[Q&A] Does a US pastor need a license to officiate at a Canadian wedding?

2 posts / 0 new

Henry DeMoor on Thu, 06/24/2010 - 10:08am

WARNING TO ALL CRC MINISTERS: I have received word that ministers serving USA churches are officiating at weddings in Canadian provinces without first obtaining a licence to do so. Please note that all Canadian provinces, unlike some states in the USA, require advance licensing. Not arranging for such, perhaps through Stated Clerks of the Classis in which the church is located, could lead to a marriage not being legal.

Bruce Adema on Wed, 06/30/2010 - 11:21pm

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Thanks for posting this, Henry. If pastors serving in the US wish to officiate at a wedding in Ontario, they should contact me at the denominational office in Burlington and we'll process the paperwork. If the wedding is in another province, you should contact the stated clerk of the relevant classis, and the paperwork will be processed by her/him. Henry is right that the marriage might not be legal if the officiant is not licenced. Let's not cause people to live in sin! ;-)