As members of the Congregational Church of Tryon, we wanted to share this with the Tryon community.  We were married June 11 in a heart-and-soul touching ceremony at a French restaurant garden in Asheville.

Bob and Lisa Barrows made the six-hour drive from Ohio as Bob, the recently retired pastor of the Congregational Church, had promised to conduct the ceremony.

A vanload (thank you, Doug Lyon) and several carloads from the congregation shared the happy occasion with us. We wore gray formal suits and tennis shoes, and walked back down the aisle in matching fedoras.

Our guests enjoyed what they said to be our humor and wit in our practical guide outlining how the evening was “gonna go down.”

In addition to a bountiful buffet of roast beef, artisan bread, and made-to-one’s-order entrée crepes, we offered cupcakes (black and white) and cheesecake (made by Linda Campbell) with black and white icing. Guests received gift boxes of Bryant’s homemade soap and were invited to write celebratory notes on Jenga blocks.

The entire evening lived up to the Congregational Church of Tryon’s open and affirming statement: “The Congregational Church of Tryon welcomes persons of all ages, races, social and economic circumstances, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions, abilities and church backgrounds to participate in the life and ministry of our church.”

Jesus’s command to love one another was wonderfully evident. It was a blessed experience for all.

We loved every moment and are grateful for the support of our friends at the Congregational Church of Tryon.

– article submitted by Trent Fouts and Bryant Belin