Blessing the marriage of Alan and Esther, 22 October

 

Blessing the marriage of Alan and Esther, 22 October 


On Wednesday 22 October, in Westport, during the celebration of the Eucharist (/Holy Communion), the rector, with the happy little congregation, had the privilege and joy of blessing the marriage of the Revd Alan Melbourne and Esther Molony. Until his recent retirement, Alan served in the Edenderry Union of Parishes in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare, and he and Revd Suzanne had shared a marriage service early in the year, on 3rd May in Christ Church Castlebar.  

Alan and Esther were married last Saturday, 18 October, in Dublin. The gospel reading chosen for today's occasion was the very apt story of Jesus at the Wedding in Cana (see below). After the service, which was in St Mary's side chapel, the merry group retired to the Clew Bay Hotel for coffee and cake, congratulations and conversations. Here are a few photos to record the event, shared with permission of those who feature. 

Congratulations and much love to Esther and Alan, from their new friends in Westport!



After the service, 
in the side chapel of St Mary's Church, Westport.
As always of recent days, sincere thanks to Fr John Kenny 
and the people of St Mary's for accommodating us 
while we await the completion of safety repairs to Holy Trinity Church.  



Coffee and cake in the Clew Bay Hotel



The cutting of the cake
(- coffee cake from Foxford Woollen Mills, Foxford)



Johnny Duigenan, Westport-based artist and friend of the parishes,
with Alison Dexter



Let them eat cake!


John 2.1-11  Wedding at Cana


On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ 

And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’  

 

Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ 

And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.



The Blessing service, from the COI 2004 Book of Common Prayer:

https://www.churchofireland.org/cmsfiles/files/worship/pdf/MarrCiv.pdf

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