Wedding Bells Ringing

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

The date is set. Me and my fiance of 25 years are going to be married in the wedding chambers of the City Hall in Toronto on September 1st at 2:00. Two our our friends, whom we helped to migrate to Canada a year or so ago will stand up as our witnesses. (They migrated to Canada rather than let the U.S. Gov't split them up because one was here on an expiring student visa from North Africa.)

But before that we'll be taking the next ten days vacation to travel out to Colorado for the Soulforce walk from Denver to Colorado Springs. Our leg of the walk is Wednesday.

Hope to see alot of you folks there!

Steven Webster

[Liberal Crozier]

My spouse and I of nearly 31 years and 3 years of legal marriage congratulate you on your upcoming marriage at the Toronto City Centre Chapel on September 1, 2006. Thank you also for two new permanent residents and future citizens of our nation whom you helped immigrate rather than have US CIS send one back to Islamic North Africa.

Years ago, as a young adult, we had neighbours who were Vietnam veterans who AWOL'ed forever, and never chose to return when Ford allowed them to surrender and return to face criminal charges and then amnesty. Over the decades, they have married Canadian women, and have become Canadian citizens and have raised children and now are grandparents here. The beauty of our nation is that your same-sex couple friends can also look forward to that very outcome in their lives.

We have a home in Cabbagetown district of Toronto, near the City Centre, and dependent upon Crozier's health, we would love to attend. Regardless of being unable to determine health issues where he is concerned, and the reality of being bi-locational for a brief period based on my professional responsibilities working for a bi-national company, we add our voices to your decision to obtain a legal marriage irrespective of your nation's recognition issues.

In 2003, we had the hope that especially border-state long-standing monogamous couples would join Americans with disposable travel incomes from all over the US, (and this was a theocon fear in spades !!!!), would come to Canada in droves to marry. So, in reply, former GOP MA governor Paul Celluci, Bush's ambassador to Canada, made loud noises about the one year residency requirement for divorces. As if American couples married for decades might want to do this. Moreover, if the marriages were not recognised in the USA, how many would feel the need to return to Canada for a divorce? But, of course, it worked.

The number of US couples married in Canada is still far lower than the statistical average the Royal Commission expected it to be. It pleases the Theocons who asked the Liberal government to deny marriage licences to US citizens.....refused. The then prime minister told Bush that there is no difference between opposite and same sex marriage licences, and that denial would have to be unilateral. How is that for equality and justice?

Ironically, Canadian marriage licences have been used in Europe and Asia to seek and receive recognition of marriages in their nations. Some cases are still pending, but these nations often recognise the arguement that it is difficult to require a government to discern between two groups receiving an identical legal document, while denying its legitimacy only to one group based on their subjective legislation.

Canadian organisations were truly mobilised nationwide to help American brothers and sisters marry in our nation in droves. And yet, during that year, countless American couples still jumped the broom in extralegal commitment ceremonies. Gays and lesbians usually have more disposable income to travel, especially given low fares or even car or bus fare to Canada.There were even bus tours organised to bring Americans to Canada.
Moreover, there are Immigration attorneys and Safe House groups throughout Canada, some now dissolved, due to lack of interest. Sad indeed!!

My loonie,

Spouse

[keltic63]

Steven

Congratulations!

and I just looked at my calendar to see if I could hop in my car and make the trip to Toronto. Alas, that is the first week of school and your wedding is on a school day for me. I will have to send my wishes through silent prayers at school that day.

[Vanessa White]

I am excited and joyful at your upcoming ceremony, and in the amazing city of Toronto, adds to the excitement!!! I wish you all of the best wishes and love that your hearts can hold. I shall also be thinking of you/praying for you on that wonderful day. Peace and love to you both, :love: :pray: :love: :pray:

[Daniel]

Congrats Steven and Spouse to be!

My spouse and I were married at that very same chapel and everyone there could not have been nicer. A friend of ours who works at City Hall advised us to get the 'paperwork' done ahead of time- which we did the day before on the first floor. The gentlemen officiating (see pic) was wonderful- very warm and welcoming- and the ceremony itself was moving. (They have a CD player if you want to bring your own music btw) It was a life-changing experience. We went to the CN tower afterwards and had a very good lunch with- of course- an incredible view.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

[Zerbie]

Congratulations!!!!

