TEST ABOUT | Jenna

About Stephanie & Heart Ceremonies

A little bit about me...

My husband, Jeff and I were introduced by friends. And despite our initial protests, we now admit- our friends were great matchmakers! We had our first date in June and were married in November of the same year. I never believed in love at first sight, until it happened to me! We have had adventures and tears, joy and love. I am fortunate enough to say that I am married to my best friend. Jeff and I have renewed our wedding vows four times, once with an 'Elvis Impersonator" in Las Vegas and most recently on a beach on Cape Cod. We recently celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary.

A Massachusetts native, I have lived in Pennsylvania for over twenty years. I moved to Pennsylvania for graduate school and intended to return to New England once I graduated; life had other plans and instead, I found my first professional position as a chaplain in a small town in Pennsylvania. Wiithin months of starting my job, I met and fell in love with a wonderful man, started our life together and before I knew it, I had made Pennsylvania home.

My husband and I are blessed to have a son , full of life and energy. Parenthood has expanded our life in so many ways. Sharing the joys of parenthood with my husband has added even more love to our relationship.While I I have always believed in celebrating and honoring all that makes life good. NOW, as a mother, I understand now, more than ever before, that love should be the center of our lives!

Our family enjoys camping and discovering fun places for the whole family to enjoy. We enjoy projects around the house and garden, making a house our home. We have a great dog and are grateful for her constant affection and joy.

I have a passion for gardening. I love that despite my plans for the garden, nature has a mind of its own. I am always searching for a good book to read.

-Stephanie

Professional Biography:

Rev. Stephanie Anne Thompson is an Ordained Minister and Wedding Officiant. She creates and performs ceremonies celebrating the fullness of life and life. With over twenty years of professional experience, Stephanie is honored to have performed over 1200 wedding ceremonies!

Stephanie values all faiths, cultures, and lifestyles. She performs civil, spiritual and religious ceremonies, traditional and non-traditional. She provides guidance for all aspects of the ceremony, including detailed planning resources. Stephanie works with couples and families to ‘co-create’ their ceremony. She performs Wedding Ceremonies, Elopements, Vow Renewals, Same Sex Weddings, Baby Blessings, Baptisms, Memorial and Funeral Services.

Stephanie is seminary educated, holding a ninety six credit Masters of Divinity degree from an accredited graduate school. She is an ordained minister, whose ordination is through an established progressive Protestant denomination. She is able to perform ceremonies of all types. She does not require premarital counseling to officiate at your wedding, but does offers pre-marital coaching and education, if requested.

Credentials & Education:

I respect the beliefs and traditions of those I am assisting. I focus on the couples who are being married and what their hopes and intentions are. I perform weddings for same sex couples without any hesitation or question. I do not impress or stress my own faith beliefs or traditions on those that I work with. I focus on the couple who are being married and what their hopes and intentions are.

I can legally perform weddings in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and in the State of New Jersey! I was not ordained just to perform weddings. I did not receive my ordination online.

I am ordained by the United Church of Christ; this progressive Protestant denomination is recognized legally within Pennsylvania as a 'regularly established church.' I perform civil or religious ceremonies, at my discretion and am not limited by the tradition I was ordained in. Within Pennsylvania, I am authorized to "solemnize marriages between persons that produce a marriage license issued under this part: a minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation." (Paraphrase of PA Marriage Law 1503 (A) (6). I am also able to perform weddings in New Jersey.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts. I received my Masters of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary, a seminary of the United Church of Christ, located in Lancaster, PA. I have completed additional advanced training (1600 hours of Clinical Pastoral Education) as required for professional work as a chaplain in healthcare. I have all of the current clearances to work with children in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I regularly participate in peer review and educational programs for my own personal growth and professional development.

I have worked as a chaplain in a variety of healthcare institutions, including hospital, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, continuing care retirement communities, hospice and mental health settings. In my professional work as a chaplain I was responsible for assisting others with their spiritual needs. I encouraged those I cared for to use what they believed in, not what I believed in. I supported patients and families who had no spiritual or faith beliefs or practices as well. Meaning and emotion, value and hope can be found and recognized by all of us. I use this same approach when working with couples, families and individuals to plan and create meaningful rituals and ceremonies. -Stephanie