Services

Life Passage Ceremonies

People are bound together by their need to celebrate life's joys and support each other through life's sorrows. Ethical Humanist ceremonies honor this need and help individuals come together by recognizing that which makes each of us unique and important. Both members and non-members are welcome to inquire about weddings, commitment, and divorce ceremonies; baby namings and coming-of-age celebrations; memorials; and pastoral counseling.

Weddings

Ethical Humanist Leaders and celebrants are legally authorized to officiate at weddings. They assist couples in designing a ceremony that is a creative public expression of their personal sense of love and commitment. An Ethical Humanist wedding ceremony emphasizes a reciprocal and mutual relationship, acknowledges the trust and work required to maintain such a relationship, and focuses on the giving and accepting of promises that are meaningful to the couple. Because Ethical Humanism is a non-theistic religion, its approach may be particularly supportive for couples from different faith traditions or those having no traditional religious affiliation.

Commitment Ceremonies

Commitment ceremonies are the religious equivalent of weddings in Ethical Humanism and offer the same opportunity to create a unique and meaningful experience for the couple. Unfortunately, a same-gender union is not the legal equivalent of marriage at this time in most states, including New York. In 1996, the National Leaders Council (NLC) of the American Ethical Union unanimously passed the following resolution: "We support the legalization of same sex marriage under state and federal laws." In 2004, the NLC established the Just Matrimony Project (www.justmatrimony.org) in support of same sex marriage.

Divorce

Almost half of all American marriages end in divorce. The couples and families who go through such a painful experience need support. When they feel ready for it, a ceremony can help with the healing process. As with all Ethical Humanist ceremonies, a unique expression of mutually shared values is created. Couples acknowledge their past commitment and release each other from it, often returning their rings, the symbols of that commitment, and recommit themselves to the love and care of their children.

Baby Naming or Welcoming

The birth of a child is celebrated in a reflective and communal ceremony that welcomes her or him into the family and the world. Parents vow to love and care for their child and ask their family and community to support them. They invite family and friends who will become important people in their child's life. The ceremony, created out of the family's shared values, may be conducted by the Leader during a Sunday Platform or privately.

Coming-of-Age

When children become teenagers, they separate from their families by taking greater responsibility for themselves and seeking more freedom to shape their futures. To acknowledge this transition, families renegotiate their relationships and agreements, making room for the emerging identity of the adolescent son or daughter. At a ceremony for family and friends, the passage to young adulthood is celebrated wtih music, readings, and personal statements. This ceremony may be connected to the Youth Ethics program as a graduation or it may be an individual event.

Memorial

A memorial service acknowledges the death and honors the life of a loved one. It also responds to the need of family and friends to say good-bye and mourn their loss. Leaders and celebrants help families shape meaningful ceremonies that honor the individuality of the deceased and create an environment that respects the feelings of family and friends.

Pastoral counseling

Ethical Humanism recognizes that people have basic needs for communication and support at times of personal difficulty or at ethical crossroads. When people need to discuss their problems and concerns, they may turn to an Ethical Leader who is trained and experienced in listening and counseling. If the difficulty is longer term, involving, for example, addiction or serious family dysfunction, the Leader may also offer referrals to other professionals.