How wonderful for you both! :D
:love:
:pray:

[revtj]

That is so great. Congratulations. You are blessed and also a blessing!
:love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:

[Jennifer5]

Congradulations!!!! Wish I could be at the wedding... but I'll see you the 21st or 22nd in Colorado!:love: I'm so happy for you!!!!!!!:love: :love: :love:

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Just a comment on the issue of Canadian disappointment that more U.S.ers haven't gone North to tie the knot. I think what influenced us the most is knowing two other couples who preceded us, and actually one couple in particular. I think it may need to be a "word of mouth" kind of thing. So maybe the numbers will grow slowly.

I proposed to Jim on New Year's Eve and I know one of the things on my mind was news about neocon strength in recent Canadian elections, and I felt like we better not delay.

We talked to a local Catholic couple (who'll also be marching in Colorado). This couple was "married" (not legally) in a United Church of Christ ceremony. They seemed to feel that a "church wedding," even non-legal (and Protestant) was better than a Canadian civil ceremony. I think this may be a common idea--the U.S. is so religious and marriage is thought of as a church/religious function.

Our Canadian-married friends testify to the deep significance of the experience, as have folks here in this discussion. I think these testimonies will have a growing effect.

Steven Webster

[LGBT FLIGHT ATTENDANT]

In Canada, do you not have the ability to have a religious ceremony in a gay-affirming house of worship with a clergyperson officiating, and have a simultaneous civil legal marriage when the clergyperson signs the license and sends it for certification?

An FA I know got married in that Toronto City Centre Chapel and the person was a clergyperson from the United Church of Canada.

[SolApollo]

Congrats!!! I'm so happy for you. Blessings to the both of you.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Just a quick update. We arrived in Toronto last nite. See the city today. wedding tomorrow!

Steven Webster & James Dietrich

[Daniel]

Friends,

Just a quick update. We arrived in Toronto last nite. See the city today. wedding tomorrow!

Steven Webster & James Dietrich

Best wishes to you both!

Daniel and John

[Jamie McDaniel]

(ding ding ding)

I propose a toast to Steven Webster and Jim Dietrich -- two fabulous gay men whose love, care, and commitment to each other adds to that which is good and beautiful in this troubled world which we live.

Knowing you both has enriched my life and I thank you.

So here's to you Steven and Jim! If everyone would now raise your glass...

Oh, and may God bless Canada!

[Daniel]

Here! Here!

(clink clink!)

(They kiss!)

[Zerbie]

:D :rainbow: :aparty: :good: :weee: :sing: :smashy: :flower2:

(Zerbie throws Confetti!!!!

All best wishes on your WEDDING day!!!!!!!!!

:love:

[NathanATX]

How wonderful!!! :) :love: :love: :love: :)

[tdogg]

I'll drink to that! Here here!! :sing:

My heartfelt congratulations to you Steven & James! :love:

I wish you a lifetime of love and adventure, and many blessing from our Lord above. How wonderful for you! Please post some pics!?! :)

T

[Mia14]

WOOHOO!!!

CONGRATS!!! I'm so happy for you and this point in your relationship!! Wow, how wonderful?

[Vanessa White]

Steven and James: Blessings and congratulations to both of you! The longevity and commitment leaves me in awe, and hopeful for things to come for myself. Enjoy your ceremony tomorrow, and we will all be toasting you and thinking of you!!!!!! God's love abounds!!!!!!!!:love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:

[pnggrad79]

Steven and soon to be spouse! Congratulations! My wife and I got married almost two years ago in Niagara Falls, Canada on Sept. 11. It was great. The Falls are so nice to have in your wedding pics. Anyway, congratulations and may you enjoy a long, happy life together in love. Blessings to you and may God be with you both. Peace and much love to you.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Thank you all for the kind wishes! We had a fabulous time in Toronto today! We went with friends down to City Hall and made the final arrangements for tomorrow's ceremony. The clerk was very fussy about the details of our wedding license. She insisted my first name be spelled "Stephen" to match the variant spelling of my name on my birth certificate (I'll tell you the story behind THAT sometime!). And I had put my denomination down as "United Methodist" and Jim had put his down as "Methodist"--well, that wouldn't do--the clerk wanted to know if that was two different denominations! Well, we got Jim with the program and properly United Methodized. And then there was the fact that I had a birthday since we first filled out the application and I am no longer 54--another change! Finally the clerk had us all sorted out, sworn and signed! Tomorrow we'll be married at 2:00 p.m.!

