Christians are called to worship and serve God throughout their lives.

1.A.1 For some of the responsibilities of individual Christians, see the five questions in the  'Commission' section of the baptism and confirmation services in Common Worship (eg CW Main Volume p359)

1.A.2 For a summary of our collective mission as Anglicans, see the Five Marks of Mission as adopted by the Anglican Communion.  They are reproduced here:

The mission of the Church is the mission of Christ…

• To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

• To teach, baptise and nurture new believers

• To respond to human need by loving service

• To transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and pursue peace and reconciliation 

• To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation  Integrity of Creation The view of God's creation in its wholeness, with the earth, its creatures and its peoples all as coming from the hand of the Creator. , and sustain and renew the life of the earth 

Our commitment to these marks will be evident throughout the handbook; for the fourth and fifth marks reference should be made to the key policies. 

1.A.3 For our strategy as a diocese, see Walking Together in Faith.  The five headings within that document are:

• To build up the body of Christ

• To share in the evangelisation Evangelism The proclamation to all peoples that Jesus Christ is Lord.  of Europe

• To strive for a just and sustainable world

• To work for reconciliation

• To resource ministry

Worship is our response to our loving and powerful God, our Creator and Saviour.

1.B.1 The teaching and discipline of the Church of England is set out in Canons B1 – B44 . The primary sources of forms of worship are the Book of Common Prayer (1662) and the series of publications known as Common Worship.

1.B.2 Paragraph 1(c) of Canon B1 (concerning forms of service authorised by Royal Warrant), does not apply in this Diocese except in Gibraltar.

1.B.3 Canons B3–4 set out the procedure for deciding which forms are used in a particular chaplaincy, or on a particular occasion.

1.B.4 The leaflet A Brief Guide to Liturgical Copyright contains notes and guidance to help those preparing local texts, as well as copyright requirements for all official liturgical publications of the Church of England.  

1.B.5 Canon B42 provides that 'in the Provinces of Canterbury and York outside England authorised forms of service may be said or sung in the vernacular.’  Translations into the languages used in the area served by the Diocese for use in public worship must be approved by the Standing Committee of the House of Bishops on the submission of a text by the Bishop.  Texts which have been approved may be found on the Church of England’s website here. Some further texts are under consideration, and some texts are authorised by virtue of ecumenical agreements. Chaplains should use their discretion under ecclesiastical Ecclesiastical About the church.  law to decide what is pastorally desirable in each case.  Advice should be sought from the relevant Bishop’s office.

1.B.6  Section 26 of the Diocesan Constitution provides that, in addition to the authorised and commended services of the Church of England, the Bishop may authorise rites of other Churches with which the Church of England is in communion.

1.B.7  In addition to the rites of Churches in Communion, the Bishop is willing, where there are strong pastoral reasons, to authorise certain interim translations of authorised or commended forms of service pending publication of official translations authorised by the House of Bishops Standing Committee.  Such interim translations should receive the Bishop's approval.

1.B.8  Information or advice on liturgical matters can be obtained from the diocesan liturgical advisor.

1.B.9 The taking of photographs at or after all services raises questions of data protection and in different ways across the different countries of the diocese. Consent must be obtained before photographs of children or vulnerable adults are taken. (There may also be local rules about photographs of any professional musicians.)  Any service order (or any verbal notices in the absence of a printed order) must make clear the local provisions about what photographs may be taken. It is advisable to avoid later problems by arranging an “official” photograph of any special event.

The Supplementary Material of the Canons shows the lectionaries, additional to that in the Book of Common Prayer, which may be used in the Church of England, as well as the regulations governing the versions of Holy Scripture which may be used.

Details of the times when an authorised lectionary need not be followed may be found in the publication New Patterns for Worship section C; it should be noted that these periods differ between a Service of Holy Communion and a Service of the Word.

The teaching and discipline of the Church of England is set out in Canon B18

1.D.1  Preaching is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word and so a sermon should normally be preached at every liturgical celebration.   This ministry is inseparable from the proclamation of the Word of God and should normally be linked closely to the lectionary.  It is part of the way in which God speaks to his people and draws them to himself.  Sermons are not to be taken as the opportunity for general reflections, but should always seek to encourage and build the faithful up in discipleship. Sermons should be carefully prepared in the context of prayer, study and pastoral care, and should reflect the values expressed in the Five Marks of Mission.

