Lovely old church for an Austin wedding

I was happy to bring together in marriage CJ & Lauren Geoffroy on Friday, March 29, 2013.  They are a sweet and loving couple, and all of their friends and family were thrilled for them.

Here is a photo of the new husband and wife, with me in the middle:

If you want more information about Hyde Park Presbyterian Church, at the corner of 40th and Avenue B in Austin,  their site is at http://www.hydeparkaustin.org

You can reach me at John@ReverendConnor.com, and the page for my wedding officiant services is:  http://www.ReverendConnor.com

blessings,
John

Last weekend I ministered a wedding at the Stephen F. Austin/Intercontinental Hotel.  It's beautiful and historic, and right on Congress and 7th Street.  A member of the wedding party got this shot for me after the ceremony with the happy couple, Brian and Kari Rothenthaler.

Here are some photos of the hotel, from their website:
http://www.intercontinental.com/intercontinental/en/gb/locations/AUSHA?sicreative=9244672980&dp=true&sicontent=0&sitrackingid=211306197&cm_mmc=Google-PS-InterContinental-_-G%20B-Americas-Top-TX-Austin-_-TX-Austin-Stephen%2BF-_-stephen%20f.%20austin%20hotel&siclientid=1911

A wedding at a downtown hotel can be fun, because after the Rehearsal, (or the wedding) your friends can walk right out of the hotel into the entertainment district and get a taste of Austin.  The staff at the Stephen F. Austin were very accommodating and eager to help.

That's the blog for today, now I'm going to see what's happening at the Olympics!

blessings,
John
Rev. John Connor

The exact day...

Yesterday, at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Austin, I ministered a wedding.  The groom was born on the exact day of my wedding, November 26, 1988.  In a way, it made me feel old, but not in a bad way.

Of the 200+ weddings I've officiated, this groom was among the youngest, at age 23.  Most of my weddings are for couples around 30, on up to 50's and 60's.

It meant that Lundin and Jodie's parents and I were the same age.  But as later-in-life parents, my children are 15 and 13, so it'll be a good number of years until my girls walk down the aisle.  (And I like it that way!)  It was a little strange knowing that, since Jasmine is just a few days from being 16, she is only 7 years younger than the groom.  Seems to soon to me.

Age.  I can say that I feel comfortable with the age I am.  I don't wish I was younger, or older.  (However, in a few years I'll be getting those 55-and-over discounts at restaurants and theaters, which will be sweeeeeet...)

Today, I'm sitting with my family around the Christmas tree we just decorated, and I'm thankful for everything, including my years on this earth.

blessings,
John

Shawn & Lorraine Bradley's wedding

Hello gang,

Tonight I was glad to minister the Bradley wedding at Vintage Villas, on Eck Lane in Austin.   It was held outdoors at sunset, overlooking Lake Travis.  (Photo from the Vintage Villas web page.)

I have done some 50 weddings at Vintage Villas over the years.  A couple of months ago I stayed at their Bed & Breakfast hotel on the property, where I took this picture on the balcony with my iPhone:

Several of the wedding guests this evening asked me where I pastor a church.  Actually, my primary ministry is as a hospice chaplain with Odyssey Hospice in Austin.  It is good and rewarding ministry.  Yet having weddings to officiate occasionally is a nice, happy counterpart to the sometimes challenging hospice work that I do.

I also sometimes give guest sermons at Unity churches, and you can watch a video or listen to an audio at one of these sites.  Just scroll down to see me in a screen shot, or look for my name in their list of past services.

http://www.downtownunity.org/videopage.html

http://www.unitycenteraustin.org/   (here you can find my sermons under #16 "Divine Complements", or #21 "Who are You?")

blessings,

John

A country feel right in Austin for your wedding: Mercury Hall

Last Saturday I ministered the wedding for Scott and Anna at Mercury Hall.  While not far from Ben White and S. First Street, it's four acres makes you feel like you are out in the country.  And the hall, a former church building moved from little Mercury, Texas back in the 90's, has a feeling of substance and charm.

