Church Ceremony & Pastoral Officiating
Marriage is a legal civil ceremony, but it is also an appropriate time to ask God's blessing and grace as two people covenant to live together in loving harmony as long as they both shall live. It is therefore fitting for the wedding service to be held in the church. However, many couples have, for one reason or another, come to this important moment in their lives only to discover they don't have a church of their own. We welcome couples who wish to have their wedding in a sacred setting, provided they truly desire to invite God’s blessing and involvement in their marriage.

Visiting Trinity & Scheduling Your Wedding
If you are considering having your wedding ceremony at Trinity Community Church, UCC, please call the church office at (708) 484-1818 (press 2) to make an appointment to visit with the Pastor. In the initial visit, you will learn which dates are available for and see the facilities available for the ceremony and for a reception, if desired.

Conference with the Pastor
If you decide to be married at Trinity Community Church by our Pastor, you will need to visit at least twice with the Pastor to get acquainted, to plan the wedding service, and to discuss some of the issues you will face in your life as a married couple.

To make your wedding as meaningful as possible, your personal ideas and suggestions for the ceremony are invited. The pastor can provide you with ideas for a wedding service, but there is some flexibility for adapting these to your own wishes, provided the sacred nature of the wedding service is maintained.

Church Facilities
The Sanctuary can comfortably accommodate 120 people and is air-conditioned for the summer months. Two altar candles, seasonal floral arrangements and Christ candle adorn the space. A kneeler is available for your use. If a unity candle is used, it will need to be provided by the bridal couple. Additionally, two TV monitors may be used to display powerpoint screens or images/videos during the service.

The Bride’s Room is available for the bride & bridal party as a gathering space prior to the ceremony.

The church is handicapped assessable with a ramp and automatic door if you enter through the side door by the parking lot. The bathrooms are also handicapped assessable and are equipped with baby-changing stations.

Our Fellowship Hall (gym) is available for an informal reception and can seat up to 100 people, but it is not air-conditioned. Catering service is the responsibility of the bridal couple. Smoking is not permitted inside the church building. Beer and wine are permitted with advance approval.

Music for the Wedding
It is recommended that you arrange a conference with our Music Director at least four weeks before the wedding to discuss the music for the service. Music selected for the service should reflect the worship of God. Our Music Director can provide guidance in choosing music that is appropriate for this sacred occasion. If you would like a vocalist for your wedding ceremony, plans need to be discussed and approved by our Music Director.

Rehearsal
A rehearsal provides the bridal party with a clear understanding of what will occur on the wedding day. The rehearsal is normally scheduled for the day before the wedding ceremony unless you wish to have it at another time. All members of the wedding party and participating relatives/friends should attend the rehearsal. If a rehearsal dinner at the church is desired after the rehearsal, the Fellowship Hall and/or kitchen are available upon request with the appropriate rental fee.

Flowers
Once you have set a date for your wedding, if you wish to have floral arrangements, an aisle runner and decorations for the church, you will need to discuss these arrangements with a florist, who should check with the Pastor to be sure the church will be open at the time of delivery.

Photographs
The sacred nature of your wedding ceremony needs to be respected. The photographer should be informed that he/she must carry out their duties in an unobtrusive manner and honor the sacredness of the occasion. Please inform your guests with cameras that they are invited to take photographs in the sanctuary or chapel during the wedding service. However, it is recommended that guest enjoy the service and limit taking pictured during the processional and recessional times. After the service, the wedding group may pose in the sanctuary or chapel to reenact the wedding service for those wishing to take photographs. Video taping arrangements need to be discussed and approved in advance by the Pastor.

Wedding Reception
Our Fellowship Hall with an adjacent small kitchen is available for an informal reception following the wedding service. This room is not air conditioned. You may select the catering service of your choice for the reception. Again, if this is required, the appropriate fees will be required.

We look forward to helping you plan your wedding!

In the United Church of Christ, people are baptized either as children or adults. Trinity Community Church, UCC believes in both infant and adult baptism. As infants, we are baptized into the family of God, where the child’s parents and the congregation invite the Holy Spirit into the life of the young one and declares/pledges to help raise the infant in a Christ-filled community. Adult baptism may occur at any age and the same rites are offered.

Baptism is a personal celebration in the lives of the individual and their families but is also a central sacrament in the life of the local church that embodies the church universal. Therefore, baptisms take place in the context of Christian worship, during Sunday morning service, with the body of Christ.

Baptism occurs only once in a person’s life, a sacrament that is universally embraced across various Christian faiths, including Roman Catholic, Protestant and the Greek Orthodox Church. Candidates for baptism do not need to be a member of Trinity Community Church. If you have never been baptized or are interested in learning more about baptism, please contact the Pastor by calling the church office at 708-484-1818. We would sincerely enjoy meeting with you and discussing your decisions regarding baptism and your spiritual journey with God.

Scripture References on Baptism:

Matthew 3:13-15 The Baptism of Jesus

Mark 1:4 John’s Baptism

Mark 1:10-11 The Baptism of Jesus

Mark 10:13-16 Jesus Blesses Children

John 3:4-5 Nicodemus Visits Jesus

Acts 2:38 The First Converts

Roman 6:1-4 Dying and Rising with Christ

Roman 8:15-17 Life in the Spirit

Galatians 3:26-28 Baptism into Christ

Colossians 2:11-12 Fullness of Life in Christ

1 Peter 3:21 An Appeal to God

Baptism Historical Foundation: "In accordance with the teaching of our Lord and practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, the United Church of Christ recognizes two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion." ...from the Preamble to the Constitution of the United Church of Christ.

Confirmation

Confirmation has a long tradition at Trinity Community Church, UCC. Ask any one of the thousands of Trinity's Confirmands and all will tell you that Confirmation is a BIG event and has been held on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday, since 1884.

The Confirmation experience is free to families and students alike. It is traditionally offered to students who are in 8th grade and runs from early September until Palm Sunday, aka Confirmation Sunday. Upon being confirmed, a student becomes a full adult within the church with full vote/voice and the opportunity to serve in any elected position. For more information contact the Pastor by calling 708-484-1818.

Funeral/Memorial Service

We believe funeral services are a celebration of life. The funeral is an opportunity to thank God for the person’s life, celebrate the beginning of a new life in heaven, and seek God’s comfort through scripture, prayer, music, and friends. Please contact the Pastor at 708-484-1818 to plan a Service of Celebration.