One of the great privileges of ordained ministry is having the opportunity to share with people in the significant moments of life. The ‘occasional offices' is the collective term used within the church to describe these events, and covers the three important rites of passage: baptisms, weddings and funerals.

At this time of the year we find ourselves in the ‘high-season' for at least two of the three. The summer months are the most popular, for obvious reasons, in which to celebrate a baptism or wedding and these occasions are always filled with great joy and excitement.

Adel Church is an especially popular venue for both, with the beauty of the church building and its glorious setting adding a special something to the event. Weddings, with the attendant requirement for producing a comprehensive photographic record of the day, find this a particularly attractive location.

Relatively recent changes in legislation have certainly made a difference to the level of popular demand for weddings at Adel too. 2009 was the first full year in which the new Church of England Marriage Measure had full effect. This legislation introduced the concept of ‘Qualifying Connections' which allow marrying couples greater flexibility in choosing the church in which they wish to be married. Previously at least one of the couple would need either to live within the Parish, or be entered on the Electoral Roll of the church. Now there are many more ways in which a connection can be established, giving the legal right to be married in a particular church, and I'm sure those who hear me read the Banns in church on Sunday mornings will have noticed that many couples are now coming to us for marriage by virtue of such a connection.

Connections include having been baptised at the church, being entered in the confirmation register there, having been a habitual worshipper at the church for at least six months, or simply having been resident in the Parish for at least six months at some time during their life. If parents or grandparents were married at the church, this is also a qualifying connection, as is residence of parents in the Parish for at least six months during the lifetime of the person wishing to be married. As previously,
again these connections need only
apply to one of the couple.

Hopefully those of you who have attended a wedding at Adel Church in recent times will have noticed that I thoroughly enjoy these occasions, and I am particularly delighted with this new-found freedom to offer a welcome, or a welcome-back in many cases, to marrying couples who have moved away from the area yet still retain a great affection for, and emotional attachment to, our church. It is a great opportunity for us as a church to connect, or re-connect with so many young people at a time of great joy, excitement and loving celebration, and to share the love of God with them as they declare their love for each other.

With God's blessings,
Ian
(Tel: 2673676, email: ( )