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2016

JANUARY 16th

BILL AND FLO - THE WORLD'S OLDEST NEWLY-WEDS

Bill Griffiths married Florence Marshallsay on Saturday 16th January at St Hilda's. Their wedding made news around the world. Love conquers all - and age is no barrier. This is the address preached at their wonderful service which was seasoned with spontaneous bouts of applause and a great sense of loving support. Bill was moved to tears many times and Flo was a most elegant bride in her ivory toned outfit.

Bill and Flo - you have made news headlines across the world. I have read articles on newspaper websites from as far afield as Hungary and Indonesia, Italy and Japan, America and India. You are dubbed the world's oldest newly-weds and your pictures have been splashed across the internet. Your story has also had television companies wanting to make programmes about you and to film here today... but you don't know what the fuss is about.

It is not every day that a vicar anywhere has the privilege of marrying two people whose combined ages would make a very good cricket score! And it is certainly not every day that nearly 200 years of wisdom, experience and love are brought together to make these age-old vows.

But in many ways, you are no different to any two people who come to these chancel steps here at St Hilda's to make your vows. Because at the heart of this service is a mystery. God meets us in love, where ever it is to be found. Age is no barrier to love. Where there is love, there is God.

Today, Bill and Flo make no demands of each other. Instead they pledge to each other all that they are, all that they have and all that they will be.

Both of you have experienced 10 years of love from one another. Both of you have incredible spirit, amazing endurance and fantastic faith. Both of you come here today because you want God to bless your life together.

As your family and friends, we are here to bear witness to love. We are here to support and uphold you. We are here to make no demands of you, but simply to be thankful, to pray for you and to ask God to bless you. I know how much you do for each other and how you cannot live without each other. I know that this marriage is based on huge sacrifice and dedication. I know that your very presence here together is an inspiration to us.

The love that St Paul speaks about, which Hilda Hickman read to us, is the kind of love that hopes, bears and endures all things. Both of you know about this kind of love, because you live it each day. It would be possible to change the words of the reading we have heard and say that Bill is kind, Flo is patient, Bill is not boastful, arrogant or rude, Flo does not insist on getting her own way... well maybe not all the time. This is nitty gritty love, love that has a long-haul daily dedication behind it. Bill cares for Flo. Flo cares for Bill.

And both of you need the strength of God, the forgiving heart of God, the gladness to be alive - each day. Far be it for a 51 year old priest to tell a 96 year old bride and a 91 year old groom how to live! But I urge you to do three things each day: forgive every day, thank each other every day, and pray for each other every day.... Oh, and have fun every day!! May God bless you richly and may you know many blessings this day.

Amen.

Revd Paul Hinton.