Question Box

● Who is authorized to perform marriages or to officiate at funerals?

The December 1, 1975, Watchtower explained that in our congregations only elders and ministerial servants fit the term “ordained ministers” as generally used and understood. If the law of a state, city or community provides that marriage ceremonies may be solemnized only by ministers (whether “licensed,” “registered” or “ordained”), then only brothers who, according to the Scriptures, are “ordained” (appointed) to serve in the congregation (elders or ministerial servants) would properly perform such marriages in the future. (There is no need to be concerned about who performed marriages in the past.)

It is necessary to check locally to find out what the legal requirements are and then to comply with them. Please do not write the Society for such information, for we do not have available the various state laws on marriage requirements.

If a couple in the congregation desire to have the marriage talk given by a brother in good standing (not serving as an elder or ministerial servant), arrangements could probably be worked out for such brother to give the marriage talk, after which one of the congregation’s qualified elders or ministerial servants who meets the legal requirement to perform a marriage could administer the marriage vows. It is the administering of the vows that is customarily recognized as solemnizing the marriage.

Arrangements for the use of a Kingdom Hall for marriages should be approved by the service committee of the congregation. (See June 1975 Kingdom Ministry “Question Box.”)

Giving a funeral talk is quite a different matter from officiating at a marriage. There is no law in the United States that determines who will give a talk at a funeral. In general the family of the deceased would choose a brother in good standing to give the funeral talk. It is their personal choice and arrangement. The one selected would not have to be one who is viewed as an “ordained minister,” or, in Scriptural terms, an “assigned or appointed servant” of the congregation.