For those interested in marking important life passages, the Ethical Culture Society has Leaders and Officiants available to preside and help you plan personal and meaningful occasions. For more information contact Yalitza Garcia
in the Leaders' Office.

Ethical Culture Weddings and Commitment Ceremonies

Our weddings and commitment ceremonies are creative, respecting the individuality of each member of the couple as well as the ethical commitment of the union.  Values are the foundation of an Ethical Culture wedding or commitment ceremony: respect for the worth and uniqueness of each person and the importance of making and keeping commitments are two key values that an Ethical Culture ceremony stresses. We specialize in creative, customized ceremonies for couples of mixed religious backgrounds, no particular religious connection, or others who want a nontraditional, humanistic, spiritual ceremony.  Ethical Culture Leaders and Officiants are authorized under the law to perform weddings and also perform committment ceremonies for same-sex couples. Download our Wedding and Commitment Brochure

Baby Naming and Welcoming Ceremonies

These ceremonies recognize the joy and commitment of parenting. By introducing the child formally to family, friends, and community, the ceremony recognizes the child as a person of worth, dignity, and uniqueness and acknowledges their part in the larger human family.  For new parents, this may also be the first step of a formal commitment to their child’s ethical development.  Parents work with a leader or officiant to create the ceremony, which is usually interwoven with the Sunday Meeting.

Coming of Age

The Ethical Culture community strives to support adolescents in this most formative period of their lives. The ceremony is held to celebrate the coming of age of an adolescent child. The coming of Age ceremony may be connected to the Ethics for Children Sunday School program, or it may be an individual marking of this life passage. A Leader and the child work with parents and other family members to fashion a ceremony unique to the individual.

Memorial Services

At the time of death, the primary concern is to help the bereaved reach beyond the loss to an affirmation of life. The memorial service is planned by family and friends with an Ethical Culture Leader or Officiant. It is designed to commemorate and celebrate the life of the deceased, to help the bereaved accept the pain and loss, and to offer support and comfort. This service often becomes a celebration of an individual’s life - a time to share memories, a time to focus on the impact they made on others, and a time to acknowledge finality without despair.