Reverend Ref +

IT TAKES LOVE

Today is my first marriage ceremony as an ordained type person. We had the rehearsal yesterday evening. For the most part, it went well.

One of the things that was asked of Mrs. Ref during the interview process was, "How active are you going to be in the parish?"

Now, that can be a minefield-type question. But the answer that both she and I gave was something along the lines of, "I will do whatever I feel I'm called to do. I will not do what people expect a priest's wife to do simply because I'm married to him."

One of the things that she has decided she wants to do is help with weddings. That's a great relief for me. I can handle the liturgy part of the service, but it's very nice to have a partner-in-crime who can help organize the wedding party, get them lined up, and handle all of those little things that really make a wedding a success. And, like I said, we did our first one last night.

We make a good team, Mrs. Ref and I. She can see things that I can't, and I can run things by her to make sure that everything goes smoothly. After 14 years we complement each other rather nicely.

With all of the talk about marriage right now, hopefully this one will stick. I'd like to know that people I work with on this can make it over the long haul.

So, we're off to go get a couple married. I'm not sure that this is the best time to agree to a marriage -- Thanksgiving, wedding, Advent I. All of which require sermons. Thanksgiving's was off the cuff. The other two are written, but not necessarily practiced like I like to do. I'll do a crash review when I get to the church this afternoon.

And on another tangent, we found out this past week that neither CC or VC has a purple stole. Oops. So Mrs. Ref is busy whipping one together for me. She does a very nice job, and is sufficiently pleased with herself for how nicely this one came together in such a short time.

And most of my ordination announcements are in the mail. I'm simply waiting for one list from this diocese to complete the Mandatory Mailings. And then if there are any extras I'll get them off to my supplementary list. Hopefully I have enough left over to get out to some new friends in town.

Hope you are all having a relaxing Thanksgiving weekend.
Peace.