1.D.2  Because preaching is a pastoral office, sermons in the liturgy should normally be given by someone in holy orders or who is otherwise commissioned for this ministry (eg, a Reader, or a minister in good standing or lay preacher of another recognised Church authorised under the Church of England's Ecumenical Canons:  see B25 and chapter 7 of these protocols). 

1.D.3 Ordinands  Ordinand Those on a track of training and formation to be ordained ministers. sponsored by the Bishop or on official placement in a chaplaincy, and persons accepted by the Bishop for training as Readers may also preach, as part of their training, under the direction of the chaplain.

1.D.4  In exceptional circumstances the Bishop may give permission for another lay person to preach in a particular congregation. 

A chaplain wishing for such permission should write to the relevant Bishop, setting out the circumstances, indicating the qualifications of the person they wish to invite, and giving an assurance from the churchwardens that this ministry would be welcomed.

• Individuals in respect of whom permission is given will most likely be those exercising a ministry of support, encouragement or mission, either through a para-church agency or within a caring profession.

• They may or may not be confirmed members of the Church of England or a Church in Communion.

The relevant Bishop will normally act with colleagues to be sure that the person named maintains a faith that does not conflict with the historic formularies of the Church of England.

1.D.5  When no priest, deacon, reader, or other person authorised under this section is able to lead worship, one of the churchwardens, or a diocesan lay assistant commissioned by the Bishop, may read a sermon written by the chaplain (or during a vacancy the archdeacon) or from a book approved by him.

The teaching and discipline of the Church of England is set out in Canons B21–B25. The following sections of this document (1.E – 1.H) concerning Christian initiation contain more detailed guidance than other sections because the size of this Diocese requires significant adaptations of the usual practice exercised in other parts of the Church of England.  In these sections, a distinction is drawn for practical purposes between infant and adult candidates.  Canon B27.3 expects that candidates making professions of faith for themselves must have a serious appreciation of the faith; in what follows a distinction is to be made between those of whom this understanding might be expected (roughly, from 12 upwards) and those of whom it might not be, who are baptised under the sponsorship of adults who themselves profess the faith of Christ.

1.E.1  'In an episcopally Episcopally By a bishop or bishops.  ordered church the Bishop is the chief minister of the whole process of Christian initiation and is integral to its practice.' (Commentary in Common Worship: Christian Initiation, 2006, p.317).  This is expressed clearly in the requirement for episcopal confirmation, but it also explains the canonical requirement (Canon B24.2) to give at least one week's notice to the Bishop of an adult baptism. The Bishop (and all assistant bishops) are willing under normal circumstances to preside at the celebration of baptism of infants during a pastoral visit. See 1.H for further considerations when a bishop is present.

1.E.2  Adult baptisms and infant baptisms will normally be 'when the most number of people come together' (Canon B21) – the main weekly service.  See also 1.F.2

1.E.3 Every baptism should be recorded as specified in 5.J.2. A certificate of baptism should be given for each person baptised.  It should specify that baptism was given 'in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'.  

1.E.4 No baptised person who has once been admitted to Holy Communion and remains in good standing should be anywhere deprived of it.  This principle includes children (see 1.J below).

1.E.5 Liturgical provision exists for Christians nurtured in other traditions to be welcomed into the communion of which the Church of England is a part, but this is not always necessary. For clarity:

• Those confirmed in another diocese or province in communion with the See of Canterbury need no liturgical formality.

• Those confirmed in Churches signatory to the Porvoo Agreement need no liturgical formality.

• Those episcopally confirmed in other Churches (eg the Roman Catholic Church, or the Greek Orthodox Church) should be formally received after due preparation. For further details read Canon B28 and p211-p224 of Common Worship: Christian Initiation.

• Those who come from any other background, and who have not been episcopally confirmed, should be confirmed after due preparation. 

In what follows any person who is capable of answering for him or herself the questions at baptism is to be regarded as an adult candidate.

1.F.1  Adult candidates for baptism are prepared also for confirmation and admission to Holy Communion. Chaplains should exercise their pastoral discretion in the matter of admitting to Communion those 'ready and desirous to be confirmed' (see guidelines in 1.J). All adult candidates should be confirmed by the Bishop as soon as possible after their baptism and/or admission to Communion.

1.F.2 Except in emergencies, adults are not baptised/admitted to Communion in the six months before a visit from the Bishop.

1.F.3 The Diocesan Bishop is willing to confirm any person who, in the judgement of the chaplain, is able to answer for themselves the questions at baptism.  In practice, this means that any person of twelve years or above may be presented.  A chaplain wishing to present a child under twelve should consult the confirming Bishop well in advance, and pay close attention to Canon B27.3 

1.F.4  The Bishops are not able to arrange their diaries to meet the needs of all chaplaincies for adult baptism and confirmation.  They are normally willing to baptise or confirm when visiting a chaplaincy for other reasons.

