Some 150 happy smiling faces greeted Alan Argent and Jane Giscombe when they were married at Alan's Trinity church, Brixton on February 18.
The weather was kind, and music was led by two soloists and Celtic fiddles as the register was signed. Friends and family members included many representatives of Alan's three churches and the wider Federation family.
Jane, a deacon at Trinity for many years and the church treasurer, is an accredited conservator, working full time on book collections. She is responsible for conservation work in the Congregational library, working on books, manuscripts and portraits to regulate the effect of the environment on the valuable items.
Alan, President the Federation, whose term of office ends at Plymouth this month (May) has been minister at Brixton since 1977. He was recently widowed when his wife Yvone died after 30 years of marriage. In the Trinity newsletter he recalls that his late wife Yvonne and Jane were very close friends.
Alan has also been minister of the churches at St Helier Morden (30 years) and Dundonald Wimbledon (20 years). He has now resigned his ministry at St Helier and Dundonald from the end of next month (June).
The wedding service was conducted by Rev Nick Gleich and Rev John Taylor. Alan said afterwards that an Anglo-Catholic friend said he had 'never sung such well-expressed hymns' and that Federation secretary Rev Michael Heaney had commented that he had never attended such a relaxed and pleasurable wedding service.
Alan and Jane are sure of a warm welcome to the assembly at Plymouth, where he hands over the badge of office to Rev Wayne Hawkins.