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Faith and Marriage

Claire McCollum meets a couple getting married in church for just 拢1,000, and Kate Bottley meets a Christian same-sex couple marrying in the United Reformed Church.

During the summer wedding season, Claire McCollum celebrates faith and marriage by visiting a couple in Cheshire whose church wedding was staged for just a thousand pounds thanks to Christian volunteers from the congregation. The Rev. Kate Bottley meets members of the United Reformed Church who three years ago voted to allow same-sex marriages in their churches, and a Christian same-sex couple who are able to marry in church as a result of this change. JB Gill discovers the secret of a successful marriage with a couple who share very different beliefs 鈥 Aidan is an avowed atheist but his wife Jennie is a committed Christian.

Music:
Praise My Soul the King of Heaven 鈥 St Pol de Leon, Penzance
In Christ Alone 鈥 Pontio Arts Centre, Bangor
A Gaelic Blessing 鈥 Choir of Glasgow Cathedral
Give Me Oil in My Lamp 鈥 Green Pastures Church, Ballymena
All You Need Is Love 鈥 Vocal Creation at Abbey Road Studios
Shine Jesus Shine 鈥 St David鈥檚 Church, Exeter
Love Divine 鈥 St Cuthbert鈥檚 Church, Carlisle

34 minutes

Stories

The 拢1000 wedding part 1
Claire meets Carrie and Ryan, a couple who were offered a full wedding and reception at St John鈥檚 Church in Hartford, Cheshire for 拢1000 thanks to the volunteer work of members of its congregation. Jane, Matthew, Jeremy and the vicar Rev Mike Smith, explain how it feels to be able to make the wedding day extra special for the happy couple. 聽

Same-sex marriage in the United Reformed Church
The Rev. Kate Bottley meets the Rev. Andy Braunston who explains how, three years since a vote in its General Assembly, individual congregations of the URC have been able to decide whether to allow same-sex weddings in their churches. 聽Kate meets Jamie and Ian, whose wedding is the first same-sex service to be held at Rutherglen United Reformed Church in Glasgow. 聽They explain why having a Christian wedding is very important to them.

An atheist-Christian marriage
JB Gill meets Aidan and Jennie who have combines atheism and Christianity respectively in their 16 year marriage. 聽Aidan, a standup comedian, jokes about their differences in his comedy routines, while Jennie is hopeful of being put forward for ordination training in the Church of England. They share with JB how their secret of a successful marriage is to 鈥渉ave a giggle and not take yourselves too seriously.鈥

拢1000 weddings part 2
Claire McCollum catches up with Carrie and Ryan and the volunteers who helped to make their 拢1000 wedding day a very special one. Rev Mike Smith presents the newlywed couple with a memento of their big day, 聽and Carrie explains why the song Shine Jesus Shine is particularly special to them.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Claire McCollum
Presenter Kate Bottley
Presenter JB Gill
Executive Producer Cat Lewis
Executive Producer Emyr Afan
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Producer Mark Warburton
Production Company Avanti Media

Broadcast