1.F.5  A chaplain may seek the Bishop's permission to invite an honorary assistant bishop of this Diocese to visit the chaplaincy for (baptism and) confirmation.  The chaplaincy covers the costs associated with such a visit.  A chaplain who wishes any other bishop to baptise and/or confirm should write to the diocesan Bishop asking him to invite the other bishop to do so, not forgetting that all the usual requirements for safeguarding will still need to be complied with.

1.F.6 It is the responsibility of the chaplain to ensure that each candidate for admission to Communion or for confirmation has been baptised.  The exact date and the place of baptism should be recorded.  If sufficient evidence of baptism cannot be obtained, the chaplain should consult the Bishop in good time.

1.F.7  The chaplain should complete a return form for all adult baptisms and confirmations to be sent to the diocesan secretary, preferably by email, and no more than 3 months after the service.

For practical reasons any person who is not able to answer for themselves the questions at baptism is to be considered an infant for the purposes of sections 1.E to 1.H.

1.G.1 Although members of our congregations do not have the civil law right of parishioners in England with respect to baptism, chaplains are encouraged to be generous in their application of ecclesiastical law to those who seek baptism for their children. 

1.G.2  So far as is possible the requirements of the Church of England for preparation of parents and godparents should be followed.  Chaplains may be able to seek the help of the clergy of other chaplaincies or parishes in preparing godparents.

1.G.3  Care should be taken that both parents or guardians with legal responsibility for the child have agreed to the baptism. A model application form is available here.

1.H.1  The forms of services that will normally be used are given in Common Worship: Initiation Services, though the rites in the Book of Common Prayer remain authorised for use.

1.H.2  Any requested order of service should be submitted to the Bishop (or his Chaplain) at least 14 days beforehand. Standard forms of service are available from the Bishop’s Chaplain.

1.H.3  On a Sunday or Holy Day the Collect Collect The Prayer that belongs with the readings for that Sunday.  and readings are those of the day.  On other days the Collect and readings are taken from the tables in Common Worship: Christian Initiation.

1.H.4  The Bishop may anoint those who are about to be baptised with the Oil of Baptism at the Signing with the Cross.  The Bishop may anoint those being confirmed with the Oil of Chrism Chrism Oil set aside by the Bishop at a special service, used in confirmations and ordinations. .  Oils may be obtained at any time from the Bishop's Office and from the Diocesan Office.

1.H.5  Candidates for baptism or confirmation should be seated together and prominently.

1.H.6 The newly confirmed should receive Holy Communion immediately after the Bishop and the communion assistants, before the (choir and) congregation.

1.H.7  The chaplain is asked to give, in advance, the names of those who are to be (baptised and) confirmed to the Bishop's office.  The chaplain should indicate that there is adequate evidence of the baptism of any candidate for confirmation. 

1.H.8  Confirmations should be recorded in a confirmation register. See 5.J.4

1.H.9 The value of the cash collection at a (baptism and/or) confirmation celebrated by the diocesan or other Bishop should be returned to the diocesan Finance Officer for the Ordination Candidates Fund (a restricted fund that supports all areas of activity and training of ordinands in the diocese).  This should be noted in any printed order of service.

The normal practice of the Church of England has been to withhold the sacrament of Holy Communion from those who have not yet been confirmed. However, since the 1990s an alternative arrangement has been available, in those dioceses where the diocesan bishop agrees.

This is one such diocese, and the 'Admission Of Baptised Children To Holy Communion Regulations 2006' should be read and adhered to by any chaplaincy exploring or implementing this arrangement.

1.J.1 The Bishop's written approval will only be given in response to a formal written application from the chaplain, using the form provided, and including a copy (signed by the chaplain and wardens) of the minute recording that the following resolution had been agreed by the church council:

'That the Church Council of [name of chaplaincy] at a meeting held on [date] supports an application to the Bishop for permission to admit baptised children to Holy Communion before confirmation within the chaplaincy according to the Guidelines of the House of Bishops and the regulations of the Diocese in Europe.'

1.J.2  The relevant questions on the application form concerning preparation, ongoing nurture and eventual presentation for confirmation must be answered.

