Dear Friends,
I’ve been going to church my whole life and I thought I had seen everything service wise, and there have been some interesting ones:
- Being dive bombed by a dove during a burial
- A bride dancing down the aisle for a wedding with her bridesmaids.
- A baptism with a font containing three rubber ducks.
Then the other week I went to a baptism that I won’t forget for a long time.
It was a friend of mine, and her partner invited me to their son’s baptism, Sunday afternoon at 15:00. I got to the church and sat down with my order of service waiting for the service to start. Everything seemed normal then at about two minutes before the start a couple of people came round with a second order of service and it was the order of service for a wedding. Turns out they had decided to get married at the same time but kept it a secret from everyone there. I was stunned and I wasn’t the only one as I looked around the church and I saw the looks of shock and amazement and exclamations of surprise.
It did explain a few of the odd things that had happened at the start of the service:
- That dad and baby had been seen in church
- None of my friend’s family were there either
Once everyone had gotten over the shock there was a bit of organising to do. Several men were given a blue tie to act as grooms men, the brides four closest friends were taken to the back and given bouquets to act as bridesmaids. When all was ready in came the bride looking stunning and they got married, had their son baptised before we all headed to the pub! It was a lovely thing.
I was chatting to my friend later and curiously asked her why they had decided to do this. Her answer was that they didn’t want the big fuss, presents or gifts expected with a wedding. They would have the same people there at the baptism and wedding. All they wanted was to make their vows and have their baby baptised in the presence of God and that was the most important part.
It just reminded me what really is important about a wedding. That two people are making promises that they will love each other and stay together for the rest of their lives and that they make those promises before God, their family and friends. I think those very simple and humble things are often forgotten in some of these large extravaganzas that weddings and baptisms can become! But they really don’t have to be!
At St Margaret’s and St George’s we want to help you and your family to mark key events in your life with appropriate services. The services can be as big or small as you like and we can work with you to make the service everything you wish and need it to be, here are some of the other things we can offer:
- Service of thanksgiving for the birth of a child
- Celebration of an engagement and/or blessing of engagement rings
- Blessing of a Civil Marriage
- Memorial service for someone who has passed away including a memorial service after a direct cremation.
If you would be interested, please get in touch with a member of the clergy.
Rev Helen
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 