Then we are off beginning Sunday for a few days honeymoon in Niagra Falls! I've not seen Niagra Falls before! I'm always telling people what Oscar Wilde said when he toured Niagra Falls, "Niagra Falls is every American bride's SECOND disappointment!" Well, after twenty-five years I know what I'm getting myself into! It's fabulous!

If you can, send a prayer or two our way come 2:00 p.m. Eastern time tomorrow.

Steven (aka Stephen) Webster

[Vanessa White]

Consider the prayers and love energy sent- 2:00 pm. ; Blessings, Vanessa

[keltic63]

Happy Wedding Day!!!!!

[Dash]

Congratulations!:cowboy: :flower:

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

We had a fabulous wedding! We used a slightly modified version of the wedding service from the United Methodist Book of Worship--a very "Episcopalian" sounding service--lots of fabulous prayers and blessings and thanksgivings! So, although it was a "civil" ceremony, it certainly was Christian at the same time. It was interesting that the current United Methodist service doesn't take very much modification to eliminate heterosexist and patriarchal expressions. I was able to keep in references to Jesus at the wedding feast in Cana and to Christ and his Church as a model for marriage without it carrying any of the sexist baggage I normally associate with those references. (No "Head" and no "bride.")

We may not be "husband and wife," but we are certainly "lawfully wedded spouses!"

I wrote a "homily" for the appropriate time in the service and one of our friends read the "homily." Naturally, it included some personal words that were special for us acknowledging our 25 years together, the children we nurtured and the grandchild we love. And, like any good homily, it expounded upon Scripture--the passage in Ecclesiasties that speaks of "a threefold cord is not easily broken." Our gold rings bear the design of the three-fold cord in three colors of gold--yellow, white and rose.

We had three friends present. Two from Toronto and one from Madison. Our Madison friend looked at the official marriage record we received after the ceremony and marveled that it really did say "marriage."

I'll probably post more either here or on my blog about the ceremony. I'd like to publish the homily in particular.

We've got pictures. I'll post them as soon as we are able.

Steven Webster

[tdogg]

Great Steven!!! Congrats on your wedding and marriage!!

CONGRATULATIONS STEVEN AND JIM!!

[Jennifer5]

Congradulations!!!!
I'm really happy for both of you! Can't wait to see pictures and hear more about it!

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

Well, we've been "out of sight" for a few days. We were away from the computer and most news--that was kind of nice for a little while.

We'd never been to Niagra Falls before. We stayed on the Ontario side, which is the most beautiful side of the Falls. It was wonderful to spend all that time "abroad."

We ate at very delicious and interesting restaurants. Stayed in a comfy cabin at the KOA Campgrounds (which became nearly deserted on Labor Day and after). We had a ride on "the Maid of the Mist" and got wet. We went to the butterfly conservatory, and, on our last night, we saw the Cirque Niagra--fabulous Canadian and Russian performers--a circus with horses, acrobats and clowns. It was a very memorable--and romantic three days in Niagra!

Of course, the whole week away in Toronto and Niagra (and a brief visit in Hamilton) was a fabulous experience. We'll remember it always and I look forward to visiting our Toronto (former Madisonian) friends again--it is wonderful to see how well they have settled in to Canada!

Thank you for all the congratulations and good wishes!

Steven Webster

[marutidas]

:pray: My your Love never fall upon hard times.

[pnggrad79]

Steven and Jim,
Congratulations on your wedding!!!:D My wife and I are getting ready to celebrate our 2nd anniversary on Sept. 11 ( I know, what a day to get married, but we couldn't do it any other time) We got married in Niagara Falls, Canada two years ago. It was my second wedding, her first. Anyway, I wish for you both a long, happy life, in each other's arms, loving, laughing and living together in peace, harmony and happiness. May God bless you and Jim and all the best to you. :D :D :D :D :D

[NonLemming]

Congratulations to you both!!! (Throwing birdseed)

I wish you many years of happiness together!!:) :) :) :) :)