Church in plea for weddings!
Wigan Parish Church is on the hunt for new brides and grooms – after only hosting ONE wedding in two years.
Once you would have to book months, if not years, ahead to get a place at the altar of All Saints, but times have changed radically for the historic building.
And while, encouragingly, it does have 10 marriage ceremonies booked for 2010 already, Rector Rev Ray Hutchinson is keen to see more, and a downward trend reversed.
As a result he has organised – over the Valentine's Day weekend – a Celebration of Marriage event.
Between 10.30am and 4pm on Saturday, February 13, yet-to-be-married couples are being encouraged to come along to learn of the attractions of a church wedding and there will also be a number of local related businesses, including photographers, cake-makers, jewellers,
beauticians and florists who will be displaying their wares.
On Valentine's Day the church is inviting already-spliced couples to come to a 3pm ceremony and renew their vows.
All the latest local and national news in today's (Monday) Wigan Evening Post ...
Letters of invitation have been sent to those who were married at the parish church, but those who were married in other churches and in register offices are welcome. Events will also be held from 11am onwards that day for the couples.
Rev Hutchinson said: "Church attendances have fallen and there are not so many homes within this church's catchment.
"People have been choosing to get married at other locations.
"We have not done much to promote ourselves.
"At Wigan Parish Church there was only one wedding there last year and none the year before. There has been a bit of a reversal for 2010 and we have a few bookings for next year too. But we need to be more pro-active in bringing people to church to get married.
"The law has changed so you do not need to have attended a church for a set amount of time before you can marry there. Let's not also forget that here there is a chance to marry in a most wonderful building. You receive the support of the church."
For information about the Celebration of Marriage Weekend contact 01942 244459.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 2 C
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