Bookmark and Share
wp3ab6218d.png

What is believed to be the first ever Jewish style wedding in the Hebrides took place on Saturday when 58 year old American missionary, Becky McNeese, married 63 year old crofter Finlay Campbell.

While the bride wore a white wedding dress Finlay was resplendent in a Black Watch tartan kilt, and wore the traditional Jewish kippa (a skull cap) and a talit (prayer shawl). Although the the couple are not of the Jewish faith, they both have a great love for the Jewish people and the bride was a missionary in Israel until recently.

The tri-lingual wedding -- English, Hebrew and Gaelic -- took place in the Community Hall in Barvas where the marriage ceremony - under a chupa (the traditional Jewish wedding canopy) was conducted by Mr Donald Stewart, of the New Wine Church, the Pentecostal Church in Stornoway. A missionary friend of the bride, Mr Aaron Mackenzie from Edinburgh, said the traditional Hebrew blessing.

A piper welcomed the bride and shofars (rams horns) were blown when the bridegroom arrived for the ceremony.

The bride was a teacher before attending the Bethel Bible College in California. After training she was a missionary in various parts of the world including Israel. She first came to the Island of Lewis in 2006 to come up and meet with cousins who were on holiday. She then learned of an abandoned house near the Balanthrushal Standing Stone and felt called to restore it and make it 'a house of prayer and praise.' It is easily identifiable with Israeli flags flying outside. She has been living there with her prayer partner Janette Harrison. She met Finlay when he and others came to give her a hand at bringing home the peats for winter fuel.

She said: ''The most dramatic part of this story is that about nine months ago Finlay was lonely and was praying for fellowship with believers - and a wife! The Lord answered his prayer and in January he asked me to marry him. I gave him an answer right away. He is the kindest man I have ever known. We both knew it was of the Lord because it was all so unlikely. The Holy Spirit had told him to send camels for his wife! Of course my proper name is Rebecca and Scripture tells us that Isaac's wife Rebekah arrived on a camel.'

Becky said that the wedding was to glorify God because it was He who had brought them together. They would be asking people to reflect on whether they were ready to meet the Bridegroom (the Lord Jesus Christ).

The couple will be heading off this week for a honeymoon in Israel and Africa. Afterwards they will return to Lewis where Becky will continue missionary work there until she and her husband are called to serve elsewhere.

 

Hebrides News: Becky McNeese & Finlay Campbell

Jewish style wedding at Barvas                     26/3/12

By Bill Lucas