how to write a minister's speech

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How To Prepare Wedding Officiant Speeches?

Best wedding officiant speeches, inspirational quotes and verses.

• Wedding Ceremony Speeches Dos And Don’ts
• Wedding Party & Reception

Wedding Officiant Speeches Ideas + Free Templates

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Wedding officiant speeches could be a bit tough to put together, especially if the officiant is green at the ears. This poses the issue of anxiety, trying to over-impress, or flopping totally.

Well, there is no one size fits all wedding minister speeches, because you tailor your speech according to wedding style. The kind of relationship you have with the couple also matters in the structure of your speech.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the officiant introduce themselves.

The wedding officiant does not necessarily have to introduce themselves as everyone would know who they are and why they are there. They could start with a few lines such as: ‘Welcome everyone and thank you for being here to witness the union of (bride) and (bride).’

How does the officiant introduce wedding vows?

There is no official line for introducing the wedding vows, but a generic and one goes like this: ‘We have come to the point of your ceremony where you’re going to say your vows to one another. But before you do that, I ask you to remember that love, which is rooted in faith, trust, and acceptance, will be the foundation of an abiding and deepening relationship.’

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• If you’re officiating wedding speeches, you must discuss with the couple on what types of wedding ceremony they desire. Know their ideas, length, tone, style, and order of ceremony.
• Start of ceremony Begin your wedding minister’s speeches by welcoming the guests and passing on important information. Let them know if phones, pictures, or videos are prohibited.
• The processional Let the audience know it’s time for the couple to come in. “All guests stand as you see fit.” After the processional, ask them to sit. At this point, some officiants ask “who gives out the other.”
• The officiant’s speech Wedding ceremony speeches by officiants begin with a love story about the couple. You may also read a funny poem that makes meaning to the couple. Talk about love, commitment, and faithfulness.
• Rings exchange Say lines on commitment and ask them to repeat after you. For instance… “I honor you with this ring as a sign of my love…”
• Signing and pronouncements You’ll tell the guests what’s about to happen. After the couple signs, you’ll pronounce them as a couple.
• Close remarks Tell the guests what’s next. If there will be a photo session, reception, or get-together. Then thank them for coming.

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Traditional Wedding Officiant Speech Sample

Traditional officiant wedding ceremony speeches follow the age-long template and procedure. Although things are changing, there are parts of the structure that remains untouched. And many other speech styles have adopted parts of the template. Traditional speeches by officiant have depth and are particular about love, commitment, and faithfulness.

OPENING WORDS Friends, _____ and _____ have invited us here today, in the presence of God, to share in the celebration of their marriage. We who gather here today are separated by the many different experiences that we have had. Despite these differences, we gather here today in this place because we share something in common. We share a desire to affirm and support the relationship of _____ and _____. Marriage is an act of will. It requires a commitment to care for another person. By caring we show concern for the life and growth of those whom we love. Marriage requires a commitment to take responsibility for another person. By responding we experience the needs of that other person and try to help meet those needs. Today, guided by God’s love and wisdom, we affirm and celebrate _____ and _____ wedding day. [READINGS] THE QUESTION OF INTENT Before God, your friends, and your families, I ask you to affirm your willingness to enter the covenant of marriage and to share all the joys and sorrows of your lives and your relationship, whatever the future may hold. _____, do you take this woman to be your wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live? Groom: I do _____, do you take this man to be your husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live? Bride: I do Repeat after me. I take you, _____, this day as my wife/husband. I promise to walk by your side forever as your best friend and your soul mate. You are my beloved one and I am proud to marry you. I promise to support your dreams and to be there for you all our lives. EXCHANGE OF RINGS From the earliest times, the circle has been a symbol of completeness, a symbol of committed love. An unbroken and never-ending circle symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never-ending. This ring should be a reminder of the commitment to love each other that you have made today. Repeat after me. I, _____, give you _____, this ring as a symbol of my commitment to love, honor, and respect you. [THE UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY] BLESSING _____ and _____, you have now affirmed your love for each other before your family and friends. You have come from different background, have walked different paths. You are different individuals. Your love has transcended these differences. In the years before you may the richness of the traditions that have nurtured you enhance and brighten your lives as you help to create and shape the future. CLOSING WORDS May God bless you and keep you. _____ and _____, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Groom, you may kiss the bride. PRESENTATION OF THE NEW COUPLE It is my pleasure to present to you _____ and _____ as husband and wife.

Wedding Officiant Speech For A Friend’s Wedding

If you’re officiating a friend’s wedding, then you’ll have a relaxed environment. Your tone should be playful and even comedic. Get creative by lacing your speech with fun stories of your years together. But you must study and understand your audience so you don’t come across as crass and unappealing.

INTRODUCTION Welcome everyone! On this beautiful day, _______ and _______ have brought us together to celebrate their love and union in matrimony. Thank you all for joining us and being a part of their love story. After years of nurturing a beautiful, strong relationship, it’s great to see these two taking the next step towards building a family. I remember the day _______ told me about their first date. There was a light in her eyes that I’d never seen before. She was excited and nervous. She worried that ______ didn’t feel the same connection she felt. It warms my heart to see the way _______ looks at _______. He looks at her as if she’s the last and only woman on Earth, and to him, I know she is. I’ve seen these two be there for each other through life’s unexpected twists and turns, only growing closer and stronger from each setback. I’ve seen them share laughs, exchange inside jokes and most shocking of all, I’ve seen _______ share his dinner with _______, which is when I knew this was serious. Marriage isn’t easy but I trust these two. I have trust in their love, their friendship, and their commitment to one another. With that, I think it’s time to let them speak on their love. DECLARATION OF VOWS AND COMMITMENT _______ and ______, have you come here today of your own free will to declare your commitment to one another? We have. Do you promise to be there for each other in the good and the bad? To grow with, understand and respect one another during your life together? We do. Then please face each other and share your vows. [EXCHANGE OF VOWS] [EXCHANGE OF RINGS] Let these rings represent your eternal love and the promises you have made here today. Let them be a symbol of your unbreakable bond and this new beginning of your life together with no end in sight. ______, take _____’s ring and place it on her finger and repeat after me: With this ring, I promise to love and cherish you to the end of my days. ______, take _____’s ring and place it on his finger and repeat after me: With this ring, I promise to love and cherish you to the end of my days. Your love has now been strengthened by the promises you have made here today and the rings you have exchanged. PRONOUNCEMENT ______ and ______, we have heard the sincerity in your promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize your love and support your decision to build a home together. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. _______, you may kiss your bride! Everyone, give it up for Mr. and Mrs _______.

Funny Wedding Minister Speech

A funny ceremony speech has humor-laced all over the script by officiants. The officiant uses humor to relay life facts. Humor gets easier if you have a personal relationship with the couple. But if you aren’t close and you’re not sure about how much to say, keep it light.

Welcome to all of you. Thank you for being here today. We are glad you could make it and hope you enjoy the day. We’d like to take a moment to also remember the people who can’t be here today. We are sure they are with us today in spirit. Marriage is so many things and we’ve created this ceremony to express many aspects of marriage. And the best the advice can come from the most interesting places. “Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love. How on earth can you explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love? Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl (or in the case of the reason we gather today, special boy or girl) for an hour and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” On cold winter nights, love is warm. It lies between you and lives and breaths and makes funny noises. Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs. It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy. Love doesn’t like being left alone for long. But come home and love is always happy to see you. It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life, but you can never be mad at love for long. Is love good all the time? No! No! Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love. Love makes messes. It leaves you little surprises here and there. Love needs lots of cleaning up after. But love makes you meet people wherever you go. People who have nothing in common but love stop and talk to each other on the street. Throw things away and love will bring them back, again, and again, and again. But most of all, love needs love, lots of it. And in return, love loves you and never stops. And now, for the wedding vows. Are you ready? Are you sure? Do you _____, solemnly swear that you will support and defend the institution of marriage against all enemies, foreign and domestic; Do you promise to honor and love _____ in sickness and in health, in good times and bad times, Do you promise to cherish her as your most beloved according to the regulations and the uniform code of love justice, so help you God? Yes, I do. Do you _____, solemnly swear that you will support and defend the institution of marriage against all enemies, foreign and domestic; Do you promise to honor and love _____ in sickness and in health, in good times and bad times, Do you promise to cherish her as your most beloved according to the regulations and the uniform code of love justice, so help you God? Yes, I do. EXCHANGE OF RINGS The wedding ring is an unbroken circle, which symbolizes unending and everlasting love. It is a visible symbol that represents your inner commitment to one another. Because these circles are designed without an ending they speak of eternity. May the incorruptible substance of these rings represent a love glowing with increasing luster through the years. May these rings which you give to each other be a sign of your love, trust, and faithfulness. Repeat after me: _____, I give you this ring as a sign of my lifelong devotion. Wear it and know that I love you. _____, I give you this ring as a sign of my lifelong devotion. Wear it and know that I love you. May your home be filled with laughter and the warm embrace of a summer day. And may you find peacefulness and beauty, challenge, and satisfaction, humor and insight, healing and renewal, love and wisdom, as in a quiet heart. May you always feel that what you have is enough. I now pronounce you Husband and Wife! You may kiss the bride!!!

Same-sex Wedding officiant Script template and Speech

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Even as an officiant, it might not always be easy to give great wedding officiant speeches. This template can serve as a guide to writing speeches for wedding officiants, for any type of wedding.

• Make the research – You could start by doing your homework. Go on the internet, and check places such as Google, Pinterest, Instagram, or Youtube for wedding officiant speech samples for same-sex weddings. You could streamline your search to find only funny speeches or more regular speeches and get unique ideas to work with.
• Start writing the draft – The beginning is always the hard part, so don’t procrastinate writing your officiant speech for a wedding ceremony. Even if you feel like you haven’t researched enough, just start. You can always edit your draft as you go along or write another one.
• To write awesome wedding speeches for an officiant for a same-sex wedding , you have to keep an open mind. A lot of the material you will find online would be for CIS heterosexual couples, so always keep your couple in mind and edit your speech where necessary. Create that speech that is uniquely theirs.

Same-Sex Wedding Ceremony Speech Template

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This can be considered an official guide or template for wedding officiant ceremonies and speeches for same-sex weddings. Following each step, you wouldn’t need to worry about getting your speech done anymore.

