Goin' To the Outdoor Chapel

This is God's wondrous world,

and to my listening ears

all nature sings, and round me rings

the music of the spheres.

Goin' to the chapel
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel
And we're gonna get married
Gee, I really love you
And we're gonna get married
Goin' to the chapel of love

[Fall] is here, the sky is blue, whoa
Birds all sing as if they knew
Today's the day we'll say "I do"
And we'll never be lonely anymore...

 Thank you, well-wishers, for your kind words regarding our daughter Emily's nuptials on the weekend. The weather was perfect for a outdoor wedding ceremony at a summer camp. There were 160 guests taking advantage of the beautiful setting and everyone had a great time over the course of three days. 

Our son-in-law, Bradley, hoped for a tribute of some kind during the ceremony to his beloved father who died far too young a decade ago. As the wedding service began I drew attention to the lakeside chapel setting amidst the trees. I shared the opening lines of the hymn This is God's Wondrous World, a variation on the traditional This is my Father's World. Then I invited the congregation to listen to the sounds around them, mentioning that Bradley's dad had loved the wind as a sailor and camper. We carried on with a sense of joy and celebration but this was a touching moment. 

I share this because throughout the rest of the day, and into the next, dozens, perhaps scores of guests spoke to me about the experience. I knew only a small percentage of those gathered yet they engaged with me warmly, openly. Many were in their thirties and not particularly religious, as is the reality of our time. Yet lots of them reflected on the setting, the tranquility, the loon calling (setting that up cost a fortune) and the effect of simply being in the silence. It was a tribute to Emily and Brad's friends as well as family that they were so open with me. 

In the days leading up to the wedding I prayed that the ceremony might be a gentle Christian witness, aware that I didn't have a churchy audience. In the end the love of the couple and the natural beauty spoke volumes. Many theologians of the past suggested that God is revealed in two books, scripture and creation. We experienced this together on Saturday and I'm grateful. 

On Sunday morning I was awake early, not long after a large contingent of reception partiers had gone to bed -- oh to be young. By the water I saw a beaver and a blue heron and dragonflies. Later we paddled and came within a couple of metres of the loon, who rudely demanded payment for the wedding solo. These were holy moments in Creation as well. 

In case you're wondering, I managed to preside with only a catch or two in my throat and no blubbering. God is good!