While you can get married in the Hall, most couples choose to have their ceremony outdoors on the lawn by the trees, and have their reception inside.  Prices for Saturday weddings, based on the time of year, are $3400 and up, but weddings on other days can be less than half that much.

I've probably officiated 15 or more weddings at Mercury Hall over the years, and they've all turned out lovely.  (When you want an outdoor wedding, it's always best to choose a site, such as Mercury Hall, that has the indoor option for when it rains.)

Their website is here for more information.  http://mercuryhall.com/index.htm

blessings,
John
Rev. John Connor

You CAN go home again...

Last weekend, I went "home" to New Hampshire, and visited with some old friends and family.  We gathered at the site of a spiritual community where I spent part of my childhood and teen years. Inspired by the 23rd Psalm, the community was called, "Green Pastures."  Most of us present, including my brother, Cliffe, had been there in the 1960's and 70's, but there were also a good number who lived and studied there in the 80's and 90's, too.

Around the year 2000, the community disbanded.  But in the last couple of years, a small group of us reconnected.  (Thank you, Facebook!)  The property is now a mixed use facility for, among others, a day program for adults with Autism, and a performing arts theater.  It has been re-named "Verdant Pastures."  Last weekend was the second time in a year that several dozen friends visited, and this time we volunteered to do a bit of clean up.  It was an amazingly beautiful and warm October day.

(Glenn Kikel, Ross Morrison [an original Green Pastures resident, 1963] and Brett Spaulding)

Then we had a spontaneous concert in the Leddy Center Theatre (formerly our chapel).  It was special that one of the guys, Jim Paine, who helped build the beautiful chapel was there, and played guitar.  We sang old songs by The Beatles, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, and Shake Russell & Dana Cooper.  (And yes, a hymn as well.)

(John Connor, Jim Paine, James Eifling)

The idea that "you can't go home again" springs from the idea -- true -- that home is not the same when you return.  But when you knew real brotherly and sisterly love, you may find that, even after all the years have passed, that it's still there in your heart -- vibrant, funny, and sweet. It is my hope that all of you know that love.

Next blog post will have some helpful wedding resources, and insights on wedding facilities.

bye for now,
John

Unity Candle, or Unity Sand for your wedding?

Today I want to tell you about the Unity Candle and the Unity Sand ceremonies as possible parts of your wedding.  These ceremonies provide a beautiful visual symbol of the joining of the couple's lives together.

For the Unity Candle, the Bride and Groom's mothers will each light a taper candle at the front of the venue, when they are walked down the aisle.  These two candles frame a central candle.  During the ceremony, I announce that, "The couple will now light the Unity Candle, symbolizing the joining of their lives and families together."  Then the Bride and Groom each take their candle and light the central, Unity candle.  Often they will then each blow out their candle, so the focus goes to the light on the Unity candle.

For any outdoor wedding, I recommend doing the Unity Sand ceremony.  Because even in the middle of a still, hot summer day in Texas, there is often a tiny breeze the will blow the candles out.  With Unity Sand, instead of the taper candles, there are tall cylindrical glass tube vases that contain sand -- one color for the Bride and a different color for the Groom.  During the Unity San ceremony, the couple pour the sand from their small vases into a larger central vase.  The sand mixes together, creating a design that is unique to the couple.  The central Unity vase can be kept on the couple's mantle as a memento of the wedding.

Supplies for these ceremonies can be had a stores like Michael's, or can be ordered online.

USEFUL TIP: The Unity ceremony of either type only takes 30 seconds to a minute, so you might want to pick music to be played during it that can be turned down whenever the ritual is finished.  Some couples have chosen, say, a four minute song to play during the ritual, and they've felt a bit awkward when so much song was left to play, and they were just standing there.

On the other hand, you should have the ceremony that you want, no matter how long it takes.

blessings to you,
John
John@ReverendConnor.com