• Welcome Everyone No matter the type of wedding, whether you’re making a Persian wedding officiant speech or non-denominational, you’ll begin by welcoming all the guests and thanking them for their support to witness the couple get married and celebrate with them. Lots of them might have canceled schedules or traveled far to be there, so it would be nice to appreciate them.
• Talk About Marriage The body of officiant wedding speeches usually includes some lines about marriage. Since it’s the topic of the day, you could talk about it in general, reminding the couple why they are there and the seriousness of their commitment. You could also give them some advice on the ups and downs of marriage, the sweet and the bitter, the highs and the lows. Also, how the love that they share is what will get them through anything that life throws their way.
• Share a Personal Story (If you have one and time permits) Some of the best wedding officiant speeches come with a story. Stories are often the best way to pass a message across because it helps you to connect with people. It also helps them remember the message. So, if you have any stories about marriage to share, this would be the perfect place to share them. As the officiant, you might have a personal bond with the brides or grooms. Sharing your stories would be meaningful to them, and you could choose to share a sentimental and loving story or even an embarrassing one that could crack them up. You could also share an experience that you’ve had with the couple. A most loving or affectionate one that lets you know that they can weather any storm together. After this, you can continue with the vows.
• In Closing Wedding speeches for the officiant at same-sex weddings are usually not very different from those of CIS heterosexual couples. You can only make your wedding ceremony officiant speech unique by factoring in the specific couple when writing your speech. If their experiences and your experiences with them are present in the speech, then it should be perfect.

Every couple is unique so wedding officiant speeches should be crafted to fit each couple, same-sex, CIS gender, heterosexual or other. With these tips, you can hone your craft and write the best wedding officiant speeches ever.

• Selecting Appropriate Quotes: When choosing quotes for your wedding officiant speech, consider ones that reflect love, unity, and the couple’s journey. For instance, a quote like “Love is not about how many days, months, or years you have been together. Love is about how much you love each other daily.” – Unknown, can emphasize the enduring nature of their love.
• Incorporating Religious Verses or Texts: If the couple has a religious background, incorporate meaningful verses or texts from their faith. For example, you might use Corinthians 13:4-7 from the Bible, which speaks about love’s qualities: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud…”
• Non-religious Inspirational Quotes: Opt for non-religious inspirational quotes for secular ceremonies. A quote like “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” – Audrey Hepburn, beautifully conveys the idea of cherishing the relationship and finding strength in each other.

Wedding Ceremony Speeches Dos And Don’ts

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•  Do get creative with your speech by blending in a sweet short story of the couple. If you’ve been a part of their lives for a long time, then you’re in the best position to make it rain. Talk about everything that’s okay for public ears. Tell their love story.
• Don’t veer off-topic or get over-excited that you start to sound boring. Stay on point and if you don’t have so much to say, keep it short. We advise that you have discreet cue cards that you can refer to. It helps keep you in check.
• Do keep humor light especially if you’re not close to the family. You don’t want to end up looking like a clown because your joke fell flat. Humor is a great icebreaker for weddings. But when you’re not sure about what to expect, keep it light. Don’t go overboard.
• Don’t forget to practice your speech until you can recite it naturally and off the heart. Also, spend some time learning the names you’d be pronouncing. You want to call these names right so you don’t end up pissing off guests.
• Do give a copy of the speech to the couple for keep.

Wedding officiant speeches can be very interesting and fulfilling if done right. You only need a few expert hacks to get by. You’ll consider the wedding style, the tone the couple wants to set, and the length of the wedding. This will help you determine how creative you can get with the officiant’s wedding speech. For creative inspiration, we’ve dropped some tips for writing officiant wedding speeches and officiant speech etiquette.

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8 Sample Wedding Ceremony Scripts To Borrow for Your 2022 Wedding

Including writing tips to customize your wedding vows and ceremony scripts.

Cristina Montemayor is a freelance writer and makeup artist whose work has appeared on HelloGiggles, Slate, Elite Daily, and Bustle.

PHOTO BY GLORIA GOODE PHOTOGRAPHY  

The wedding ceremony is the heart of the wedding day. The dress, the flowers, the food are all icing on the cake, but the ceremony is where two people actually become married—legally, spiritually, and literally. Considering the significance, it’s surprising that many couples often leave the wedding ceremony planning to the last minute, according to wedding officiant and professional vow writing coach Tanya Pushkine. “It’s so rare that the wedding ceremony is thought of as a priority,” says Pushkine. “It’s almost like an afterthought.”

Meet the Expert

Tanya Pushkine is a professional vow writing coach, ceremony planner, and officiant based in New York City. She’s known as the “vow whisperer” for her ability to craft authentic and memorable ceremonies that reflect the unique personalities and beliefs of the couple.

Pushkine recommends that couples start thinking about the ceremony early in the wedding planning process so that they know what to ask for when they meet with their wedding planner or day-of coordinator. Religious ceremonies are typically more fixed in terms of the service, language, and traditions while secular/non-religious ceremonies give couples a lot more flexibility to personalize the ceremony to their unique tastes.

All weddings have a standard format ( processional , readings, vows, exchange of rings, pronouncement, first kiss, and recessional), but by changing up the readings, verbiage, and incorporating creative rituals into the service, you can make it completely your own and create a service that leaves your guests laughing, crying, and excited about what’s coming next. “Millennials are writing their own rules,” Pushkine says of modern wedding ceremonies . “They’re looking to create an experience, which is different than before, where couples just did what their parents did.”

Below, we’ve outlined wedding ceremony script writing tips and a few sample wedding ceremony scripts to inspire you.

Wedding Ceremony Script Writing Tips

Scripting your wedding ceremony can be a fun, joyful experience, but the pressure to do and say the right thing can interfere. Here's how to keep it from becoming overwhelming.

Start Early

Don’t leave writing your wedding ceremony until the last minute. Get ahead of it and start doing your research early on in the wedding planning process so that you have plenty of time to find inspiration and craft a ceremony that reflects you as a couple. “It’s like a puzzle,” Pushkine warns. “There are so many different variations and themes to choose from when it comes to planning a wedding ceremony, so try to find unique elements that fit your personal style.”

Work With Your Officiant

The officiant is the most important person at the ceremony—more than the newlyweds—because they’re leading the entire service, and they hold the power to actually marry the couple. If your officiant is a religious leader or experienced wedding officiant , they might already have an outline for the wedding ceremony that you can add to, if you so choose. If you’re having a friend step in as the officiant, they’ll need some direction from the couple as to what they’ll want to include in the ceremony.

Don’t Procrastinate on Writing Your Vows

If you decide to write your own vows , make sure you dedicate plenty of time to not only writing your vows but practicing your delivery as well. Your vows are a lifetime promise that you’re making to your partner in front of your closest friends and family, so they should be meaningful and personal, but without being too revealing. Choose your words carefully, and rehearse until you feel confident and comfortable saying them aloud. 

Keep It Short and Sweet

Unless your ceremony involves a religious service, try to keep the ceremony length to no more than 30 minutes. Any longer and your guests might start looking at their watches. If you want a memorable ceremony that’s fun for everyone—not just the couple—try to make your ceremony interactive. “The best thing you can do to make your ceremony unique is to get people laughing,” Pushkine says. “Wedding ceremonies can be a lot of fun without completely disregarding the serious element involved.” 

Consider Printing Programs for Your Guests

Personalized wedding ceremonies can be entertaining, but the further away you get from the traditional ceremony format, the more confused your guests might be. Wedding programs are a great addition to make your guests feel more involved and aware of where the service is going.

Programs are also great to further explain more meaningful elements of the ceremony, like why you chose to include certain readings or rituals. 

Get a Second Opinion

Make sure to have someone look over your wedding script before the big day to make sure it flows well and sounds both authentic and natural. It never hurts to have a second pair of eyes to provide feedback and edit suggestions on what is likely the most important speech you’ll ever deliver.

Sample Wedding Ceremony Scripts

Now that you’re ready to start writing your own wedding ceremony script, here are a few sample scripts to use as a jumping-off point. Prepared by American Marriage Ministries (AMM) .

Traditional Ceremony Script

PROCESSIONAL Beginning of the wedding ceremony. Guests are seated followed by the entrance of the bridal party.

INVOCATION Welcome, loved ones. We are gathered here today to join [Name] and [Name] in holy matrimony.

VOW EXCHANGE [Name], I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us.

[Name] I promise to cherish you always, to honor and sustain you, in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us.

RING EXCHANGE AND DECLARATION OF INTENT With this ring I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me, through all our years, and in all that life may bring us.

With this ring I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be no other than yourself. Loving what I know of you, and trusting what I do not yet know, I will respect your integrity and have faith in your abiding love for me, through all our years, and in all that life may bring us.

PRONOUNCEMENT By the power vested in me by the state of [State], I now pronounce you [husband and wife/husband and husband/wife and wife]!

Nonreligious Ceremony Script

PROCESSIONAL Beginning of the wedding ceremony. Guests are seated.

INVOCATION Family and friends, thank you all for coming today to share in this wonderful occasion. Today we are here together to unite [Name] and [Name] in marriage.

DECLARATION OF INTENT Do you [Name], take this [woman/man/person] to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to live together in matrimony, to love [her/him/them], comfort [her/him/them], honor and keep [her/him/them], in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?

Do you [Name], take this [woman/man/person] to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to live together in matrimony, to love [her/him/them], comfort [her/him/them], honor and keep [her/him/them], in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, to have and to hold, from this day forward, as long as you both shall live?

RING EXCHANGE [Name] and [Name] have chosen rings to exchange with each other as a symbol of their unending love. As you place this ring on [Name]’s finger, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love now and forever.

[Name], as you place this ring on [Name]’s finger, please repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed and pledge you my love now and forever.

PRONOUNCEMENT By the authority vested in me by the State of [State], I now pronounce you [husband and wife/husband and husband/wife and wife]!

RECESSIONAL End of the wedding ceremony.

Modern Ceremony Script

INVOCATION Welcome family and friends. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the marriage of [Name] and [Name]. This is not the beginning of a new relationship but an acknowledgment of the next chapter in their lives together. [Name] and [Name] have spent years getting to know each other, and we now bear witness to what their relationship has become. Today, they will affirm this bond formally and publicly.

[Name] and [Name] will mark their transition as a couple not only by celebrating the love between themselves, but by also celebrating the love between all of us—including the love of their parents, siblings, extended family, and best friends. Without that love, today would be far less joyous.

DECLARATION OF INTENT Do you [Name] take [Name] to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife]? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto [him/her/them] for as long as you both shall live?

Do you [Name] take [Name] to be your lawfully wedded [husband/wife]? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto [him/her/them] for as long as you both shall live?

RING EXCHANGE A ring is an unbroken circle, with ends that have been joined together, and it represents your union. It is a symbol of infinity, and of your infinite love. When you look at these rings on your hands, be reminded of this moment, your commitment, and the love you now feel for each other.

[Name], place the ring on [Name]'s finger and repeat after me:

[Name], I give you this ring as a symbol of my love with the pledge: to love you today, tomorrow, always, and forever.

