Bloggers getting together – Canadian Style

This week I had the privilege to meet the ubiquitous blogger, Don Johnson, when he visited Grace Baptist last Sunday. (See Don's blog for a picture.) Over the past several months, we have gotten to know his son, Duncan, who has been coming down on weekends to serve and gain ministry experience at our church. He actually brings several BJ students with him each Sunday. They make the 2-hour trip to work with our nursery, children’s ministries, choir, and wherever else we need help (like keeping an eye on the three rambunctious Efting children while Daddy is in deacon’s meetings and Mommy is playing for choir practice). It has been a blessing to minister with him and his former fiancé (now wife), Meg. It was Duncan and Meg’s wedding that brought Don and his family out East.

There were several unusual elements to that wedding that are worth mentioning. For starters, it was the first bilingual wedding I have ever been to. After Duncan and Meg said their vows, they repeated them in French. They are both MK’s from Canada and I guess this was the equivalent to the singing of O Canada after the National Anthem when baseball teams play the Toronto Blue Jays. The other French element of the ceremony was the wonderful singing of 1 Corinthians 13 (Si Je N’ Ai Pas La Charite – to the tune of Danny Boy) by Nathan Gentilhomme. While he sang this song, Duncan and Meg signed their marriage certificate. I have never seen this done before but it is evidently quite common in Canadian weddings.

Don did a great job officiating the wedding at the War Memorial Chapel in Greenville. It was great to meet him and his fine family. We are especially happy to have Duncan and Meg as part of our church family as he finishes up his M.Div over the next few years.