Purpose and Policy
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God and, as such, one’s biological sex is not to be rejected. (Gen 1:26-27.) We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one biological man and one biological woman in a single, exclusive, lifelong union, as delineated in Scripture. (Gen 2:I8-25.) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Cor 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb 13:4; Matt 5:28, Eph 5:3). The purpose of weddings at River Shores is to establish stable Christian homes where Christ is honored as the head of the home. In order to help prepare couples toward that goal, the following policies have been created:
1. Weddings will only be conducted for two Christians who have demonstrated the maturity & compatibility to have a stable, God-honoring relationship.
2. Usually weddings will only be conducted at least 6 months after the first meeting between the pastor & couple, unless wisdom would warrant an exception.
3. To ensure solid preparation for marriage, a minimum of 8-10 hours of premarital counseling sessions (plus assigned homework) are required with the pastor before the wedding. The date may not be set before the pastor feels this will be a successful marriage.
4. The pastor will not conduct a wedding between a Christian and non-Christian
5. A wedding will not be conducted for a couple that is living together or sexually active unless they agree to separate and keep sexually pure until the wedding. Why? This is for several reasons, including to demonstrate genuine Christian life as #1 above & for making a stable Christian home
6. You may have a pastor outside of our church officiate the ceremony with approval from Pastor Casey.
Our facilities
* The church sanctuary seats about 350 people comfortably, though more metal folding chairs could be squeezed in.
* The multipurpose room seats between 200-250 people around tables depending on table size and layout. (For example, if you use a serving line, 27 round tables, and 4 straight tables, that seats 249 people).
* Our kitchen is a fully licensed commercial kitchen.
* Please read our building use policies as well as our Wedding Packet
To get started:
1. Contact the church administrative assistant, who will then contact the wedding coordinator. The church’s availability is based on those who reserves the facility first. Your assigned wedding coordinator will then check to make sure the church and pastor are available, and then get back to you regarding approval.
2. Submit to our church office the application along with a $200 security deposit check (that will be returned if the facilities are not damaged). The rest of the fees (below) will be due one month before the wedding. Full refund if the wedding is canceled.
3. Meet with Pastor Casey to set up premarital counseling sessions.
4. Your wedding coordinator will be in contact with you regarding church property use and planning of the wedding rehearsal & ceremony.
5. The fees differ for those who have River Shores as their home church and those who do not:
Fees
Inside Congregation
Church use, $50
Custodial work, $150
Sanctuary sound technician (approx. 4 hours for wedding & rehearsal), $100
Reception Fee for use of multipurpose room and kitchen, $200
Tablecloths, $50
Sound Tech (needs in other rooms), cost based on needs
Total = $300-$550
Outside Congregation
Church use, $200
Custodial work, $150
Sanctuary sound technician (approx. 4 hours for wedding & rehearsal), $150
Reception Fee for use of multipurpose room and kitchen, $200
Tablecloths, $50
Sound Tech (needs in other rooms), cost based on needs
Total = $500-$750
For more information
Please contact the church office