And now...[Name], place the ring on [Name]'s finger and repeat after me:

PRONOUNCEMENT Before these witnesses, you have pledged to be joined in marriage. You have now sealed this pledge with your wedding rings. By the authority vested in me by the great State of [State], I now pronounce you married!

Christian Ceremony Script

INVOCATION We are gathered here today in the sight of God and these witnesses to join together [Name] and [Name] in holy matrimony; which is an honorable estate, instituted of God, since the first man and the first woman walked on the earth. Therefore; it is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this holy estate, these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore, if anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.

READING A reading from the Apostle Paul, The first letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 13, verses 4 through 7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Father, as [Name] and [Name] pledge themselves to each other, help them and bless them that their love may be pure, and their vows may be true. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

DECLARATION OF INTENT [Name] and [Name], you have come together this day so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of this minister of His word and this community of family and friends and so, in the presence of this gathering, I ask you to state your intentions: Have you both come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? If so, answer by saying 'I have.'

RING EXCHANGE [Name], please take the ring you have selected for [Name]. As you place it on [his/her] finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.

[Name], please take the ring you have selected for [Name]. As you place it on [his/her] finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.

PRAYER May Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, always be at the center of the new lives you are now starting to build together, that you may know the ways of true love and kindness. May the Lord bless you both all the days of your lives and fill you with His joy. Amen.

PRONOUNCEMENT Those whom God has joined together, let no man put asunder. In so much as [Name] and [Name] have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, having given and pledged their faith, each to the other, and having declared same by the giving and receiving of rings, I pronounce that you are husband and wife. I ask you now to seal the promises you have made with each other this day with a kiss.

Jewish Ceremony Script

SIGNING OF THE KETUBAH The Ketubah is an ancient document and is a marriage contract that lays out the commitment that the couple has to each other. It is signed by two Jewish witnesses, neither of whom can be blood-related family members to the couple.

BEDEKEN After the Ketubah signing, there is a short but meaningful ritual where the groom covers the bride’s face with her veil. The veiling itself is a symbol of modesty, based upon the biblical account of Rebecca meeting Isaac. Some couples put a modern spin on the tradition by having the bride place a yarmulke on the groom.

INVOCATION We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of [Name] and [Name]. A special thanks to all of you that traveled from far and wide to witness the promise these two are about to make to one another. We are here to offer our love and support, and to stand with [Name] and [Name] as they begin this new chapter of their lives.

RING EXCHANGE The couple will now exchange rings. These rings symbolize the never-ending love you feel for each other. The ring has neither a beginning nor an end, just as there is no beginning or end to what the partners give and receive. These rings will be a reminder of the vows you have taken today. By this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel.

BLESSING OF THE HANDS [Name] and [Name], please join hands. Looks at these hands for they are of your closest friend. They are strong and full of love. As you join hands today, you make the promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS The Seven Blessings are now recited.

BREAKING THE GLASS The ceremony is concluded by the groom stamping on a glass and smashing it. This is the signal for the gathered people to cheer, dance, and shout “Mazal Tov!” Some couples choose to update this tradition by breaking the glass together with one swift smash in unison.

Baptist Ceremony Script

PROCESSIONAL Beginning of the wedding ceremony. Guests are seated followed by the entrance of the bridal party.

INVOCATION Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the presence of God, family, and friends to witness a joyous occasion—the union of [Name] and [Name] in holy matrimony.

PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE Who gives [Name] to be married to [Name]?

[Bride’s father or parent] I do.

DECLARATION OF INTENT [Name] and [Name], as you stand here before friends, family, and God, I ask you to declare your intentions to join in the sacred covenant of marriage.

Do you take [Name] to be your husband, to 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?

[Name], have you come here freely and without reservation to marry?

[Name], do you take [Name] to be your wife, to 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?

EXCHANGE OF VOWS AND RINGS [Name] and [Name] will now exchange rings as a symbol of their commitment and endless devotion.

 [Name], you may place the ring you’ve chosen on [Name]’s hand.

 And [Name], you may place the ring you’ve chosen on [Name]’s hand.

 [Couple exchanges rings.]

This marriage unites not just [Name] and [Name], but all of the families sitting here today. They ask now for your blessing. Do you promise to support [Name] and [Name] in their marriage, to keep them in your prayers, to hold them up with love, and to rejoice in companionship in Jesus as they walk this path together?

[Audience] We do.

Closing prayers.

PRONOUNCEMENT [Name] and [Name], having witnessed your marriage vows in the eyes of God and before all who are assembled here, by the authority invested in me by the State of [State], I pronounce you husband and wife. 

You may kiss the bride!

Protestant Ceremony Script

PROCESSION Beginning of the wedding ceremony. Guests are seated followed by the entrance of the bridal party. 

INVOCATION Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today in the presence of God to witness and bless this union as [Name] and [Name] join together in holy matrimony. 

This holy bond is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, deliberately, thoughtfully, and in accordance with those purposes for which God created it. 

INTERROGATION AND CHARGE TO THE COUPLE If anyone present knows of any reason why this couple should not be joined in holy matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace. 

[Name] and [Name], here in the presence of God, family, and friends, if either of you know any reason why you should not marry, do now confess it. 

PRESENTATION OF THE BRIDE Who presents [Name] to be married to [Name]?

DECLARATION OF INTENT Please face each other and join hands.

[Name] if it’s in your heart, please repeat after me. 

In the name of God,  I, [Name], take you, [Name],  to be my (wife/husband/spouse),  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.

[Partner repeats this vow.]

EXCHANGE OF RINGS Lord, bless these rings as you bless this union, in your infinite wisdom, today, tomorrow and always. Amen

[Partner] I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and devotion. With all that I am, and all that I have, I promise to honor and cherish you, in God’s name. 

[Partner repeats.]

PRONOUNCEMENT [Name] and [Name], remember to love each other faithfully, just as Christ loved the church, for marriage is a lasting promise of kindness, patience, forgiveness, and love. Trust in God with all your heart, and your path forward will be filled with joy and light for all the years to come. 

By the power vested in me by the beautiful state of [State], in the presence of God and the witness of friends and family, it is my great privilege to pronounce you husband and wife!

Catholic Wedding Ceremony Script

INVOCATION In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Opening prayer and readings.

CELEBRATION OF MATRIMONY All stand, and the couple comes to the altar flanked by their witnesses. The priest will address the couple with a celebration of matrimony:

Dearly beloved, you have come together into the house of the church so that in the presence of the church’s minister and the community, your intention to enter into marriage may be strengthened by the Lord with a sacred seal.

ADDRESS AND STATEMENT OF INTENTIONS [Name] and [Name], have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?

 [Couple] I have

Are you prepared, as you follow the path of marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live?

[Couple] I am

 EXCHANGE OF CONSENT I, [NAME], take you, [NAME], to be my [wife/husband]. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honor you all the days of my life.

[Partner two repeats this vow.]

BLESSING AND GIVING OF RINGS Bless, O Lord, these rings which we bless in your name. So that those who wear them may remain entirely faithful to each other, abide in peace and in your will, and live always in mutual charity. Through Christ our Lord.

[Priest sprinkles wedding rings with holy water, then hands them to each partner.]

[Name], receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit.  

[Places ring on partner’s finger]

[Partner two repeats this vow and places ring on partner’s finger.]

PRAYER Priest leads congregation with the Lord’s Prayer.

COMMUNION Priest performs communion, starting with the married couple. 

PRONOUNCEMENT By the power vested in me by the state of [State], I now pronounce you husband and wife.

The best place to find ideas for your very own wedding ceremony script is, you guessed it, the internet. From wedding videography on YouTube to bridal blogs, wedding planning sites, and of course, Brides , there is certainly no shortage of inspiration.

Traditionally, a wedding script begins with the officiant seating the guests and thanking them for bearing witness to the marriage of the couple. While religious ceremonies may begin with a bible verse or another custom, a more modern approach may start the ceremony with a story of the couple.

While the format for your wedding ceremony script largely depends on how religious the occasion is, there are a variety of ways to make it personal to you as a couple. Incorporate guests who are taking witness to your marriage or include a story of how you met followed by a time where you rose above a challenge together to add a personal touch to the proceedings.

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Personalized Wedding Invocation & Opening Words - Examples for First Time Officiants

Published Thursday, Jul. 1st, 2021

Writing a custom wedding ceremony script? Learn about the wedding welcome, also called the invocation, introduction, or opening words, along with examples for first time marriage officiants and ministers.

Y ou’re standing in front of a crowd of well-dressed guests, about to perform your very first wedding ceremony. Beside you, the two people about to get married smile with excitement, waiting for you to begin. You open your mouth to speak and… What do you say?  

The opening words of a wedding ceremony are called the Invocation -- also known as the wedding welcome, introduction, or opening remarks. These are the first words an officiant says during a ceremony and immediately follow the procession. They set the tone for each part of the wedding that follows. 

During the Invocation, the officiant greets the guests, introduces the couple, and announces the purpose of the gathering. 

This can be short and sweet, accomplished with only a sentence or two, or it can last for several minutes. Invocations can be religious, non-religious, funny, heartwarming, formal, offbeat and quirky, and anything in between. 

The short and sweet variety will certainly sound familiar: 

“Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Tabitha and Charlie.”

A traditional religious invocation might sound something like this: 

“Dearly beloved, we’ve gathered here today in this holy place, in presence of God and the spirits of our ancestors, to witness the joining of Tabitha and Charlie in eternal matrimony. We ask for God’s blessing …” (usually followed by a prayer.)

Give guests a glimpse of what life and love are like for the couple.

Making the Invocation personal…  

If you’ve been asked to perform a wedding for friends or relatives , or are creating a custom ceremony script, you may want to add a little of the couple’s energy and essense to the Invocation. 

It’s helpful to divide a personalized Invocation into 3 parts as you begin:

The Welcome (Greeting): Welcome the guests and explain the purpose of the event

Words on Marriage: Describe what marriage and commitment mean to the couple

The Couple’s Story: Describe the couple’s life and relationship, milestones leading up to this day, what they love most about each other, and what they envision for their future as a married couple

A personalized Invocation might look like this: 

(We’ve color-coded this to make it easier to understand. The welcome is written in green, words on marriage are in blue, and the couple’s story is in purple.)

“Hello and welcome, dear ones. 

We’ve asked you here today to join us in this most spectacular of moments, as Tabitha and Charlie do something big, something powerful, something they’ve been threatening to do for years -- they’re finally getting hitched! 

Now, if you know these two wonderful weirdos as well as I do -- and I know that most of you do -- you know that Tabby and Charlie don’t take this marriage business lightly. They’ve spent years rebelling against the concept of contracts and legal hocus-pocus when it comes to love. But getting older has softened them a little -- don’t tell Charlie I said that -- and their understanding of love, and marriage, has deepened, too. 