1.J.3 The general rule about who may be admitted to Holy Communion is set out in Canon B15A:

'No baptised member of the Church of England or of a church in communion therewith who has been admitted to Holy Communion and remains in good standing with the Church should subsequently be deprived of it, even if he or she moves to a parish or chaplaincy where this practice is not the norm.'

It will also be wise when such a person moves from the chaplaincy for the chaplain to write to the new parish or chaplaincy.

1.J.4 Even when a chaplaincy is granted permission to admit children to communion before confirmation in accordance with these regulations, no child or parent should be subjected to any pressure to conform to this pattern.  The Bishop is willing to confirm children from the age of 12 and upwards together with older candidates in any chaplaincy (parish or congregation) in the Diocese where candidate, parents and priest are in agreement.  Exceptions to this should be agreed by the Chaplain with the confirming bishop well in advance. 

1.J.5 With the exceptions noted above, the clergy should endeavour to ensure that all candidates in a particular chaplaincy are treated in the same way as far as possible.

1.J.6 Except where permission has been granted under these regulations, the normal pattern of the Church of England is to be followed.

In the Book of Common Prayer Morning and Evening Prayer are named services. In the Common Worship provision they are considered special cases of the authorised service known as 'A Service of the Word'.

Canon B11 provides that 'readers, such other lay persons as may be authorised by the Bishop of the Diocese, or some other suitable lay person, may, at the invitation of the minister of the parish or, where the Cure of souls Cure of souls The formal and technical definition of the pastoral responsibility of a minister.  is vacant or the minister is incapacitated, at the invitation of the churchwardens say or sing Morning and Evening Prayer (save for the absolution).'  This provision applies also to A Service of the Word.  This means that the Bishop's specific permission is not required for an individual lay person to be invited to lead Morning or Evening Prayer, on Sundays or weekdays.  However, if this provision is likely to be frequently and regularly used it may be one of the circumstances in which the Bishop should be asked to commission a congregational worship leader.

Under Canon B12, the 'Administration of Holy Communion Regulations 2015' provides for lay persons to assist in the distribution of the Holy Communion. The guidelines for this Diocese are detailed in a User Guide.

1.M.1 The Bishop's permission must be obtained for the permanent reservation in any chaplaincy in the Diocese of the consecrated elements of the Eucharist.

1.M.2  Where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved it must be kept in the place approved by the Bishop. This will normally be a secure place (usually known as an aumbry or tabernacle) in the church building.  Where this is not possible a suitable, secure place in the chaplain's home should be provided.

1.M.3  Where it is desired to begin or to resume the practice of permanent reservation in the church the chaplain and the churchwardens apply for the Bishop's approval using the faculty procedure prescribed in section 5.F, setting out the reasons for their request and indicating the manner in which it is proposed that the Blessed Sacrament be reserved.

1.M.4 In exceptional circumstances, with episcopal permission, the consecrated elements may be taken from a Eucharist to another liturgical celebration in a place where, or at a time when, no priest is available to preside at a Eucharist. For such a celebration with 'Holy Communion by Extension' the detailed guidelines and form of service must be followed.

1.N.1  During Holy Week each year oils are episcopally Episcopally By a bishop or bishops. consecrated for use throughout the Diocese.  They are:

• the Oil of the Sick used to anoint those who are ill, awaiting surgery, frail by reason of age, or dying;

• the Oil of Baptism used to anoint those who are being prepared for baptism, especially at the Signing with the Cross in the baptism service;

• the Oil of Chrism used to anoint those being confirmed, and also at the ordination of priests, and the consecration of churches and some other objects.

1.N.2  The consecrations take place in so-called Chrism Eucharists, and it is hoped that the clergy and representatives of the laity of the archdeaconry in which each service is celebrated will come to take part.

1.N.3  A chaplain may obtain a supply of the oils at the Chrism Eucharist itself, or at any time from the Bishop's Office, or by asking the Bishop or Suffragan Bishop to bring them when making a pastoral visit.

1.N.4  When not in use the consecrated oils must be kept in a safe and seemly place.

1.N.5  The consecrated oils should be renewed regularly and ideally each year.  Unused oil is normally to be burned.

1.P.1  In addition to the provision made in the Book of Common Prayer, authorised services are to be found in Common Worship: Pastoral Services, which contains forms of service of wholeness and healing for public and private circumstances.

1.P.2  Special care must be taken by chaplains in the case of those who ask for any form of deliverance  Deliverance In spiritual conflict, the process whereby a person is freed from the influences of evil. from evil powers, or for the exorcism of people or places.

