So a few weeks ago I lead worship for a wedding. The couple were getting married in a beautiful old Anglican church in the countryside and we arrived early to set-up the sound system and run through the songs.

After we had rehearsed, the vicar turned up – a wonderfully gentle man called Father Roger. As he ran through the details of the service with us, he asked me if I would be willing to “help out with communion”. Always one to help, I agreed.

During the service, between the songs we were singing, Father Roger gave an amazing speech about the joy of the Gospel. It certainly wasn’t your traditional wedding fare and he was animated and enthusiastic as he explained what Jesus had done for us. It was then time for the Eucharist and I followed the vicar up to the High Altar, him in his robes, me in my wedding suit! As instructed, I closed the barrier, lay the kneeling cushions down and stood to one side as he blessed the bread and the wine. As he passed the challace to me, he paused and prayed over me in tongues (quite unusual for traditional Anglicans). He then gave an invitation for anyone who loves Jesus to come forward (again this is unusual, you would normally have to be confirmed into the Anglican Church). I took the cup and served the long line of guests as they came up for communion.

Although I am not particularly comfortable with the tradition and ritual involved in Anglican communion, being asked to participate in that way was a great honour. Father Roger told me that as a representative of another church denomination, he would gladly have me serve alongside him. That attitude of grace spoke volumes to me and for that one day, I was ordained into the Anglican Church!