They’ve come to see marriage not as some elaborate codified institution, but as a simple and transcendent spiritual bond. A connection that exists beyond the trappings of our world, beyond our sometimes jaded views of relationships and commitment, beyond even our most earnest attempts at language -- They’ve come to know marriage as something ethereal, eternal... Something spiritual. 

These two have known they were destined for each other from day one, and have continued to grow together for over a decade, through joyful moments and mourning, a unified front in a sometimes uncertain world. Today, they celebrate their spiritual bond, one they’re happy to call marriage, as they face the future with open, full hearts.”

Notice in the example above that the words on marriage and the couple’s story flow naturally, and even blend together in some places. It’s loaded with personality, while still containing all of the elements of a standard invocation. 

Ask questions before you begin

Set aside time to meet with the couple before you start writing the ceremony and gathering personal details to include in the Invocation. Ask questions, and get to know how they interact with each other. This is essential to creating a unique opening! 

Start with these questions: 

• What does marriage mean to you? Why are you getting married… and why now? 
• How would you describe the course of your relationship, from the day you met until now?
• What are one or two defining characteristics of your relationship? 
• What do you hope for in the future?
• What do you want the tone and feel of the invocation (and ceremony) to be? 

Once you have some insight into the couple’s relationship and an idea of their style, spend time looking at sample scripts and wedding templates online. (We have an entire library to browse.) Combine the parts you like, make some edits, and create your own custom opening! 

Then, you can move on to the next part of the ceremony … 

Need a full wedding ceremony script?  Short Non Religious Wedding Ceremony With Heartfelt Invocation  

Visit our wedding ceremony script library .   .

Asked to Officiate is our most comprehensive guide for planning a wedding ceremony. 

This step by step workbook will walk you through each part of the wedding ceremony, including the Invocation, the ‘end of aisle question,’ custom vows, special readings, unity ceremonies, completing the marriage license, and more. It was written by experienced wedding officiants to make your first ceremony a breeze. 

Order a copy now!

Looking for ministry supplies and credentials? Head here . 

You might also like: 

• Offbeat Wedding Welcome & Opening Remarks: Examples for a Non-traditional Ceremony!
• Who Actually Writes the Wedding Ceremony?
• The Invocation Explained
• It’s a Nice Day for a Dry Wedding: How One Couple Did it, and Why it Might Be Right for You  

Asked to officiate?  

You only get one shot to deliver a perfect wedding ceremony..

There’s no ‘take-two’ when it comes time for a couple to say ‘I do’--  Wedding officiants only get one shot to perform a perfect wedding ceremony. 

PROFESSIONAL WEDDING OFFICIANT CERTIFICATION COURSE 

Give yourself the tools and training you deserve to succeed as a wedding officiant, so that you can stand beside the lucky couple with complete confidence on their big day. 

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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

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Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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10 Church Welcome Speeches You Can Use To Start Strong

Lights, camera, action! 💡🎥🎬

The stage is set, the crowd is buzzing and the worship team is ready to unleash their heavenly melodies. It’s showtime, baby!

But you need more than just a run-of-the-mill church welcome speech and you can’t just make it up on the spot…

No, no, no! You need a great church welcome speech that’s going to welcome first-time visitors and set the right expectations.

Well, look no further because you’ve stumbled upon a goldmine of 10 dynamic church welcome speeches guaranteed to kickstart your service with a bang 💥

So let’s make your next service a service to remember , where hearts are touched, souls are stirred and lives are forever changed.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What Is A Church Welcome Speech?

5 key elements of a church welcome speech, 10 church welcome speeches you can use, 4 great church welcome speech examples.

A church welcome speech is a brief address delivered at the beginning of a church service, usually by a church MC or worship leader..

More than a mere greeting, a church welcome speech is an opportunity to connect with both new and old faces, create a warm and inviting atmosphere, give valuable information and set the stage for a great worship experience.

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Whether your church is big or small, black or white, Baptist or Pentecostal, in the US or the Philippines, a great church welcome speech has 5 key elements.

Let’s walk through each one 👇

1. A Simple Introduction

The key here is to keep it short and sweet, yet warm and friendly.

As they say: less is more.

Especially when it comes to opening your church service. Say what needs to be said and move on.

A good church welcome officially starts the service and gets everyone focused, so give a quick introduction of yourself and the church.

This can be as simple as “Good morning and welcome to Grace Church. I’m Abi and it’s great to see you all here.”

2. Set Expectations

When done right, the person opening the service can help raise the faith level of your church right before entering into worship.

Help set the tone by giving everyone a general idea of what’s going to happen. You don’t need to give a minute-by-minute breakdown of the service, just a quick overview is good enough.

This is a good place to mention your current sermon series  or special guest speaker if you have one.

3. Give Useful Information

Give everyone the practical information they need to relax and feel comfortable.

Gently remind people to put phones on silent, tell them they’ll be coffee afterwards and point out where the Kid’s Church and bathrooms are.

4. Welcome Visitors

It’s good to take a moment to specifically welcome first-time guests and let them know you’re glad they’re here.

Launching your service this way is not only a great way to make church visitors feel at home :

It also helps outward-focused culture and sends a clear message to members that this is a safe place they can invite their family and friends to.

If your church has visitor connect cards (so you can do follow-up later) ask them to fill them out and drop them in the offering basket as it passes by.

5. End With What’s Next

Now you’ve officially opened up the meeting, it’s time to transition into the next part of the service.

If you’re going into worship, have everyone stand. Lead everyone in a faith-filled prayer welcoming the Holy Spirit to move in hearts and minds.

If it’s the sermon next, thank God for His Word, pray that their hearts and minds be ready to receive what God has to say to his people, then have everyone clap their hands to welcome the preacher.

I’m going to share with you 10 church welcome speech outlines you can use at your next Sunday morning service or church event.

Use these to inspire you and spark new ideas and feel free to adapt them to your local church setting to make them your own.

Church Welcome Speech #1

Good morning and welcome to [CHURCH NAME]. My name’s [YOUR NAME] and if you’re visiting us for the first time here, thank you for coming! It’s great to have you with us.

You’ll find a connect card in [LOCATION], it would be great if you could fill that out – we’d love to get to know you better.

In the next [NUMBER OF MINUTES] we’re going to enjoy a time of worship before [PREACHER NAME] talks to us about [SERMON TOPIC]. It’s going to be good!

Please remember [to collect your children from/turn your phones on silent or any other useful info here].

Please join with me in prayer. [PRAYER].  As the worship team starts playing, let us stand together in singing [SONG TITLE].

Church Welcome Speech #2

Hi! I’m [YOUR NAME] and a very warm welcome to you. It’s so good to see so many smiling faces this morning!

If this is your first time at [CHURCH NAME] I want to extend a special warm welcome to you, it’s great to have you with us.

Please take a moment and fill out the connect card that can be found [LOCATION]. That’ll really help us get to know you a little bit better and know how we can serve or pray for you.

This week we start a brand 4-week series called [SERMON SERIES NAME] where we’re going to be talking about [TOPIC]. I know that God is going to speak to us, amen?

Before I go, let me just remind you that [USEFUL INFO HERE].

That being said, let’s get ready to [NEXT STEP HERE].

OK, let’s pray together. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #3

Good morning! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME], the place where miracles happen and lives are changed. My name is [YOUR NAME] and whether you’re a longtime member or a first-time visitor, we’re excited to have you with us.

At [CHURCH NAME], we believe that each person who walks through these doors is here for a divine purpose and today, we have a powerful service planned just for you.

We’re gonna dive into worship and lift our voices and hearts in praise to our amazing God. We’ll also have a thought-provoking message that will challenge and inspire you to grow in your faith.

For our first-time visitors, we have a special gift prepared just for you. Be sure to stop by our welcome table after the service to receive your gift and connect with our friendly team members.

Before we proceed, let’s take a moment to greet those around us and extend a warm welcome to everyone in our church family. Go ahead and share a smile, a handshake or even a high-five.

Now let’s prepare our hearts and minds as we enter into a time of worship together and let’s get ready to encounter God in a powerful way.

Church Welcome Speech #4

Before we kick off the service we’d just like to take a moment to welcome everybody to [CHURCH NAME].

We’re thrilled to have you with us today as we worship and seek God’s face and get wisdom from God’s Word.

Before we do that though, just a few important announcements:

This Friday, we have a special prayer night where we will intercede for the needs of our church and community. We invite you to join us. here at [CHURCH NAME] we believe in the power of prayer!

We also have Connect Groups available for all ages where you connect with God and each other.

If you’re interested in joining a connect group or volunteering in one of our service teams, please visit the Connect Corner after the service.

Other than that, all that’s left for me to say is let’s lean in today. Let’s lean with expectant hearts ready to receive what God has for us.

Let’s stand and pray together [PRAYER].

Church Welcome Speech #5

Hello, hello, hello! Is everyone ready to have an amazing time in the presence of God today? I know I am!

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I have the privilege of serving as [YOUR ROLE] here at [CHURCH NAME]. I want to extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you and we ‘re excited to have you here today .

Whether you’re a familiar face or a first-time visitor, [CHURCH NAME] is a place where we come together as a family to celebrate, grow, and encounter the life-transforming power of God.

Today, we have an incredible service planned just for you. Get ready to experience passionate worship and hear a message that I know will speak directly to your heart.

So, once again, welcome to [CHURCH NAME]. Open your hearts, open your minds and expect God to move in a powerful way today.

Now let’s enter into worship together, knowing that we serve a great big God who is faithful and who desires to meet us right where we are.

Let’s pray. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #6

Good morning everyone and welcome to [CHURCH NAME], a place where normal people encounter an extraordinary God.

Today, we invite you to join us in a worship experience that will stir your soul and draw you closer to God’s presence.

After the service, we encourage you to visit our Connect Corner, where you can learn more about our various connect groups, ministries and service opportunities.

We believe that each person has a unique role to play in building God’s kingdom, and we’d love to help you find your place of service and connection within our church family.

Let’s pray as we have a time of worship and hear God’s Word together. [PRAYER]

Church Welcome Speech #7

Well, well, well! Look who decided to grace us with their presence today. It’s none other than the incredible congregation of [CHURCH NAME]!

Give yourselves a round of applause for making it here on this beautiful day.

My name is [YOUR NAME], and I’m thrilled you could join us for Sunday service.

Before we kick things off, why don’t you spread some joyful vibes and warm welcomes by high-fiving, fist-bumping or jazz-handing the person next to you.

Today is going to be good!

After worship, we’re going to hear a special message from Pastor [NAME] that I know is going to stretch our faith and help us to believe God for more.