• Pastoral care should always begin with the ordinary sacraments and ministries of the Church:  that is, with the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ's victory over evil; with prayer and blessing; confession and absolution; the celebration of the Eucharist, the laying-on of hands; and anointing.

• No other action is to be taken without reference to the Bishop's Chaplain, who will liaise with those responsible for deliverance ministry in the Diocese.

1.Q.1 Resources and guidance for this sacrament may be found in the Book of Common Prayer and with greater detail in Common Worship: Christian Initiation (p266 - p289).

1.Q.2 Particular attention should be paid to Canon B29  'Of the ministry of absolution' and to the unrepealed proviso to Canon 113 of the Code of 1603 appended to the Canons.  Note 1 on page 270 of Common Worship: Christian Initiation reproduces section 7 of the Guidelines for the Professional Conduct of the Clergy which warns that the civil courts may not in future respect the principle of absolute confidentiality. Those who engage in this ministry will do well to establish the situation in the country where they serve, so that any implications of the requirement of confidentiality which the Church upholds are understood in the light of local law.

See Canon B 38  Of the burial of the dead

1.R.1 National, regional or municipal law concerning death, funerals and burial or interment of ashes must be strictly observed in all countries.  The provisions that follow must be interpreted in the light of such laws.

1.R.2 Liturgical material will be found in the Book of Common Prayer and in the volume Common Worship: Pastoral Services. Note that some material in the latter is 'authorised' (and should not be amended) while other material is 'commended' (and may be edited more freely) as shown on two pages towards the back of the book (page numbers vary according to the edition).

1.R.3  In some cases it will not be possible for a priest, deacon or authorised minister of the Diocese to conduct the funeral.  In such cases (subject to national law and the goodwill of the relatives) a minister of another Church, or any Christian, may read an appropriate part of the funeral service.  Readers are required to undertake training to lead funerals if this is to be part of their ministry. Chaplains may wish to prepare churchwardens or others for this possibility.

1.R.4 A note of any funeral, whether conducted by the chaplain or by someone else, is made in the records of the chaplaincy. See 5.J.6 

1.R.5 In some cases it will be appropriate to arrange, at a suitable time after the funeral, a service in which members of the congregation and others may take part.  Such a service may be a Service of the Word or a celebration of the Eucharist.

1.R.6  The ashes of a deceased and cremated person should not be scattered. They should be buried in consecrated ground or in another suitable place allowed by law.  A Bishop's Faculty is required for the interment of ashes inside a consecrated church.

Orders of service for special occasions may be authorised by the Bishop.  Further information may be obtained from the Bishop's chaplain.

Canons B30 - B36 relate to marriage; they do however assume an English context where a Church of England wedding, properly conducted with appropriate legal preliminaries, an authorised text, and official registration, is recognised for all legal purposes. 

In most territories served by our Diocese, this is not the case, so some provisions of those Canons do not apply, and it is important to advise couples seeking marriage that they should take care to contract a legally recognised marriage, before having a Service of Prayer and Dedication in church.

In those territories where it is possible for a Church of England wedding to be legally recognised, it is important to keep up to date with changes in the law, and it is good practice for a newly arrived chaplain to establish a rapport with the local officials who may be responsible for preliminaries and registration. 

As a consequence of the varied legal conditions in this Diocese, the guidelines in this section are organised with the majority of cases in mind:  that is, a church service following either a civil marriage or a religious marriage in another faith context.  Our guidelines reflect the non-English and multi-national context of the Diocese, but cannot be taken to imply any doctrinal move away from the teaching of the Church of England as may be found in the Canons.

These guidelines are given, then, to assist the diocesan clergy in making pastoral judgements. The archdeacon will be the first point of information and advice, especially relating to local law and its procedures.

1.T.1  Validity of civil marriage and the liturgical options

The Church of England accepts the validity of civil marriage.  Where a civil marriage has already taken place, the service offered in this Diocese may take any of these forms:

• The Order for Prayer and Dedication after a Civil Marriage in Common Worship: Pastoral Services (see p173, and the notes on p183).

• The Marriage Service as found in the Book of Common Prayer or in Common Worship: Pastoral Services (p102), as provided for in Canon B36, which may be particularly appropriate where a C of E service is not legally recognised as a marriage

• Thanksgiving for Marriage in Common Worship: Pastoral Services (p184)

Any of these may be combined with a Eucharist. The first and third options are 'commended' material rather than 'authorised' and so may be edited to reflect the circumstances of the couple. 

1.T.2  Pastoral care

The clergy will be aware of the pastoral opportunities presented by ministry to couples at or near the time of their marriage; and should always be mindful of the image of the Church that a couple receives.

