St Mary Magdalene, Banns, the circle of life and the incident in the Vestry!

Over 24 years ago, the lovely Lucy * was christened at St Mary Magdalene Parish Church in Prudhoe. Yesterday, the first set of Lucy and Mark’s wedding banns were read out in the very same Church. The circle of life eh?

Lucy with Godfather Kevin

Lucy with Godmothers Janet and Sharon, and Godfather Iain

So now it is for real, the first legal part of compliance with UK Civil and Church law is complete.

My friend Google tells me,

“Banns are an announcement in the local parish church of your intention to marry and a chance for anyone to put forward a reason why the marriage may not lawfully take place. Banns are read in the parish where each of the couple lives, as well as the parish church in which you are to be married. Banns are read out in church for three Sundays during the three months before the wedding.”

Lucy and Mark’s banns are being read again in Prudhoe on the 22^nd and 29^th September; and then at Hexham Abbey on the 12^th, 19^th and 26^th October

Lucy and Mark had a recent meeting with the Clergyman who will perform their wedding ceremony. Mark took an instant like to the Revd. Phil Mellor-Smith when he suggested that they meet in Weatherspoons for a pint. And even better Phil turned up in his dog collar. Needless to say they had a very productive meeting and everything is in hand regards wedding ceremony planning.

*I say the lovely Lucy, in fact Lucy’s actual Christening service in St Mary Magdalene was a bit of a nightmare for MOTB. Lucy was about 5 months old. We had dressed her in my Christening gown which had been made from material sent from Canada where my Mum’s parents had emigrated to. In those days, early 1960’s, the material was thought to be luxurious, it was all man made and had really pretty colourful pattern of pastel coloured stars.

The dress!

 The dress was altered by my Mum for Lucy to wear. Sadly, the man made fibre caused the somewhat restless babe in my arms to overheat , and resort mid service to howling like a very hungry wild animal. The Revd in Prudhoe at that time tried to continue through the service but in the end he had to ask us to leave the church, as no one could hear him. It appeared that my job was to try and get Lucy to stop screaming. I ended up in the vestry on my own with a very hot and hungry child.

I had no other option but to feed her! I had borrowed a very pretty and quite formal dress from my friend Chris, a dress which was certainly not designed for breast feeding! I ended up having to strip Lucy out of her boiling (but beautiful) outer robe, whilst stripping down halfway to the waist

myself ! As soon as she was being fed of course the noise died down, but I had to juggle - trying to keep myself half decent in case the Revd. came back into the Vestry, but without disturbing her feeding. So Lucy and I missed most of the service, but of course once home for the family and friends party, she was a delightful gurgling bundle of joy.