Saturday, September 25, 2004
10:30 AM
The Palm Event Center
Pleasanton, California
The Wedding Ceremony
Prelude Lowell High School String Quartet
Seating of the Parents
Groom’s Parents Paul and Maxine Fong (Right side facing the front)
Bride’s Mother, Yong Keu Leong accompanied by Son Arthur Leong (Left side facing the front)
Groom’s Men
Pastor Don Ng, Groom Robert Fong, Best Man Thang Nguyen, and Groomsmen Jason Dunn, Larry Tom, Arthur Leong, and James Fong
Processional
Bridesmaids Kristi Fong
Adele Persicone
Trang Truong
Maid of Honor Ann Vuong
Matron of Honor Melissa Yu
(Congregation stands)
Bride Kara Leong with Father William Leong
Greeting & Opening Prayer
In the beauty and splendor of this place, we gather as a community of family and new friends. We experience sunshine rays of excitement and the gentle breezes of joy as we come to celebrate the marriage of Kara Yee Leong and Robert Scott Fong. God has created a world of harmony—where his natural beauty of flowers, trees, and warm skies are interrelated with what we create as co-creators in the world. In the backdrop of this beautiful vineyard that produces drink for us to celebrate this happy day, we come into your holy presence to witness the covenant of holy marriage.
Let us pray. Creator God, when we stop long enough to notice, we become powerfully aware of your handiwork in this majestic setting. We are listening to the heavens singing your praise, O Lord, especially as we come to celebrate the uniting in marriage of Kara and Robert. Bless them as they express in these moments their desire to live in covenant with each other as husband and wife for a lifetime. May the beauty of this place and the caring community of family and friends gathered today reflect the beauty of the life they now begin to share. In the name of Christ who brings wholeness to all relationships, we pray. Amen.
Presentation of Bride and Groom
Acknowledging that Kara’s and Robert’s parents have dedicated a lifetime in nurturing and guiding them to maturity and that God has brought Kara and Robert together on this special day, who has the honor of presenting them for marriage today?
(Parents stand.)
Parents: “We do.”
(Father William Leong takes his seat.)
Scripture Reading 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Dana Fong
Message to the Couple
This much beloved Scripture that Dana read is for all the times when love is celebrated. That’s why many couples including Kara and Robert selected it for today. Although we tend to hear only how beautiful this poem is, we can miss its clear and strong point at the beginning. The Apostle Paul clarifies that when love is not present, heroic deeds cannot rescue us or our relationships.
Even if we can move mountains and have miraculous skills, it just won’t do. Even if we make great sacrifices, it’s still not enough. It is love that is required.
The point is that love is not heroic acts; rather it is about common courtesies. Love is Kara sitting on the sofa while Robert is watching the Forty-Niners on their big-screen TV. Love is Robert cooking dinner while Kara goes shopping. Love is doing dishes together and picking up after one another. Before Robert met Kara, he was not real thrilled about animals but love has led him to love Kara’s little dog, Rugrat as his own. Before Kara met Robert, she had no interest in sports but love has taught her the names of the major sports teams in the Bay Area!
Most of us prefer the grand gestures or the noble deeds. We dream about banners in the sky and expensive vacation getaways. But this passage says that all of these things are nothing without the common courtesies of love. Love is the simplicity of staying home and sitting on the sofa watching a movie together.
We know that life is a long journey and you will need some heroism as you move ahead. But this kind of heroism is not moving mountains. But a different kind of heroism like helping each other win the battle of impatience, envy, arrogance or rudeness. And it’s not that you are helping the other person to conquer these things but love means that your partner will help you to overcome these battles in yourself. Here, the victory will be over yourself, not someone else.
Over the past three years, your courtship was all about winning: winning each other’s love and consent, conquering your own reluctance, and perhaps, making winning plans for your wedding. Today, however, marks a change because marriage is not about winning. Marriage means helping your partner win, and walking the long path of patient growing and listening together. Love does not insist on its own way.
This passage talks a lot about communication: speaking in tongues of mortals and of angels and speaking like a child before we become adults. Love is the willingness and openness to trust each other with your ideas, feelings, and doubts. Robert and Kara, build on your marriage by talking through life’s issues and patiently helping each other see the other person’s points of view. When you come to the point when each other’s views have become views that you both share then you have attained the meaning of love and understanding.
The world says that we can demonstrate love with heroic and splendid deeds. But the gospel teaches us that true love is the other way around. Because we love each other and because God loves us, the common courtesies of being just good friends as husband and wife are truly heroic deeds.
So from here on, your love and your marriage will sustain your new adventure together. Your adventure consists of enduring, believing and hoping for all things good and beautiful, and the unfolding of the secrets you can now, only see dimly, and yet fully believe that God will provide you with great happiness and peace. Know that God is giving you the greatest gift of them all: love.
Declaration of Intent
Before God and this community, do you affirm your willingness to enter this covenant of marriage and to share all the joys and sorrows of this new relationship, whatever the future may hold?
Robert, will you have Kara to be your wife, and will you love her faithfully as long as you both shall live?
Robert: I will.
Kara, will you have Robert to be your husband, and will you love him faithfully as long as you both shall live?
Kara: I will.
Exchange of Vows
Robert: Kara, I take you to be my wedded 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,
So long as we both shall live.
With my whole heart
And with my complete devotion,
I pledge my love to you.
Kara: Robert, I take you to be my wedded 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,
So long as we both shall live.
With my whole heart
And with my complete devotion,
I pledge my love to you.
Exchange of Rings
These rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace, which unites two hearts in love. They are of special significance because the circle of these rings is a symbol of the unending and enduring quality of the love which Robert and Kara are sharing today.
Kara: Robert, I give you this ring,
As a sign of my love and faithfulness.
Robert: Kara, I give you this ring,
As a sign of my love and faithfulness.
Wedding Prayer
Lord of life, Robert and Kara stand before you, beaming in joy and wonder. They are your own, holy and beloved. Grant them compassion, so that they may bear one another’s burdens with strength and patience. Warm them with kindness, so that they may bless one another with the sturdy affection of best friends. Grant them humility, so the chill of arrogance, blame or selfishness never blows between them. Give them hope so that no trouble on their path causes them to stray from you and from each other. Grant them humor and joy, to gracefully smooth over life’s rough spots. Above all, Lord, grant them growth in love that their life together becomes a sign of the steadfast love you bear for your people. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Robert and Kara have requested family members to remain for photographs. All other guests are invited to enter the banquet hall for refreshments.
Declaration of Marriage
Robert and Kara, because you have declared your willingness and intention to enter into the state of marriage with each other, and you have declared the same in the company of God and these witnesses, and have given these rings to each other as a symbol of this commitment, by virtue of the authority vested in me as a minister of the gospel, I pronounce you husband and wife, united in the holy bonds of marriage.
Now may the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warmly upon your face.
May the rains fall softly upon your rooftops until we meet again.
May God hold you in the holiness of his hand. Amen.
Presentation of the Bride and the Groom
It is my pleasure to introduce for the first time,
“Robert and Kara Fong.”
(Embrace and Kiss)
Recessional
Postlude
Officiant: Rev. Don Ng