If one or both of those seeking a service are in contact with another church other than the proposed place of a service, there is scope for collaboration with respect to preparation, follow-up and pastoral care either locally or with the clergy and people of the other church.

1.T.3  The minister

The minister officiating at any of the services referred to in 1.T.1 should normally be a bishop or a priest; a deacon may officiate only with the advance permission of the lead bishop for the area. 

The decision as to who should solemnise the marriage of a particular couple belongs to the Chaplain. Consideration should be given to the wishes of the couple and there should be consultation between colleagues. In considering who should be the officiating minister, pastoral considerations are important: a significant factor may be that the person who is to solemnise the marriage should also have prepared the couple for the wedding.

As the fundamental concern of the clergy should be the preparation of couples and ongoing pastoral care for them, arrangements for a service must be made between the officiating minister and the couple concerned, and never through a commercial third party.

1.T.4 The venue

The venue should be one of the Chaplaincy’s usual places of worship. At the discretion of the Chaplain, in special circumstances, such as the serious illness or incapacity of one of the parties, or for other pastoral reasons, another venue may be permitted, which is a fitting place for a church service.

1.T.5  Services after Marriage (civil or religious)

Where a marriage has taken place — in whatever country and by whatever form — and it is desired to have a following service in one of our chaplaincies, the regulations set out below apply.  Only when they are fulfilled may a chaplain celebrate any service that implies the Church's recognition of the marriage.  However, such a service itself is not legally a marriage and requires neither legal preliminaries nor registration.

When a service is to be celebrated following a marriage (civil or religious) the following regulations apply, as well as the general provisos in 1.T.7 below.

• No service should be celebrated until the minister is satisfied that the civil marriage has been contracted.

• The delay between the legal marriage (civil or religious) and the service in the chaplaincy ought to be as short as possible.

• Such a form of service may be within a celebration of the Eucharist; and may on appropriate occasions — though not on any Principal Feast or Holy Day — be included in the Sunday Eucharist of the chaplaincy.

• In cases where one party is a member of another Church, the pastoral guidelines set out in 1.T.9 below should be followed.

• A note of the service should be entered in the chaplaincy ordinary service register.

• No certificate of marriage should be issued.

1.T.6 Solemnisation of a Marriage in church

This subsection applies only in those parts of our diocese where a Church of England marriage service is legally recognised, and in those places local law concerning marriage must be strictly observed. No right to the solemnisation of marriage can be claimed by a merely residential qualification.

In these protocols 'solemnisation of marriage in church' means solemnisation of marriage in the chaplaincy's usual place of worship or in another consecrated church, where marriage is celebrated in full following one of the authorised forms of service.

• The general provisos in 1.T.7 apply.

•  The solemnisation of matrimony may be celebrated only once for each marriage.

The marriage will be recorded in the principal service register of the chaplaincy, with the full names of the couple and their witnesses. It may also be recorded in a marriage register in accordance with local laws and the custom of the chaplaincy.  If not recorded in a marriage register, then the entry in the principal service register should be signed by the officiating minister, the couple and the witnesses.

1.T.7 General provisos

The services referred to in 1.T.5 and 1.T.6 are subject to these conditions:

• both parties are of an age to marry both by civil and by canon law

• the Chaplain is satisfied that both parties have been adequately prepared

• the parties are not related within the prohibited degrees of affinity: see Canon B 31 

• In cases where one or both of the parties has a former spouse still living, the pastoral guidelines here should be followed, and the leaflet for couples 'Marriage in Church after Divorce' may be helpful. The Chaplain may refuse on grounds of conscience to marry all such couples.  The decision whether to proceed in any particular case rests with the Chaplain, who may seek episcopal guidance. 

1.T.9  Supplementary guidelines

When one of the parties is a member of another Church, the party who is a member of the other Church should be encouraged:

• to seek the pastoral help of their priest or minister

• to involve the relevant priest or minister in the ceremony and its preparation

• to secure (if required by their Church) the necessary dispensations Dispensations Permissions.  of the Bishop or other competent church authority

Chaplains who are consulted about the marriages of Anglicans in the consecrated buildings of other Churches should do all they can to make the ceremony ecumenical.

A minister of another Christian Church may be invited to assist at services referred to in 1.T.1:

• Subject to the provisos regarding one-off services elsewhere in this handbook [links]

In the Marriage Service the permissions and procedures set out in Canon B43 are to be followed.  See also Common Worship: Pastoral Services, note 13, p134