What are the differences between a Parish Minister and a Wedding Officiant?

Couples ask us what is different about the work we do and the work the parish minister does. An ordained minister is an ordained minister right? Well, not exactly in every instance.

Parish Minister:

The parish minister serves an entire congregation. Some of their responsibilities include:

• A Parish minister serves a set congregation, a group of people who share common values and beliefs

• Leadership responsibilities, Board of Directors meetings, committee meetings, guiding new leaders on the path to effective and healthy leadership.

• Pastoral care of members of the congregation—visiting the shut ins, those in the hospital, meeting with members to help guide them in spiritual matters that impact their lives, helping them grow spiritually

• Teaching—Sunday School Classes, new member classes, and leadership classes are just a few of their teaching responsibilities.

• Sermons—they must write their sermons for each week they are in the pulpit. Each sermon can take anywhere between 10 and 20 hours of research and preparation.

• Meeting the Spiritual/Ritual needs of congregants—baptism, weddings, funerals and other rites of passage

• Self-Care---increasing their spirituality, understanding of the scripture and teaching of their faith, attending classes to learn more about the newest research in ministerial practices

• Involvement in the denomination-attending regional/district and national gatherings to bring back the newest information on events going on in their faith community

• Involvement in larger faith community—ministerial boards, and gatherings at the local city/county/state level

Officiant:

An officiant serves a different population. Their responsibilities can be similar to a parish minister while also being very different.

• serve folks from many different backgrounds and faiths and those we serve change frequently over the course of time

• limited responsibility to those we serve. We provide wedding ceremonies and other rites of passages, funerals, memorial services and baby blessings

• there are not the required meetings with boards, leaders and committees to take time away from the main job of writing and performing rites of passage

• weekly sermon writing is not required of an officiant

• No teaching of weekly classes is required

• Being available to help couples address their spiritual needs and relationship issues in limited ways

• Involvement in professional organizations to keep informed of the latest trends in wedding ceremonies

• Serving on community boards and other avenues of involvement in social justice issues which speak to them

• Continuing education for knowledge of the broader faith community and understand the many faiths they serve

• Running a business-be in charge of all aspects of small business including marketing, social media, book keeping, writing, website development

• meeting with couples to get to know them and learn what is their vision for their ceremony

• writing and preforming ceremonies for couples

• Knowing what is trending in wedding ceremonies

• Know various cultures and faiths traditions in weddings and ways to blend them seamlessly

• Involvement in wedding specific professional organizations and associations.

We are eager to work with any couple in need of an officiant for their wedding, baby naming, memorial service or funeral or house warming. We are available by phone or email. Just call us at 336-259-7236 or email at Info@TriadWeddingOfficiant.com to learn more about how we can work together to mark life’s major transitions. •