Celebration Sunday

‘This is a first for me. In 32 years of ministry, I’ve never celebrated a wedding in a Sunday morning service’ said Rod, the vicar, to a packed Priory congregation.
’Don’t worry, it’s perfectly legal; I’ve checked!’

Jonny Gordon, erstwhile Priory curate, now rector of the Benefice of Newbold de Verdon in Leicestershire, made a very welcome return as preacher.

And so Morning Prayer segued into the wedding service as the bride, known to the Priory family as one of our LLMs, entered to Jeremiah Clarke’s ‘Trumpet Voluntary’, to meet her fiance, none other than the Priory Friends’ Shop Treasurer.

When asked if they would support the newly-weds, the congregation replied with one voice ‘We will’. During the registration the choir sang Rutter’s ‘The Lord bless you and keep you’ and Claire gave a moving rendition of Mozart’s ‘Exsultate, Jubilate’

Fizz, coffee and cakes, joy and congratulations were shared by all after the service in St Giles’ chapel before the couple left for the reception through a shower of confetti in Tony’s vintage car.

Loving Father
We give thanks today for this couple,
for the lambent radiance of their love for each other
making your world, which we all share, a better place.
As the glorious sunrise glows anew each day over their Malvern home, may your love grow within them.
May the light of your love guide and protect them as they set out on this new journey together.
In Jesus’ name
Amen