the new Mr & Mrs Beer

(For those of you who are new to flying the nest, see the post entitled Introducing which will explain just what this thing is that you're looking at, and the ideas behind it...)

Seven of us made the trip 230 miles north this weekend to Ansdell, just south of Blackpool, to share with Gareth and Beki in their wedding day. Having known Gareth more or less all of his life (the first photographic evidence I have is from the age of 4), it proved to be quite a special day for me too! Towards the end of our six years in primary school together, I brought him along to one of St Mary's first summer holiday clubs, Going Bananas (led in 1997 or thereabouts by Jackie and Brendan) and then to our monthly youth club for 8-11s which some of you will remember: Club 2000.

Soon enough, the young Master Beer was a fully-fledged member of WAM (Young People With A Mission, our youth group) and had become quite the regular fixture at St Mary's services, soon palling up with Pete when he joined us at the age of 14. Thanks to a bit of persuasive talking and some lovely teachers, he was able to join Pete and I and the rest of the Reading School group at the annual Spring Harvest conference.

It was at one of these conferences, about three years ago, that we met a group of girls who said they were from Blackpool. One of these was a certain young Rebekah Hall, who happened to take a shine to my friend Gareth.

This time last year, the not-quite-so-young-anymore Mr Beer moved up to Ansdell to begin working with the young people in the church there, as well as commencing a day job pushing paper in an office for an insurance company to supplement his income. Gareth invited me up last December visit him and Beki, whereupon I was greeted by the smiling couple and a certain ring on a certain ring finger. Well, the rest -- as they say -- is history.

Please pray for Gareth and Beki as they begin their married life together. Pray that they may have a great first few months, especially during their honeymoon in Florida. Give thanks for the friends they have around them up in Ansdell -- and down in Purley -- and that so many could share in a service which really reflected their Christian faith and what that means to them. Pray that God would give Beki and Gareth wisdom and guidance as they consider the opportunity to travel to Toronto to participate in a ministry and missions course together for five months.

TOP TO BOTTOM:
Groom, Best Man and Ushers
Andy (Father of the Bride) leads worship
Romantic shot for the archives!
Photography by Matt Rushton