So remember to put your phone on silent and of course, feel free to join us for coffee and treats after the service in the [LOCATION]. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet and connect.

And to our first-time visitors, welcome! Grab a welcome pack after the service—it’s filled with goodies and surprises just for you.

Right now we’re going to enter into a time of worship so feel free to stand, sit or dance in the aisles. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, Amen?

So let’s make a joyful noise!

Church Welcome Speech #8

Hello and a massive welcome to [CHURCH NAME] on this beautiful [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] morning!

My name is [YOUR NAME] and I am so excited to be worshipping with you today. If you’re a visitor with us, thank you so much for coming and celebrating [CHRISTMAS/EASTER] with us.

For those with us for the first time, I’d love it if you could fill out the connect card that’s [LOCATION] and kindly drop it on the offering plate as it comes by. Thank you, this will just help us get to know you better.

I know we’ve got a lot coming up for you today. We’re going to kick things off here with a time of worship before we hear a special [CHRISTMAS/EASTER} message from [PREACHER NAME]. After that [INCLUDE ANY OTHER SPECIAL ELEMENTS].

Please note that [USEFUL INFO HERE].

Right, are we ready? Let’s pray. [PRAYER] [NEXT STEP]

Church Welcome Speech #9

Good morning, friends! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME] and I’m thrilled to be here with you today as we start this incredible worship experience.

Let’s just take a moment to connect with one another. Find someone nearby, give them a warm smile, and let them know how glad you are to see them.

Now, get ready for a time of worship in the presence of God. Then, after worship, we will have a powerful message which will challenge and inspire us in our faith.

If you’re new here, we’re delighted to have you join us. We have visitor connect cards available, where you can share your contact information and any prayer requests you may have.

Feel free to fill out the cards and drop them in the designated box. We would love to connect with you and support you in any way we can.

For families with children aged 3 to 12, we have an exciting Kids Church program available.

And after the service, we invite everyone to join us for a time of fellowship and refreshments in the [LOCATION]. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet new people.

To our first-time visitors, we extend a special welcome. We’re thrilled that you’ve chosen to worship with us today.

Please feel free to approach our friendly volunteers at the welcome desk, who will be more than happy to assist you, answer any questions you may have, and provide you with a small gift as a token of our appreciation.

Now, let’s enter into a time of worship. Let’s lift our voices, open our hearts and invite the Holy Spirit to fill this place.

Church Welcome Speech #10

Good morning, everyone! Welcome to [CHURCH NAME]! It’s wonderful to see so many beautiful faces here this morning!

Now, if you’re joining us for the first time today, we want to extend a special welcome to you. Would you please stand?

Let’s give them a warm round of applause, everyone! It’s great to have you!

Our ushers will be coming around with a special welcome pack designed just for you. It contains helpful information about our church, upcoming events, and ways to get connected.

We want you to feel at home and supported as you explore what our church has to offer. Don’t hesitate to ask our ushers any questions you may have or let them know how we can serve you better.

Before we dive into a time of worship and listen to a great word from Pastor [NAME] I have just a couple of announcements.

Firstly, I want to invite you all to join us this coming Friday for our special prayer night. It’s a powerful time of seeking God’s presence and interceding for our church, community, and the world. Mark your calendars and be part of this transformative experience.

Also, if you’re not already part of a connect group, we have an incredible network of connect groups across the city that meet every Wednesday where you can grow in your relationship with God and one another.

We have a Connect Table at the back where you can find out more so be sure to visit after the service.

Once again, thank you to each and every one of you for being with us and we know where 2 or more are gathered in His name, He is here with us, amen?

Let’s stand together and pray as we enter into worship. [PRAYER]

I wanted to end things here with some real-life examples and give you my thoughts on what I think works well. 

It’s good to keep your speeches becoming predictable by mixing them up a little.

Here are 4 different styles and approaches you could take in your church:

1. The Comedic Approach

What a clever and funny way to open the service! Almost rapping, he does a great job of welcoming visitors, having them stand while the church applauds.

I also like how he sets expectations, saying “Today is Youth Sunday” .

2. The Evangelistic Approach

This wonderful woman has a really warm but powerful way of welcoming people to the church.

She starts off by getting people ready to worship and hear the Word. This can be a powerful way to set the tone for the rest of the service.

She introduces the church pastors and even points them out individually. This might work well depending on your style of church.

I was surprised to hear her nearly do an alter call saying “Don’t leave here today without knowing Jesus.”

She’s passionate and friendly, everything you want in someone giving the welcome at your church.

3. The Helpful Approach

This welcome takes less than a minute but works really well and is a great example of how we can make our church services more welcoming for guests.

He leads by introducing himself saying he’s part of the hospitality team and makes himself available if he can help them in any way, right before asking first-time visitors to stand up and thank them for coming.

4. The Faith-Fuelled Approach

This next one is short and sweet, but it’s a masterclass on how to use your church welcome speech to raise the faith level through the roof!

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Over To You

There you go – you now have 10 church welcome speeches to choose from for next Sunday!

If you really want to mix it up then take a look at these 36 church welcome poems .

And if you found this post useful, be sure to check out our step-by-step guides:

• How To Make Church Visitors Feel Welcome
• How To Make A Church Welcome Pack
• 5 Common-Sense Church Greeting Tips
• 10 Ways To Get More First-Time People Into Your Church
• How To Be A Church MC: Tips & Scripts For Seamless Services

Now it’s time to hand it over to you:

What do you say in your church welcome speech?

And do you have any tips for giving a better welcome speech at the start of the service?

Let us know in the comments below! 🙏

17 thoughts on “10 Church Welcome Speeches You Can Use To Start Strong”

Very helpful, thanks for sharing

These guide lines are very good and they are very brief

God bless you

Thanks you for that Spiritual Food,God Bless you Always.

Right back at ya Lynn! You got this! 🙂

These guidelines are super. God richly bless you.. I

This was very helpful

thank you so much it is very helpful

very helpful and we’ll articulated

You made a good point that having a strong welcome speech that has emphasis on evangelization can help a lot in making the people ready for worship. I’m planning to get church worship services for my neighborhood association that will be celebrating its foundation day on December. If the quarantine has been lifted by then, I think having a thanksgiving Mass would be ideal for that gathering.

Very helpful, glad I found your site.

Thanks so much for this write up. I found it when looking for welcome Speech. It’s very detailed. Thanks

Great examples/ very usecul

I feel so bless coming across your site. I was assigned to do a welcome remark and I was about to refuse but thought of like saying “no” to Jesus. I prayed for guidance and Holy Spirit led me to it. Thank you for the wonderful ideas. Bless you Bishop!

I’m the one welcoming new members to church next Sunday… God bless you for this.. I really need it

Bishop T. Randolph January 4, 2019 I love it!!! This is what I was used to growing up; This has been forsaken in many churches, even in my own. I shall re-enter this in our church services. To God be the glory and I thank God for you and His leading me to your site! We pray you be forever blessed in your purpose for God,The Father!

This is awesome God bless you

Bless you too, I’m glad you found these welcome speeches helpful!

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welcome speech for pastor appreciation

Here is the best welcome speech for pastor appreciation that you can share as you show your pastor appreciation for the good work done to the church.

I presume that this is your first time you have been asked or requested by your church to do a welcome speech for the occasion of pastor in church.

I know you might be nervous and don't know what to do.

I tell you don't worry, we are going to help you and below here you will find sample speech together with information that can help you get ready for the occasion.

Below here we have prepared a ready to use speech that you can download at a cost of $10.99 only and save much time.

We have reduced the time you take to worry and availed what you need at a click a way.

You will get the welcome speech once you pay your $10.99

Otherwise a you proceed down here shall find information that can help you prepare for the occasion in church.

We understand how the day is special to your church and want to make sure you are well prepared for it.

We are praying for you and may the good Lord fill you with wisdom and knowledge.

Sample for  welcome speech for pastor appreciation

Greetings in Jesus name,

Let me take this precious moment to thank our loving Father in heaven for this day. Let me also thank each one of you for finding time to be here today. Finally want to thank the organizers of this event for making it possible for us to have this appreciation occasion for our pastor.

It is such a moment when we come together to thank our Lord and also appreciate the man of God whom God sent to our church to serve us during this period he will be with us.

As we come together to celebrate the service he has rendered to us, I want to take this chance to welcome each and every one of you to our service today.

I believe we have prepared for this annual day very well and have something to give to our pastor and the family.

As we begin this service , I believe we are all ready to share what the lord has in store for us.

I'm just standing here to do the welcome, we already have an emcee of the day who is going to guide the program and also lead in ushering different speakers who will grace the occasion.

It is going to be a good moment for us all of us here who have gathered as members of this church and also well wishers who are preset with us, we have been praying for this moment and finally it is here with us.

Let me take this precious moment to welcome now the emcee to carry the program.

Pastor appreciation scriptures that you can share during the occasion

(From Psalms 118)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;     his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—     those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,  those he gathered from the lands,     from east and west, from north and south.

Some wandered in desert wastelands,     finding no way to a city where they could settle.  They were hungry and thirsty,     and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,     and he delivered them from their distress.  He led them by a straight way     to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind,  for he satisfies the thirsty     and fills the hungry with good things.

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness,     prisoners suffering in iron chains, because they rebelled against God’s commands     and despised the plans of the Most High.  So he subjected them to bitter labor;     they stumbled, and there was no one to help.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,     and he saved them from their distress.  He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,     and broke away their chains.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze     and cuts through bars of iron.

My fellow worship members,invited guest and our pastor,we are here today for a

purpose to to show appreciation to a very important person in this church

and as the scripture says if I may quote

Some became fools through their rebellious ways     and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food     and drew near the gates of death.  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,     and he saved them from their distress.  He sent out his word and healed them;     he rescued them from the grave.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love     and his wonderful deeds for mankind.  Let them sacrifice thank offerings     and tell of his works with songs of joy.

We want to thank the Lord very much and feel welcome to our church today

also occasion speech for pastor anniversary

We hope that the above sample and information has helped you.

We take this opportunity to wish you all the best as you prepare to give a welcome speech during the pastor appreciation occasion in church.

We are praying for you and may our Lord who is on heaven, guide and help you also fill you with the Holy Spirit to get ready for the occasion.

Thank you and God bless you.

If you want me to help writing the welcome speech for pastor appreciation, don't hesitate to contact me using the form below here and shall help you to write one to use during the appreciation day in the church.

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I guess that most people are born able to prepare a good speech, just as they can learn any language. Unfortunately, the ability is usually knocked out of us as we become self-conscious.  Our working lives are also dominated by the written word.  The following tips are intended to help those who wish to re-learn the ability to write an interesting speech, whether for a Minister, a colleague or themselves.

