The Winkler Wedding

I can’t even tell you how happy we were to be a part of the Winkler wedding on Saturday!!! We met Jeff about 13 or 14 years ago, when we began attending Westfork Church. He played the drums in the worship band, and I want to tell you something: I was not a fan of worship bands, in general. I have my opinions about liturgy and worship and they have always involved a lot more traditional hymnody, Palestrina, and Gregorian Chant, than Matt Redman and Keith Green. But during those years at Westfork, I was very, very blessed by Koos, Jeff, Doug and Keith, who offered their very best to God and the church every week. (And by the way, Jeff was, and is, one of the most talented drummers I’ve seen.)

More important even than his musical gifts, however, was the heart of service that permeated everything he did. Jeff worked beside Paul with the youth all the years we were with Westfork, serving, feeding, caring, counseling, supporting, and really being the hands and feet of Jesus to families in that neighborhood – and his care and compassion have continued on to this day.

Before the vigil, Paul and his candidate, Jeff Winkler.

So when Jeff met Jennifer (a fourth grade teacher at a Great Hearts school, and an RCIA catechist at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church), through our mutual friends, we were incredibly thrilled for them both, and have been so happy to get to know the amazing woman who has captured his heart. Paul, his brother in ministry for so many years, was honored when Jeff asked him to be his sponsor as he went through RCIA this past year, entering full communion with the Catholic Church at Easter.

And finally, Saturday afternoon, the day after Jennifer’s last school day for the year, they were married at St. Joan of Arc (which, the artist in me must comment is a beautiful church with modern architecture but also some lovely statuary and a gorgeous altarpiece). Paul was again honored to be asked to read the Epistle lesson during the mass. It was our first time attending a Catholic wedding, and it was very interesting to note the similarities as well as a few differences from what we had at our Episcopal wedding.

One of the things I really loved was the tadition of offering the bridal bouquet to Mary after the ceremony, and saying a prayer during the singing of Ave Maria. Very touching!

I only got a very few photos at the wedding and reception, but I think they captured their sheer joy – especially the first dance as husband and wife, to Elton John’s “Your Song” – which they happily sang to each other the whole way through.