By The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood
Dear Editor,
When my young Editor first told me that she and Mr. Eliot were getting married I casually mentioned that I officiate marriages at my Church. I had mentioned this before my Church burned down. Ms. Emily Thatcher is the 25 year old Editor of my soon to be published book and Mr. Eliot is the owner of the New York City publishing company Eliot, Eliot and Holden.
Emily called me a while ago and told me that she and her fiancé would like me to marry them. She and I have become quite close having spent so much time together planning both the publication of my book and the book tour that she and Mr. Eliot have generously agreed to sponsor. She happily told me that his long awaited divorce had recently come through.
Weddings always reflect the couple who are getting married. This was very true when our fifty-five year old spinster Ms. Harriet Brewster, our village’s seamstress, married the forty-two year old Texan Ralph Wells. He was divorced and had worked for the SG&O Gas Company for nineteen years with the last five years being here in Pennsylvania. They first met when Harriet invited him to stay for dinner after he explained gas leasing to her in her home. On her wedding day to commemorate their first meal together of roasted chicken she wore in her stylish coif a baked skinless chicken breast breaded with Panko surrounded by artificial flowers made from chicken feathers. It took my breath away.
Emily is an exquisitely beautiful young woman who always wears suits and dresses in the style of Coco Chanel. She also wears pearls which is quite a statement for a 25year old. Mr. Eliot is a very dignified, good looking and well-built middle aged man. He wears tailored suits, white shirts and regimental club ties. So when we began planning her wedding I thought it would be a high fashioned traditional one. That was not the case.
It became immediately evident that Emily was fascinated with the Sunday school bus on my Church’s campus. Years ago as an abandoned school bus it was where my father-in-law in his mid-20’s created The First Church of God’s Love by delivering inspiring sermons every Sunday. After I found it being used for storage on a summer camp I turned it into a permanent structure on my Church’s campus for use as our Sunday school classroom. It was there that Alice Bright Light and I held a séance bringing my father-in-law back from the other side to answer important questions about my ministry. Alice knew how to welcome him but didn’t know how to return him. It was only when two angels in a black limousine came and took him away that we once again found peace.
“The bus is where I want to be wed. Simply.”
It was a beautiful day. I was in the bus which had been filled with Camellia plants of all different colors. It was Coco Chanel’s favorite flower. The couple walked to the bus holding hands. He wore a grey silk suit, white shirt and blue tie. She wore a white meditation blanket until she entered the bus. She took it off and revealed that she was only wearing a beautiful blue negligee made from radiant silk and lace. His tie was made from the same fabric.
The bus was quiet. They looked into each other’s eyes as they spoke words of love. They placed rings of commitment on their fingers. “Husband and wife.” Her wondrous smile was endearing. His salty eyes reflected happiness. They held each other tenderly and kissed. Simply. After officiating their marriage I signed their license and left.
She changed into a Coco Chanel vintage fully-embroidered ivory silk gown and jacket before going to the River Creek Inn where my husband and I and 210 other people welcomed the newlywed couple.
It’s a wedding that I will long remember. A lifelong commitment and promise done simply. Or was it simple?
Amen.
The Reverend Mrs. Silence DoGood
Senior Pastor
Executive Director
President
Chairman
Choir Master (part-time)
The First Church of God’s Love
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