To begin with, you must first be absolutely clear whether the speech needs to be delivered in the first place. Speeches are very time-consuming, both in their preparation and in the travel time to and from the venue.  When ministers give speeches they need to tread a fine line between being dull and dangerous. Are you sure that the Minister will have something interesting and/or original to say, and will not be unnecessarily political or controversial? If so, is the audience the right one? Will there be an opportunity for publicity?

If in doubt, remember how embarrassing it was when Prime Minister Tony Blair was slow hand-clapped by the Womens Institute. Commenting many years later, Polly Toynbee noted that:

" Week in, week out, flotillas of Ministers stand up in front of audiences of all sorts and read out speeches badly written by someone else, platitudinous and patronising. ... All organisations are thrilled to get a headline Minster to speak as a crowd puller ... In the audience will be workers, professionals and experts [who] will know a hundred times more about the subject than he does. [After a very predictable and boring speech, the first or second questioner] begins to explain how life is out there. ... Suddenly the meeting springs into life. The Minister starts for the first time to speak like a normal human being ... there is a dialogue. The Minister listens. ... when out of the shadows steps the ministerial minder, pointing to his watch. Before you know it, the great man has gone. What does he leave behind? A very angry room . ... The Minister's visit has had precisely the opposite effect of that intended . Cynicism about politics is redoubled. "

Even worse, all too many invitations are from organisations that need to fill an after dinner slot or something of the sort. The last thing they want is a thoughtful speech about the weighty issue of the day – especially if the content might be critical of the community to which the audience belongs. Let’s face it: half the audience will be tipsy – or worse – and the majority will certainly want to be entertained. Leave these challenges to professional after dinner speakers. I have only once agreed to speak at evening functions, and performed so abysmally that I swore never to do so again. If a Minister wants to appear for political reasons, or to raise his or her profile, then let the Special Adviser write the speech. They will know more jokes than you do.

But a properly prepared speech, delivered at the right time to the right audience, can of course be highly effective. As ever, planning and preparation are the key.

First , remember your three duties and decide which you are carrying out when drafting the speech. Is the Minister going to talk fairly freely about possible policy developments? Or are you helping to promote or defend Ministers’ policies? - in which case a more barn-storming approach will be needed. Or maybe you are even in implementation mode, which would require a quite different approach again. But do bear in mind that many audiences object to simply hearing the party line. A more considered, thoughtful and consultative speech will generally go down much better.

Second , you also need to identify those one or two key messages that you and/or the speaker want to leave in the minds of the audience. What do you want them to do differently after hearing the speech? What do you want them to remember some days afterwards?

Third , you should also find out what the audience wants to get out of the speech. The easiest way to do this is to ask the event organiser what will go down well, what information needs to be put over and what will please the audience. Your one – or at the most two – key messages can then be nicely wrapped so that the audience is first made receptive to the key messages – especially if they are likely to be unwelcome or surprising.

Take particular care correctly to define and describe the nature of the speech. A ‘keynote address’ should include the key points which will be the main topics for discussion for the rest of the conference. An ‘opening address’ will set the scene or set out the Government’s position as a prelude to more detailed speeches. In this case you should take care that the Minister’s comments will not duplicate any other opening remarks by the Chair or host.

And don't get too carried away! Daniel Finkelstein admitted that "When I wrote speeches for William Hague he used to congratulate me on the text. He said I had drafted for him an oration perfect for delivery from the steps of the Lincoln memorial as the million men arrived from the Capitol. Then he would remind me that he was in fact addressing the Christmas Club supper of the Durham Conservative Association."

When you have decided what you want to say, then plan your structure . You can do much worse than stick to the traditional:

• Tell them what your main message will be, then,
• Deliver the message, and then,
• Tell them what the message was!

There may be other ways of structuring a speech, but no other way works every time, or leaves such a clear impression.

Drafting :  The worst thing you can do is either ‘draft’ or ‘write’ a speech. If a speech reads well, especially to colleagues, it will sound stilted and boring. We naturally speak in 2-3 second bursts. We write using longer sentences.

You should simply pick up a pen or sit at your keyboard, put your speech structure on the table in front of you, and start writing or typing. If you get stuck, think about the audience and talk about them and the issues that face them. Use plenty of anecdotes and illustrations, avoid long lists, and ditch detailed statistics in favour of easily grasped facts (e.g. ‘last year we doubled our exports to X’ rather than ‘in 2022 our exports to X were 92 per cent up on 2021’) . Above all, get some emotion into it, and some power. The result will be much more interesting – and more natural.

Then check the typed text for unclear or misleading phrases; remove platitudes and generalities; and check that it consists only of sentences which are less than two lines long. Finally, read the whole thing through out loud, to make sure that it trips off the tongue fairly easily. Do not, as has happened, ask a Minister to describe how he has ‘instituted an epidemiological survey’.

You will of course need to show the draft to colleagues affected by its content. But, unless it contains a major statement of Government policy, try to avoid showing it to senior colleagues. They will only start fretting about the colloquial language and the split infinitives, and turn the whole thing into an essay which will read well, but sound awful.

On the day, always check the technology.  Is the speaker familiar with the microphone and teleprompter, and do they work? Ditto the projector and video player. Does he or she know how to control them?

It is also worth listening carefully to the speech, even if you know every word off by heart. Try to tune into the Minister’s speech patterns, sense of timing etc. You will never mimic them exactly, but it will help you when you next settle down to dictate a speech.

And afterwards check how the speech was received.  Congratulate yourself (and the speaker!) if it went well.  If it went down badly, you can always quietly blame the speaker and console yourself that this happens to everyone.  Either way, you will learn something for the future .... 'though you might wish that someone had indeed invented an automatic speech-making machine ...

Presentations

I recommend Tessa Davis' advice on making less formal presentations .

Martin Stanley

Spotted something wrong? Please do drop me an email if you spot anything that is out-of-date, or any other errors, typos or faulty links.

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Sample Funeral Message for a Minister and Soul-Winner

Sample Funeral Message for a Minister and Soul-Winner Pastor Kenneth Hagin, Jr.

We have come here this day for a number of reasons…

1. We are here today to pay our tribute and our respect to a man of God, our brother, ______________________________. Not only have people from this congregation and community gathered, but many ministers have come… ministers who have respected _______________________ as a minister, and have loved him as a friend.  To know _______________________ was to love him!

2. We are here today to show our love and support for ______________________’s very precious family.  Not only have we sensed our own personal feelings of loss over __________________’s passing, but our hearts have been drawn toward them, and will continue to be with them.

3. Finally, we are here today to seek and to receive comfort.  We would be less than honest if we said that our hearts have not ached over this situation.  We are not too proud to acknowledge that we have come here today trusting that God would minister to our hearts, and give us strength as we continue in our walk with Him.

It is our human nature to want to understand everything now, but TRUST requires that we lean and rely heavily on God even when things seem unclear.

Proverbs 3:5

5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Philippians 4:7

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

I’m not going to tell you not to cry or not to experience emotions.  Emotions are God-given.  They are a part of who we are.

Jesus Himself said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Tears are the safety-valve that God built into us to help us at times like these.  It’s OK to cry.

I’m not going to tell you today that you’ll never have questions come to you.  But I will tell you this:  There is something wonderful that you can focus on.  Choose to focus on the things you know… things the Word of God declares.

We declare with Job… Job 19:25

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

We declare with Jesus… John 14:2-3

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

We declare with Paul…2 Corinthians 5:6-8

6 …We are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Philippians 1:21, 23

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better…

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.  

We are going to move beyond the tears.  We are going to move beyond our questions… because the Holy Spirit is here today to comfort and strengthen each and every heart!  And he will continue to be with us as we continue to live for God.

An individual made the following statement: “The measure of a life is not in its duration but in its donation .”

When we think of ____________________’s donation… what he contributed… what he invested… we have much to be thankful for!!!

• Consider the investments of love and devotion that he made in his marriage with _________________.
• Consider the investments of godliness and nurturing that ______________________ made with into the lives of his children and grandchildren.
• Consider the investments of the Word of God that _______________________ made into the lives of so many people… not only members of this church, but all of the people, including ministers, that he poured his life into.

Let me say again that “The measure of a life is not in its duration but in its donation !”

Later this day, when all the words have been spoken, when all the songs have been sung, we will stand at the graveside and commit the body of our friend, _______________________________ to the keeping of this earth until the coming of the Lord, and we will commit his soul into the loving hands of the God he served… bringing an end to the final chapter of his earthly life.

But it will not be the end of his story, because the memory of his life and the influence of his life remains.

Because _____________________ committed his life to God and the work of God, He was energized by a power greater than this natural world understands.

We all knew _______________________ as a great friend and a wonderful pastor, but one of the things that caused me to so highly respect _____________________ was his great love for souls.  In this sense, ____________________ was a real hero to me – he did have, and continues to have my highest respect.

_________________________’s life reminds me of a preacher that was on the Titanic…

There were a lot of notable, wealthy people on the Titanic in 1912.  But the most notable passenger on the Titanic was someone that most of the world has never heard of before.

He was a man by the name of John Harper.  He was a plain, ordinary Pastor from the city of Glasgow, Scotland.  He had faithfully shepherded his congregation for 15 years.  He was a fairly young minister, only 40 years old.

Moody Memorial Church in Chicago had invited him to come and preach a series of sermons. So he had accepted the invitation and had booked himself on the maiden voyage of the Titanic. As he boarded the ship he thought, “I will have plenty of time to prepare my sermons for this preaching series.”

But Pastor John had a bit of a problem staying in his room and studying because he had such a heart for people. It is told that the night before the Titanic sunk that John Harper was on the deck earnestly pleading and begging people to come to Christ.

He had given his life day-in and day-out to see people get into the spiritual lifeboat.  And that night when the ship struck the iceburg, he was awakened, he got up, and started making his way to the lifeboat, and he realized there wasn’t enough room for everyone.

So he started going from deck to deck crying out – “Women and children and the unsaved to the lifeboats.” He said, “Let’s get the non-Christians in first.” Now as he was doing this you could imagine the panic. Pastor John was one of those who eventually ended up in the freezing waters. He hung on to a wooden piece of debris floating in the water.

Some of the passengers because of the swirling currents of the sinking ship were being brought close to one another and then flung back apart. One of the men was brought into close proximity with John Harper, and John cried out, “Sir, are you a Christian?” And the man answered simply, “no.” And the current took him away into the darkness. A few minutes later by God’s providence that same man was brought back into John Harper’s sight, and John asked him again, “Sir, are you saved yet – have you accepted Christ?” And the man said, “No, I can’t honestly say that I am.”

Apparently that was the last thing John Harper ever said on this earth. He lost his grip on the piece of debris, sunk down into the Atlantic Ocean, and died.

