Weddings

Thank you for your interest in marrying at St. Timothy Lutheran Church. Because we believe that marriage is a life-long faithful union and mirrors the love of Christ for his Church, the following guidelines are provided for your wedding at St. Timothy:

1. Since marriage is a ministry of the church, and the wedding is a liturgy of the church, weddings will ordinarily be performed for members of St. Timothy Lutheran Church, prospective members, or members of their families. All weddings are performed at the discretion of the pastor.
2. Requests for marriage should be made six (6) or more months in advance. You may contact us at 973-694-8316 for more information.
3. The couple must be willing to spend three (3) or four (4) sessions in counseling with the pastor. They should also plan to worship regularly during their time of marriage preparation.
4. Weddings should be scheduled at such times that they do not interfere with the stated meetings of the church. Because of the amount of work involved in preparing the building for Lord’s Day worship, the church must be cleared by 4:45 p.m. Saturday. Requests for the use of the church must be made at the church office and the date put on the church calendar.

Baptism

Holy Baptism is the Sacrament of Christian Initiation. Baptismal candidates may be of any age, but preparation for Baptism differs according to age. When baptizing infants, parents and sponsors (Godparents) promise “to bring their children to the services of God’s house, and teach them the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments.” They also promise to provide for their children’s instruction in the Christian faith.

Parents of young candidates will meet with the Pastor for instruction and discussion at least once before the sacrament. Adults wishing to be baptized will meet with the pastor for new member instruction. Baptisms usually take place during normally scheduled liturgies, and, except in emergencies, are not administered during Lent.