Marriage of Lisa Westman & James McDonald (CL)

Lisa Monique Westman James Ross McDonald

Wedding Service February 20, 2011

at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Schenectady, NY

by Cliff Lamere Feb 21-23, 2011

Lisa Monique Westman and James Ross McDonald were married on February 20, 2011 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1229 Baker Ave, Schenectady, NY where James is the rector. The wedding ceremony began at 3 p.m. and was performed by Rev. LeRoy Suess, friend of the Westman family, and congregant at First Church (Reformed) in Albany where Lisa had been a choir member. Lisa had long before asked Rev. Suess to preside at her wedding when the time came.

Lisa's favorite color is purple, which explains why the men wore purple roses and ties, while the ladies wore purple dresses and carried bouquets of purple flowers.

Note: The photos at St. Stephen's Church were taken without the aid of flash with a Kodak EasyShare DX6490 digital camera, then many of the photos were brightened using software. The focus was sharper in the past, especially on shots using the zoom feature. The camera requires a long time to get the best focus. Some shots must be taken at a particular moment or missed forever, so some were taken out of focus.

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church altar.

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church windows.

St. Stephen, Jesus Christ, St. George (L-R)

Lisa would appear from the rear left corner in this photo.

Note: The photos below here are presented in chronological order.

Upper Catskill String Quartet playing pre-wedding music.

Performers: Beth Brandel, Camille Grace, John DeValve, Jack Gosselink

James Westman, brother and videographer

Lisa McDonald and Margaret Tilden (Bride's Maids), Mary Alice Caldes (Matron of Honor),

James Westman, Rev. LeRoy Suess (L-R)

Betsy Westman (sister-in-law) and Marty Willey, additional Bride's Maids, were not in the photo.

James McDonald, William McDonald (brother & Best Man).

Groom's Men were: Nicolaus Brooks-McDonald (son), Ethan Brooks-McDonald (son),

Xavier McDonald (nephew), Nathaniel McDonald (nephew) (L-R)

Julie McDonald (mother) is in the foreground.

The Procession: Willem Westman (father) & Lisa coming down the aisle.

There was a huge smile on her face.

Camera could not focus on them while they were moving.

The Pastoral Address

(text similar to the following):

Celebrant: Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It signifies to us the mystery between Christ and his Church, and Holy Scripture commends it to be honored among all people.

The union of husband and wife in heart, body, and mind is intended by God for their mutual joy; for the help and comfort given one another in prosperity and adversity; and, when it is God's will, for the procreation of children and their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Therefore marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, and in accordance with the purposes for which it was instituted by God.

Into this holy union ............. and ............ now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not be lawfully married, speak now; or else forever hold your peace.

Celebrant: I require and charge you both, here in the presence of God, that if either of you know any reason why you may not be united in marriage lawfully, and in accordance with God's Word, you do now confess it.

Declaration of Consent

(text similar to the following):

Celebrant: ………..will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will.

Celebrant:………… will you have this woman to be your wife; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

Groom: I will.

Celebrant: Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?

People: We will.

The Giving in Marriage (Presentation of the Bride)

Mary Alice Caldes (Matron of Honor) & Lisa

Celebrant: Rev. LeRoy Suess

Lisa & Rev. LeRoy Suess

Geoffrey Tilden from Australia (First Lesson: Song of Solomon 2:10-13; 8:6-7)

Daniel Westman (nephew) (Second Lesson: I Corinthians 13:1-12)

Rev. J. Carr Holland now from North Carolina,

recently retired Episcopal rector from Grace Church, Newark, NJ (Psalm 67)

Rev. LeRoy Suess, retired New Baltimore Reformed Church pastor.

Rev. Patricia L. Jones, deacon of St. Stephen's Church

(Third Lesson: Colossians 3:12-17)

Lisa and James on separate sides of the aisle during the Homily.

The Marriage

(text similar to the following):

Facing each other,

In the Name of God, I, …….. take you, ………, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

In the Name of God, I, ,………., take you, ……… to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.

They loose their hands.

Celebrant: Bless, O Lord, these rings to be signs of the vows by which this man and this woman have bound themselves to each other; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

……….. I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

………..I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Then Celebrant joins the right hands of couple.

Celebrant: Now that …….. and ……….have given themselves to each other by solemn vows, with the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those, whom God has joined together, let no one put asunder.

People: Amen.