The man that John Harper was pleading with to become a Christian was one of the very few who was plucked out of the icy waters by one of the ships that rushed to the scene. He testified that he did accept Christ that very night, and he settled in Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. He was often asked to speak and give his testimony and he would proudly step up and say, “I’m John Harper’s last convert.”

When I think of _____________________, I think of the verse in Revelation that says:

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'” “Yes,” says the Spirit,” that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”   (Revelation 14:13)

I have no doubt that _______________________ has already met people in heaven who have thanked him for leading them to the Lord.  I have no doubt that others in the future will come up to him in heaven and express their gratitude for him having led them to the Lord.

His work on this earth was of eternal value, and because of that, he will have eternal reward.

This Memorial Service is not really for _______________________.  He is in Heaven.  This is a time for us who are yet on this earth.

He’s reached the ultimate destination of the universe.

We say that he has “departed,” but God says that he has “arrived.”

God sees things from such a different perspective than we do.  God never sees His children die.  He simply sees them coming home.

The real questions we face today don’t really pertain to _______________________.  He has arrived.

The real questions today have to do with us.

• What are we going to do?
• What are we going to focus on?

Dwight L. Moody, the great Evangelist, may have one day lived amidst question marks, but he discovered the glorious secret of complete trust in God.  His last days were wonderfully spent amongst exclamation points!

Dwight L. Moody said, “Someday you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody of Northfield is dead.  Don’t you believe a word of it.  At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now.  I shall have gone higher, that is all — out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that sin cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body fashioned into His glorious body.  I was born in the flesh in 1837; I was born of the Spirit in 1856.  That which is born of the flesh may die; that which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”                                                             

A few hours before entering the ‘Homeland,’ Dwight L. Moody caught a glimpse of the glory awaiting him.  Awakening from sleep, he said “Earth recedes.  Heaven opens before me.  If this is death, it is sweet!  There is no valley here.  God is calling me, and I must go.”

His son was standing by his bedside and said, “No, no, father, you are dreaming.”

“No,” said Mr. Moody, “I am not dreaming.  I have been within the gates.  I have seen the children’s faces.”

A short time elapsed…and he spoke again, “This is my triumph; this is my coronation day!  It is glorious!”

Contrary to what we would have liked, our pastor and our friend has taken an earlier flight, but we still share a common destination.

His race ended earlier than we anticipated, but we still have our race to run, and David would not have it any other way than that we give our very best for the Kingdom of God.

I will deeply miss my friend, _______________________.  But I rejoice this day that he is with my Savior, Jesus.  And in honor of my friend, I say…

Ring out the welcome.

Swing wide the gates.

Choirs of angels stand and sing, “Amazing Grace.”

There’s one more soldier of the King.

Whose trials are past.

Ring out the welcome loud and clear –

He’s home at last.

Connect with TCM

Tony Cooke Ministries PO Box 140187 Broken Arrow, OK 74014-0187 918-645-9120

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Wedding Officiant Speech Ideas For A Friend’s Wedding + Templates

Written by  Shutterfly Community Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023

Short And Sweet Wedding Ceremony Template

Playful and humorous wedding ceremony template, how to prepare.

• Meet with the couple beforehand to get an idea of what they expect or wish to see at their ceremony. Be sure to discuss the length, tone and order of your speech. Whether they prefer a short ceremony, a secular officiant script or want to add their own creative spin, you’ll be prepared to provide that for them.
• Start writing your speech as early as possible and ask the couple for feedback. It’s always best to have a third party review your speech for any errors.
• Ask the couple for any rules they wish to implement during the ceremony. They may want to ask guests to silence their phones or refrain from taking too many photos.
• Establish the order of the ceremony with the couple. Some couples opt to sign legal documents at the ceremony in front of their friends and family, while others prefer to sign them in private, either before or after the ceremony. Make sure you know how they wish to proceed with this component of their wedding.
• Confirm that the marriage license is valid. States have different laws regarding the window of time a license is valid and can be signed.
• Be prepared for how and when to submit legal documents. Once the license has been verified, complete all relevant fields. On their wedding day, make sure all required parties have signed including yourself, the couple and witnesses.
• Be aware of any filing deadlines in your state and return the license to its issuance office appropriately. In many states, the couple can return the marriage license themselves.

From An Acquaintance

Dos and Don’ts

• Do include a short and sweet anecdote about their love story. If you know how they met or got engaged, weave it into the speech to make it unique to the couple.
• Don’t get off topic. Avoid going on a tangent by keeping your script short and to the point.
• Do practice your speech and the names of important family members. Depending on the style of the wedding, some speeches thank or mention parents and grandparents of the couple so you want to make sure you’ve got their names down.
• Don’t go heavy on the jokes. Humor is great but when in doubt, keep it light. If you don’t know the family very well, some jokes may fall flat or not go over well with certain family members.
• Do type up a nice copy of your speech for the couple to keep afterward.

INTRODUCTION

Declaration of vows and commitment.

EXCHANGE OF RINGS

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Pronouncement, from a close friend or family member.

• Do include an endearing short story about the bride and/or groom. Use this story to add a little playfulness to your speech and pull at the heartstrings of friends and family.
• Don’t tell embarrassing stories about the bride or groom. Keep your stories light and focused on their love for one another.
• Do write a unique introduction. Since you know them personally, give yourself the freedom to stray from the traditional wedding ceremony introductions.
• Don’t go into too much detail. Although you know the couple well, they may have invited acquaintances and distant friends to the ceremony so keep your speech concise.
• Do type up a nice copy of your speech for the couple to keep afterward. A great wedding gift idea would be a framed print of their vows they can cherish for years to come.

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How to Write a Speech to Get You Elected

Last Updated: February 28, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 460,338 times.

If you possess leadership skills and want to make a change, you may want to run for office.To become an elected official, you must convince voters that you’re the best option by delivering a message that will win them over. Regardless of whether your goal is a seat in Congress or a position as school president, the basic principles remain the same when making an election speech.

Structuring Your Points into a Speech

• You should write the speech with phrases and words that you normally use when talking to people.
• For example, don’t write something like, “Voters and citizens, the abhorrent nature of my opponent while he assumed the position as treasurer saw that governmental coffers were drained to their lowest point in a decade!”
• Instead, write something like, “Can you really trust my opponent? When he was treasurer so much money went missing that we’re now at the lowest level in 10 years!”

• If you’re running for school president you can say something like, “Hey everyone. Today I’ll be talking about the important things that everyone here cares about, like the quality of our lunch, access to sports, and lack of programs and what faculty can do to fix it.”
• If you're running for city council or mayor, you can say something like, “Thank you to everyone who decided to come. Today I’ll be talking about how essential educational investment is and what we can do about bringing jobs and industry back to our town.”

• If you're running for school president your paragraph could start something like "We all know that school lunch is bad, but would it surprise you to find out it's actually unhealthy? I have a plan to work with facility to improve the quality of our lunches."
• If you're running for a federal office, you could write "There are many issues that face us today, but one of the most important things right now is access to healthcare. My plan for a single-payer system will ensure that everyone, regardless of income, will be able to afford high-quality health services in our state. I believe that healthcare is a human right, not a privilege."
• Jumping from point to point will only confuse the listeners.
• You don’t always have to stick to this structure but it's what usually works best and will keep your speech organized.

• For instance, if you are running for school president you could say something like, "Everyone knows Jeremy is an amazing basketball player. We've all seen the videos online and we know how dedicated he is to getting better. But we don't have a team here. And that needs to change!"
• For instance, if you’re talking about increasing the minimum wage, you could say something like, “I know a girl in my district named Gabby who is a single mother without her high school diploma. She’s one of the hardest workers and most genuine people I have ever met, but she is on government assistance because the only job she can get will only pay $8 an hour. This is just not an income that can sustain any sort of family, and it’s up to us to make sure that corporations reward workers who put in the effort and do the right thing. That’s why I’m proposing a major increase of the minimum wage over the next 5 years to $15 per hour.”

• For example, if you’re mainly campaigning on environmental justice and immigration reform, don’t talk about foreign relations or prison justice reform in your speech because it will make the speech long-winded and off topic.

• If you're running for office in school, you could say something like "We've talked about the lack of resources, unhealthy lunch food, and lack of decorations at the dances. And I've also layed out every way we can solve these problems together. If you want to do better for Freemondt Highschool, vote for me on November 8th!"
• For instance, you could say, “And if you vote for my opponent, nothing will change! That’s why on November 5th, you should vote for me.

• If you’re talking about a foreign country or including the names of people in your speech, make sure you know how to pronounce them correctly.

Delivering the Message

• You can ask your friend whether they thought the speech was moving or powerful, if they were bored, or if there was anything they didn’t understand.
• You can also memorize the speech so that you don’t have to read it when you’re delivering it. If you practice enough, you many naturally memorize parts of the speech.

• Often, people will think that they are speaking much quicker than they really are.
• Former U.S. President Barack Obama used pauses to emphasize points in his speeches frequently.

Creating a Platform

• Information about your voters can also be gained by reviewing polling information, past voter data, or by considering the location where you're giving the speech.
• If you're delivering the speech at a university, there's a high likelihood most of the audience will be college-aged people.
• Stay away from saying anything that may offend or upset your potential supporters.

• For instance, voters could be concerned about corruption or a lack of jobs.
• You can also ask people about their biggest concerns on social media.

• If there are not enough programs at your school, you could talk to the administration and the student body to develop new programs in your school.
• For instance, if there is a lack of jobs in your town, you could propose a plan to lower the corporate tax rate in your area to bring in new business.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/14-1-four-methods-of-delivery/
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-introductions
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/publicspeakingprinciples/chapter/chapter-8-outlining-your-speech/
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-evidence/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/conciseness/index.html
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-motivational-speech
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/
• ↑ https://professional.dce.harvard.edu/blog/10-tips-for-improving-your-public-speaking-skills/
• ↑ https://sps.columbia.edu/news/five-ways-improve-your-body-language-during-speech
• ↑ https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/Module%207_Becoming%20a%20Powerful%20Communicator_EN.pdf
• ↑ https://www.ndi.org/sites/default/files/Political_Campaign_Planning_Manual_Malaysia_0.pdf
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/202004/how-win-election

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How To Write A Minister’s Speech

Mediocre to poor Ministers don’t write their own speeches. They read the speeches written for them by their civil servants as amended by their political advisors.

The Fianna Fail Ard Fheis is on this week. Therefore, there have been a great deal of Civil Servants working hard on speeches for the last month. Here, based only on guesswork, is a list of their recent tasks.

