorporates the mystery and wonder of the Christmas season with the ringing of the bells, pealing out the news of the newborn Christ and the spirit of the Christmas season. The music was originally composed by Mykola Dmytrovich Leontovich (1877 - 1921) of the Ukraine and adapted for chorus by Peter J. Wilhousky in 1936. Since then, it has been a favorite carol of many choirs and ensembles. Today's arrangement for organ is by John Innes, an English-born graduate of Northwestern with an international reputation as keyboardist for the Billy Graham Association and an accomplished composer and arranger. O Holy Night Written by Placide Clappeau Translated by John Sullivan Dwight Music by Adolphe-Charles Adam Arranged by Robert Thygerson Leon Kuehner, Organist Placide Clappeau, a wine merchant and the mayor of Roquemaure, France, originally wrote the words to O Holy Night in 1847. It was translated to English by John Sullivan Dwight and set to music by Frenchman Adolphe-Charles Adam who is best known for his ballet, Giselle and his operatic works. Church officials were not pleased with the song at first, denouncing it as lacking musical taste and "total absence of the spirit of religion." O Holy Night is also said to be the first music ever broadcast over radio. Both the bride and groom chose this song as it is one of their favorites and presents the mystery and haunting peace of the Christmas season in a powerful arrangement of melody and harmony. It is often the mystery and enchantment of the season, a season of giving, and it is only appropriate for a wedding where we give unto each other ourselves. And Can It Be Words by Charles Wesley Music by Bob Kauflin The River City Barbershop Chorus This musical piece, although technically an Easter-oriented song, was chosen for its magnificent beauty and meaning. It explores the mystery of the birth and death of Christ and all that he did to save and inspire the sinful. In particular, it explores the idea of an "Amazing Love" that transcends sin, death, and condemnation. A love so great can only be an inspiration to everyone, especially married couples, who must frequently put themselves aside for the love of their spouse, much like Christ put himself aside for the people of the universe. Originally written by Charles Wesley (founder of Methodism) in his collection Psalms and Hymns in 1738, this arrangement was set to music by Bob Kauflin, director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries and pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The River City Barbershop chorus (of which the Groom is a four-year member) is graciously providing the harmonious rendition of this piece for our ceremony. Sinfonies de Fanfares Movement 1 - Rondeau from The Premiere Suite Jean-Joseph Mouret (1682 - 1738) Arranged by Elaine Gardner Leon Kuehner, Organist Jean-Joseph Mouret was born in Avignon, France, and eventually found himself in Paris employed as the master of music for the Marshall of Noailles. He composed for the New Italian Opera until 1737 and also served under King Louis XV. He died of madness in 1738 in a mental institution. He wrote nine operas, ballets, and over 400 divertissements for numerous plays in his lifetime. Rondeau, the first movement from his Sinfonies de Fanfares, was chosen as the first recessional piece to emphasize the joyousness of the end of the celebration. It is an uplifting and entertaining piece that lends happiness and excitement to the occasion. Prelude in Classical Style Gordon E. Young (1919 - 1998) Leon Kuehner, Organist Gordon E. Young was born in McPhearson, KS and earned his honorary degree of Doctor of Sacred Music from Southwestern in 1964. He served congregations in Pennsylvannia, Oklahoma, and Michigan both as choral director and organist. He released many choral and organist compositions over his lifetime and is still widely published. This particular piece is a wonderful, upbeat song with flair of classical style yet in a modern setting and was something we both enjoyed upon hearing it. It also easily shows off the talent of the organist and the quality of the organ in the church. Song of Solomon (Song of Songs), Chapter 8, Verses 6 and 7 The Holy Bible, New International Version TEXT: Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. NOTES: The Song of Solomon is the poetry of two lovers describing their feelings for each other from a first-person perspective. It is the book of the Bible most concerned with the love between lovers and is often postulated to be a metaphor for Christ and the church. We as a couple enjoy this verse because it talks about the power of love -- the power to overcome adversity, problems, and even distance, which we have experienced first-hand. Epistle to the Philippians, Chapter 4, Verses 8 and 9 The Holy Bible, New International Version TEXT: ...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. NOTES: Living life is not merely about going around and doing the things humans do. We are all designed to find a greater level of experience, an existence beyond a base level. Here in this verse is detailed a wonderful list of things that everyone should strive for -- truth, nobility, righteousness, purity, beauty, and appreciation. Not only are these applicable to individual humans but also to a couple within a marriage as they relate to each other. We are not perfect, but for each other, we will strive to do our best. An excerpt from Passion for Justice by Carter Heyward TEXT: Love, like truth and beauty, is concrete. Love is not fundamentally a sweet feeling; not, at heart, a matter of sentiment, attachment, or being "drawn toward." Love is active, effective, a matter of making reciprocal and mutually beneficial relation with one's friends and enemies. Love creates righteousness, or justice, here on earth. To make love is to make justice. As advocates and activists for justice know, loving involves struggle, resistance, risk. People working today on behalf of women, blacks, lesbians and gay men, the aging, the poor in this country and elsewhere know that making justice is not a warm, fuzzy experience. I think also that lovers and good friends know that the most compelling relationships demand hard work, patience, and a willingness to endure tensions and anxiety in creating mutually empowering bonds. For this reason loving involves commitment. We are not automatic lovers of self, others, world, or God. Love does not just happen. We are not love machines, puppets on the strings of a deity called "love." Love is a choice -- not simply, or necessarily, a rational choice, but rather a willingness to be present to others without pretense or guile. Love is a conversion to humanity -- a willingness to participate with others in the healing of a broken world and broken lives. Love is the choice to experience life as a member of the human family, a partner in the dance of life, rather than as an alien in the world or as a deity above the world, aloof and apart from human flesh. NOTES: Love is not always fuzzy; in fact, as we get older, we find that love comes in a variety of forms and few are fuzzy if even remotely soft. This piece by Carter Heyward appealed to us almost instantly -- it details the realities of love, many which are found in marriage. It also details the pursuit of love, that love is something active, not passive, and we must remember to extend our love to those around us, for life is short and time moves fast -- we dare not lose an opportunity to love someone if we have the chance. As it says above, love is a commitment, and we confirm that commitment today and must learn to confirm it every day of our married lives so that we may reap the benefits of that love. |
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