The magic of marriage through the eyes of children

Revd Marilyn ‘marries’ Minnie and Ginger

With the press full of stories and stats about divorce, it’s good every once in a while to be reminded how magical marriage can be. And nothing looks more magical than the children in these pictures re-enacting the story from Minnie and Ginger’s Wedding.

It’s a very old book, written by Barry Smith, celebrating the family in the early 1900s. Pelynt Primary Academy have been thinking about families and marriage and Revd Marilyn Elliott helped the children bring the story to life with a wedding in church.

The story of Minnie and Ginger

Minnie and Ginger, by Barry Smith

Minnie Hardcastle and Ginger Earnshaw grew up as neighbours and then went out to work to help support their large families. They married, and when their fourth child was toddler, Ginger went off to fight in the First World War. Happily he returned safely and the book tells us they lived happily for a long time, surrounded by their grown children and grandchildren.

Making children feel at home in church

Churches can be scary places for young children. They can feel big, austere and not really a place to have fun in. But at Pelynt Church, Revd Marilyn Elliott is doing a lot of work to change that for the children in the parish. 

As she says, “We have a good working relationship with Pelynt Primary Academy, with Open the Book, collective worship and teaching sessions in school. We also have lots of events in our church, from teaching about the Christian faith to hosting school services, nativity plays and Experience Days. I’m always looking for ways to help the children feel at home here. Hosting ‘Minnie and Ginger’s Wedding’ was a privilege and a great way to support the teacher and help the children make the story come alive.

The magic of marriage through the eyes of children