Rites of Passage

The celebration of Rites of Passage is among of the greatest honors of ministry. Whether dedicating a baby into a congregation, honoring a teen’s transition to adulthood, celebrating the start of a new family, or memorializing a person who has passed on, religious communities exist to make meaning in these important moments of transition in our lives.

Weddings

Commemorating love and the joining together of two people into a new family is always a joyful duty. I work with couples in the months leading up to their weddings to reflect deeply on their relationship and to plan a ceremony that speaks to their values, style, and the story of their love.

Wedding Video - J&M Gladdek

Memorials

Pastoring to grieving family and friends while planning a service to honor the life of their loved one is sad and moving. Whether I had a strong relationship with the one being memorialized, or had never met them, I strive to lead a memorial that feels true to the departed’s spirit and reflects on the meaning of their life, while acknowledging complexities and challenges.

Excerpt from Celebration of Life Video - DK

Other Rites

Celebrating regular Rites of Passage is a powerful way for religious community to mark the most important experiences in life and the march of time. Besides the usual rituals, Rites of Passage can be meaningful at other points in our lives. Services honoring reproductive loss (deaths of children, miscarriages, abortions, struggles with infertility, adoptions that fell through, etc.), blessings of new homes, ordinations of new ministers, and even divorce rituals can be a powerful addition to congregational life.

Altar for "Beautiful Feast of Life" Ritual