It was our great joy to be at a wedding last Saturday. The son of former members was marrying. John Barns left us (for Sidcup) when he was only 13 and now works on a farm in Hertfordshire but we have kept up with the family and it was very kind of them to invite us. We went down the night before with a friend and stayed in Poole the night. We then went on to Bere Regis where the wedding took place in a tiny Congregational Chapel (see here). Jim Morris, the pastor led the whole service. Thankfully, he was more or less over recent serious ill health.
We then repaired to a school in Corfe Mullen which was an ironic venue as John and his new bride Carina are from Christian home schooling families. In fact there were two or three other large homeschooling families present. It's always nice to see them all, although I can never remember whose who with nine or names to choose from in each case. There was loads of food, good speeches (especially from John's brother Tom who compared doing well in marriage to the best ways t win a three legged race) and then dancing with a very competent ceilidh band whose name I did not catch. John had picked the pig for the hog roast. I don't recall ever having been to a hog roast. The meat was perfect.
I'm still never sure what to do at weddings. I don't dance and with plenty of food on offer it is easy to just eat. With conversations it is often slightly awkward as you assess at what level to speak (metaphysically I mean not audibility). Anyway very enjoyable and we weren't home too late. Congratulations John and Carina. May God bless you in every way. Credit to Rick and Sheila and to Carina's parents too for bringing up two such lovely people, eager to serve the Lord.