• 1) Email the heads of all the departments in your Minister’s department. Explain that you are working on the Minister’s speech and need at least two projects or achievements from each one of them. Remind them to be mindful to select their ‘sexiest’ projects.
• 2) Wait 4 days.
• 3) Contact the one department head who has responded and thank them for their alacrity. Point out that the introduction of a newly designed form doesn’t meet the Minister’s definition of sexy and ask for a second pass. Contact all the other department heads reminding them of their obligations. Include a vague reference to the Secretary General, to underline that you’ll tell on them if they don’t play.
• 4) Wait 3 days.
• 5) You will now have about 12 things on your list. 7 of them will be from a particularly eager department head, who will have pulled all his staff off their daily tasks and had them compiling their self-justification report for the past two weeks. More than half of all the projects will have footnotes explaining why they aren’t running according to plan. For your eager department head, this will include a shortage of staff doing their normal day jobs.
• 6) Start to drop in on the unresponsive department heads in person, reminding them you need their input.
• 7) Start to write the speech. As your knowledge of the projects you’ve been sent begins and ends with the descriptions you’ve been given it ends up resembling a shopping list.
• 8) You now have a rough draft of your speech, with carefully worded caveats to elide the problems which used to live in the footnotes. Send it to the Sec. Gen. for notes.
• 9) Continue to chase the last die-hard department head. They continue to agree to and ignore deadlines for delivery of their description of what they do.
• 10) Enter a horrible endless round of revisions as everyone chips in with mutually exclusive suggestions for changes. In the main these will be nit-picks around certain words. It is important to keep a copy of the pre-revision text. The structure of your speech is now set. It still reads like a list of mostly unimpressive administrivia linked by non-sequiturs.
• 11) Race to the finish and hand the final, approved draft to the Sec. Gen. to pass on to the Minister. The Minister will take issue with most of the changes suggested by the previous parties. Reintroduce the pre-revision text which will now be accepted by all.
• 12) Finally, listen to your Minister deliver your speech with inappropriate intonation as though reading aloud in a slightly slower streamed classroom. Wince when they wander off the page. Groan when they try to add their own jokes or even deliver their advisors’. Most painfully, realise that you are a pedestrian and uninspiring speechwriter.

Post Script

• 13) Find your last department head has emailed you their contribution when you go in the following morning.

Some Real Live Ministers’ Speeches.

See if you can spot the bits their Civil Servants toiled so hard to assemble like meccano. *Hint- they are sometimes neatly separated out by a little line of stars*

Frankly, using civil servants to prepare party political speeches at ard fheiseanna is theiving from the taxpayer.

So much acid in this article, confirms the writer has been there… for a long time?

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Scottish Hate Crime Law Takes Effect as Critics Warn It Will Stifle Speech

The legislation expands protections and creates a new charge of “stirring up hatred.” Critics, including J.K. Rowling, said the law was “wide open to abuse.”

By Sopan Deb

A sweeping law targeting hate speech went into effect in Scotland on Monday, promising protection against threats and abuse but drawing criticism that it could have a chilling effect on free speech.

The law, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2021, expands protections for marginalized groups and creates a new charge of “stirring up hatred,” which makes it a criminal offense to communicate or behave in a way that “a reasonable person would consider to be threatening, abusive or insulting.”

A conviction could lead to a fine and a prison sentence of up to seven years.

The protected classes as defined in the law include age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity. Racial hatred was omitted because it is already covered by a law from 1986. The new law also does not include women among the protected groups; a government task force has recommended that misogyny be addressed in separate legislation.

J.K. Rowling, the “Harry Potter” author who has been criticized as transphobic for her comments on gender identity , said the law was “wide open to abuse by activists,” and took issue with its omission of women.

Ms. Rowling, who lives in Edinburgh, said in a lengthy social media post on Monday that Scotland’s Parliament had placed “higher value on the feelings of men performing their idea of femaleness, however misogynistically or opportunistically, than on the rights and freedoms of actual women and girls.”

“I’m currently out of the country, but if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offense under the terms of the new act,” she added, “I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment.”

On Tuesday, the police in Scotland said that while Ms. Rowling’s post had generated complaints, the author would not be facing criminal charges.

Rishi Sunak, the Conservative prime minister of the United Kingdom, expressed support for Ms. Rowling, telling the British newspaper The Telegraph that “people should not be criminalized for stating simple facts on biology. We believe in free speech in this country, and Conservatives will always protect it.”

Although Scotland is part of Britain, it enjoys political and fiscal autonomy on many matters, including economy, education, health, justice and more.

The new law has long had the support of Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, but it has raised concerns about the effect it might have on free speech. Mr. Yousaf, who was Scotland’s justice secretary when the bill was passed, was asked directly on Monday about the criticism from Ms. Rowling and others who oppose the law.

“It is not Twitter police. It is not activists, it is not the media. It is not, thank goodness, even politicians who decide ultimately whether or not crime has been committed,” Mr. Yousaf told Sky News . He said that it would be up to “the police to investigate and the crown, and the threshold for criminality is incredibly high.”

The law was introduced after a 2018 study by a retired judge recommend consolidating the country’s hate crime’s laws and updating the Public Order Act of 1986, which covers Britain and Northern Ireland. Scotland’s Parliament approved the new law 82-32 in March 2021.

Supporters of the legislation have spent years rallying support for it, saying it is crucial to combating harassment.

“We know that the impact on those on the receiving end of physical, verbal or online attacks can be traumatic and life-changing,” Siobhan Brown, Scotland’s minister for victims and community safety, said in a statement celebrating the law. “This legislation is an essential element of our wider approach to tackling that harm.”

But there has been fierce pushback against the law, including from Ms. Rowling, and the Scottish Conservative Party, whose leader, Douglas Ross, told Mr. Yousaf during first minister’s questions on March 14 that “the controversial new law is ripe for abuse.” In a separate questions exchange on March 21, Mr. Ross said that the law was “dangerous and unworkable” and that he expected it to “quickly descend into chaos.”

“People like J.K. Rowling could have police at their door every day for making perfectly reasonable statements,” he said.

Mr. Yousaf, who is of Pakistani descent, has cited the 1986 law as proper precedent for the new bill.

“If I have the protection against somebody stirring up hatred because of my race — and that has been the case since 1986 — why on earth should these protections not exist for someone because of their sexuality, or disability or their religion?” he told Parliament on March 21.

The issue of how the Scottish government should handle misogyny has been examined by a government-commissioned task force, which recommended in 2022 that protections for women be added in a separate bill with elements similar to the hate crimes bill that was passed the previous year.

The first minister at the time, Nicola Sturgeon, welcomed the report , promising that her government would give it full consideration. Mr. Yousaf, her successor, has also indicated his support, but there has been no serious movement in Parliament yet.

Claire Moses contributed reporting from London.

Sopan Deb is a Times reporter covering breaking news and culture. More about Sopan Deb

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to travel to Washington for official visit

April 5 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for an official visit next week.

The White House said Kishida's visit to Washington "will underscore the enduring strength of our Alliance, the unwavering U.S. commitment to Japan, and Japan's increasing global leadership role."

The president, first lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will greet the prime minister and his wife, Yuko Kishida, Wednesday morning on the White House south lawn followed by a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.

Biden and Japan's head of government have plans to discuss efforts to "strengthen our political, security, economic, and people-to-people ties so that our Alliance is postured to address evolving challenges and advance our shared vision for a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and world."

A Rose Garden press conference will follow their Oval Office meeting. Afterward, a state dinner with the Biden's greeting their foreign guests at the White House's north portico facing Pennsylvania Avenue. A photo opportunity for visiting reporters will take place at the Grand Staircase where the Harris and first gentleman Doug Emhoff will join the other four in the East Room for the state dinner.

Ahead of Wednesday's state dinner with Japan's visiting dignitaries, the first lady will host a Tuesday media preview with the prime minister's wife as part of their official visit for a Spousal Program event.

Tuesday's media preview with the first spouses will feature remarks by Jill Biden, White House Social Secretary Carlos Elizondo and a presentation on the menu by White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison.

On Wednesday, the American first lady will host a Japanese-American poet and local high school students in the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings' main library.

"The event will highlight the First Lady and Mrs. Kishida's shared interest in youth, education, and literature and celebrate the continuing friendship between the United States and Japan," according to the White House.

Kishida is also set to take part in a trilateral meeting with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., and Biden to discuss tensions with China in the Indo-Pacific region

The visit also comes as Nippon Steel's $14 billion deal to purchase Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel has gotten negative pushback in the United States. Biden has said it is "vital" that U.S. Steel remain American-owned.

The Japan-based Nippon Steel Corporation has pledged to continue its effort to buy the American company as U.S. Steel shareholders are slated to meet two days later on April 12 to discuss the proposed deal. On Tuesday, the United Steelworkers union rejected Nippon's letter which committed them to protecting jobs, calling it "a meaningless piece of paper."

NATO marks 75th anniversary as foreign ministers meet in Brussels

• 04 Apr. 2024 -
• Last updated: 04 Apr. 2024 18:07

Foreign Ministers gathered at NATO Headquarters on Thursday (4 April 2024) to mark 75 years since the signing of the Alliance’s founding document, the North Atlantic Treaty. Since 1949, the Alliance has ensured peace, democracy and prosperity for its members, now counting 32 Allies and one billion people on both sides of the Atlantic. This year’s NATO Day comes just weeks after Sweden joined as the thirty-second member of the Alliance.

In a speech marking the anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed that “NATO is bigger, stronger, and more united than ever”. He welcomed that the founding treaty, normally kept in Washington, D.C., was on display at NATO Headquarters for the first time, saying: "never has a single document with so few words meant so much to so many people. So much security, so much prosperity, and so much peace. All because of its solemn promise: that we stand together, and protect one another, as we have for 75 years." Admiral Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, stated that across Europe and North America, 3.5 million men and women in uniform are upholding a shield against aggression. “Together, we are protecting much more than physical safety. We are collectively defending freedom and democracy,” Admiral Bauer said.

Twelve Allied Foreign Ministers delivered statements to mark their 25th (Czechia, Hungary, Poland), 20th (Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia), and 15th (Albania, Croatia) accession anniversaries. As the host nation, the Belgian Foreign Minister delivered a speech and offered a 75th anniversary cake. The commemorations also included a wreath-laying ceremony and a live musical performance by The Royal Band of the Belgian Air Force and The Marine Band of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

Monuments throughout Brussels also marked NATO’s anniversary. In Parc du Cinquantenaire, the NATO flag flew under the Memorial Arch, and buildings in the city were illuminated in NATO blue, including the City Hall of Brussels and the Egmont Palace. The iconic Manneken Pis statue, one of the best-known symbols of Brussels, donned a special NATO Day costume to join the festivities. Other Allies also marked the anniversary with events including public discussions, musical performances and the illumination of buildings in NATO blue.

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