FIGURES recently published by the Registrar General for Scotland show that the number of weddings conducted by humanist celebrants last year exceeded, for the first time, the number of weddings conducted by Church of Scotland ministers.
Almost forty years ago, as a young minister in the west of Scotland, I could not have imagined such a sea change in society. We conducted weddings week in and week out, it was considered an expectation to attend the reception and act as the Master of Ceremonies at the top-table – to refuse the invitation was considered an insult. Ministers today, are taking stalls at Wedding Fairs in order to offer couples, who may be thinking of getting married, an invitation to include God in the most special event of their lives; forty years ago I could not have imagined having to go to a Wedding Fair to encourage people to get married in Church.