Feasting and mourning

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says that It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. I have had opportunity to test that out over the last few days being at a wedding in South Wales last Saturday and a funeral yesterday in Bradford on Avon.

The wedding was that of Eleri's cousin's second daughter Mari who was marrying Owain Davies of Bridgend. Mari's father is Meirion Thomas, pastor of Malpas Road Evangelical Church, Newport, (Site currently under construction) who married them (in Welsh). The preacher (and very good too) was Stephen Clark, Owain's pastor who I've known for years. Mari's sister Bethan was married this time last year so there was some deja vu but as Meirion pointed out it was a unique event. People like to have themes these days and the theme here was beach holidays, which was pursued avidly but not relentlessly. The ice cream van outside the reception area before the dancing was a big hit. An added bonus for me was getting to see my sister in Cwmbran (she also did the posies for the bridal party). It was great to be at a Christian wedding, as two young people committed themselves to the Lord for life.

Then yesterday it was the funeral of Eleri's brother-in-law's mother, Ruth Alsop, in Bradford. She was only 58 and had been suffering from cancer for the last couple of years. The burial was first. There is nothing quite like a Christian burial and with fine weather it was a bitter sweet joy to share with the family in their sadness. Phil and Ruth have four married children and a five or six grandchildren (is it?). Back at the chapel Robert Oliver preached from Philipppians 1:21. After a short bite to eat over the road we headed back along the M4. One feature of the funeral is the presence of a number of preachers, most connected with the large Alsop clan (Ian has 27 cousins on that side). Besides Robert Oliver, there are two other retired ministers at the church - John Hancock and Alec Taylor (I was sorry not to get to speak to him just as I was to miss Bruce Powell at the wedding). Also around were Simon Ladd (Bury), Paul Oliver (Netley), Hugh Collier (Gt Ellingham), Ed Collier (Sheffield), Ian's brother-in-law Jamie Cater (Reading) and myself. It was also nice to see Tim Collier again who only lives over the hill from here though we rarely meet up. He had a nice story about being on a plane with Jedward.

So what of Ecclesiastes 7:2? There was not much in it but he is right. The older you get the more you can see it.