The Marriage Ceremony of

Kalamali & Yogesh(Katherine Gail Church and Steven Bryan Lee)

Four o’clock in the afternoon, Saturday, June 27, 2015

Crystal Hermitage Gardens, Ananda Village

Nevada City, California

Thank YouThank you for joining us in this joyful occasion; adding your

blessings as we strengthen our union in God’s love. May

you all be blessed, in return.

AcknowledgementsWe would like to express our gratitude

To God and Guru for bringing us together and guiding our lives;

❦

To Swami Kriyanandafor making God and Guru’s presence a tangible reality in every

aspect of our lives;

❦

To Jyotish and Devifor their friendship, inspiration, guidance, and shining example of

spiritual marriage;

❦

To our friendsfor their kindness, uplifting company, and ceaseless support;

❦

To our parents and familyfor their generosity, support, and unconditional love;

❦

To all of those who helped This event took many helping hands and caring hearts.

Our StoryWe met in 2013, during the month of May, and immediately felt an inef-fably deep friendship.

After many months of closely sharing the path—talking, laughing, cook-ing, walking, serving, singing, chanting, and meditating with one anoth-er—we felt strongly that our futures would be tied closely together.

Jyotish and Devi, our spiritual parents, had guided us to move forward with our blossoming relationship slowly, while continuing to cultivate the essential ingredient—friendship. Some months later, feeling ready to make a long-term commitment to one another, we scheduled to meet on Thursday, August 7th, 2014.

During our meeting, they shared many inspiring and guiding words, based on decades of counseling and sincerely seeking attunement with the Divine will. Jyotish and Devi told us that they felt a soul connection and lifelong commitment between us. They saw service to God and to God in each other as the basis of our togetherness, and felt a harmony and shared aspiration between us that would support this ideal.

“Though we’re just coming into a relationship,” Yogesh said toward the end of the meeting, “we have had a deep friendship for a while now, and feel ready for marriage.”

“You can say you’re engaged now,” came Jyotish’s unexpected and, to us, thrilling reply. Devi softly added her approval, “Yes, it’s time.”

After some more conversation along those lines, we left their house with great joy in our hearts, and an overwhelming gratitude for what had just transpired.

Circumstances were such that we were both able to take that day off, and we set out to buy a ring. Our car was being repaired, but some friends let us borrow theirs, and we were soon en route to the nearest mall.

We were both fitted a simple, gold wedding ring; and cheerfully remi-niscing, we made our way back to Ananda Village.

One week later, the rings arrived, and we went with them to Crystal Her-mitage. Over the temporary burial site of Swami Kriyananda’s body, the belated proposal was made.

Holy Vows at MarriageVows to GodBeloved Lord,We dedicate to Thee our lives, our service, and the love we share.May the communion we find with one another lead us to inner commu-nion with Thee.May the service we render one another perfect in us our service of Thee.May we behold Thee always enshrined in one another’s forms.In every test of love, may we see Thy loving hand.In any disagreement, may we seek Thy hidden guidance.May our love not be confined by selfish needs, but give us strength ever to expand our hearts until we see all human beings, all creatures as our own.Teach us to love all beings equally, in Thee.(The couple now rises, and, standing, places their right hands together above the fire, while the minister covers their joined hands with his right hand. This next portion of the marriage vows they are to address to each other.)

Vows to Each OtherDear Beloved,I will be true to you as I pray always to be true to God.I will love you without condition, as I would be loved by you – and as we are ever loved by God.I will never compete with you; I will cooperate for our own, and for all others’ highest good.I will forgive you always, and under all circumstances.I will respect your right to see truth as you perceive it, and to be guided as you feel deeply within yourself.And I will work with you always, in freedom, to arrive at a common understanding.All that we do, may we do for God’s glory.May we live and grow together in His love and joy.And may the offspring of our union – whether human children or creative deeds – be doorways for the inspiration that we feel from Him, through each other.May our love grow ever deeper, purer, more expansive, until, in our per-fected love, we find the perfect love of God.

Wedding CeremonyProcessional……...............................................…“Join Us in Blessing”

Father’s Offering...................................“I Give My Daughters Hand”

Prayer Visiting Minister’s BlessingSong………...................................................................“Blessed the Life”

Song…….............……....................................“Lord, May We Serve You”

Song……..……............................“Of His Dreams Our Love Was Made”

Instrumental……....................……...........……………“Wedding Feast”

Song…………………...................................................……“In the Spirit”

Song……..........................…“When Human Hopes Toward Thee Aspire”

PrayerTalk…….................................…………The spiritual meaning of marriage

Puja CeremonySong……………........................………“Father, Mother, Friend our God”

Meditation BlessingChant…………...............................................……………“Ever New Joy”

Song…………...…...................……“Invocation to the Woodland Devas”

Meditation endsExchange of Roses RecessionalSong……………......................................……………“Where He Dwells”

Ceremony of the ElementsFire CeremonyHoly Vows at Marriage….........................…................Vows to God

…………………………….........................................…Vows to Each Other

Song……………........................................“Thy Light Within us Shining”

Song……………........................................................“Divine Friendship”

Exchange of RingsBlessingRecessionalFinis

Wedding PartyOfficiants…..................Nayaswami Jyotish Novak, Ananda Worldwide

..............................................Nayaswami Devi Novak, Ananda Worldwide

Bridesmaid…............Elizabeth Church, Bride’s Sister, Sacramento, CA

..……..............................…Jessica Price, Bride’s Cousin, San Francisco, CA

Groomsman............Steven Lee, Groom’s Father, New Gloucester, ME

……….........................…......Samuel Price, Bride’s Cousin, Santa Cruz, CA

Ring Bearer....………Bryan Steven Lee, Groom’s Nephew, Bethel, ME

Flower Girls………..........................……Saia Nisa, Ananda Village, CA

…………………..................................…Noorrun Nisa, Ananda Village, CA

Bride’s Mother……...........................…Peggy Church, Santa Cruz, CA

Bride’s Father...….........................………Tom Church, Santa Cruz, CA

Bride’s Grandmother…….......………Nancy Grodhaus, Oakland, CA

Groom’s Mother….......................…Denise Lee, New Gloucester, ME

Groom’s Father……..............………Steven Lee, New Gloucester, ME

Groom’s Grandmother...……Patricia Demers, New Gloucester, ME

Groom’s Grandfather……..…Richard Demers, New Gloucester, ME

Coordinator..……….................…Melissa Bullock, Ananda Village, CA

Music Composer....................................................Swami Kriyananda

Music Performers….................…Bhagavati Nani Ananda Village, CA

.............................................................Ramesha Nani, Ananda Village, CA

……………..........…………….…Ananda Village Choir, Ananda Village, CA

Photographers........................................Virginia Becker, San Jose, CA

.........................................................................Albert Becker, San Jose, CA

Videographer..........................Bryan McSweeney, Ananda Village, CA

Hair and Make-Up.............................Rachel Ebgi, Ananda Village, CA

Flowers………….......................……Surya Crisman, Ananda Village, CA

…………………….............................…Lalaan Hickey, Ananda Village, CA