Brent Wilber and Morgan Wilber are pleased to announce the engagement of their mother, Sharon Marie Wilber, to Raymond Frederick Ontko. The couple are to be married on September 11, 1999 at First Friends Meeting House, Richmond, Indiana.
The wedding will be in the manner of Friends (Quakers). Although
neither of us are Quakers, we do find many of the customs and modes of
worship to be consistent with our religious beliefs and appropriate to
the occasion.
We have chosen to have a ceremony "in the manner of Friends," one that has a few very special things taken from a traditional Quaker wedding ceremony. We offer this brief explanation so that you may understand and participate as fully as you wish.
From its beginning the Religious Society of Friends has stressed the conviction that marriage is a binding relationship entered into in the presence of God and of the witnessing family and friends. No third person pronounces us husband and wife because Friends believe that God alone can create such a union and give it significance.
After the start of the ceremony, we will take our places at the front of the meetinghouse. After a period of silent meditation and worship, we will stand and exchange our wedding vows and rings. We will then sign the Marriage Certificate and it will be read aloud. There will then be a period of open worship, after which we will be introduced as a newly married couple.
At the close of the ceremony, we will greet each row and you will be invited to sign the Marriage Certificate as a witness to the wedding vows.
Open Worship
Your presence as witnesses and participants is an important part of the wedding. A long-established tradition of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Open Worship is a time of fellowship in the presence of the spirit of God. Friends gather in silence in order to free themselves from distraction and to listen for the leading of the Spirit. Often, although not always, one or more persons will feel led to stand and speak to the meeting, sharing a story, a song, a poem, advice or a prayer. We hope that you will enter into reflection with us this afternoon and speak if you feel led to do so.
Marriage Certificate
Those who come together for a Quaker wedding do so not only to celebrate but also to witness the union of the bride and groom. As witnesses, those in attendance at the wedding undertake a commitment of their own, to support the bride and groom through times of hardship as well as joy; and when necessary, to hold them accountable for the promises they have made to each other. The Marriage Certificate documents the vows of the marrying couple and signatures of witnesses thereunto. The Marriage Certificate will be framed and displayed in our home as a cherished possession, recalling the company of loving family and friends who took part in it.
Things to do in Richmond that weekend
Well we picked a wild weekend to get married. There are so many things going on in our little town. To name a few:
Jazz Fest 1999 (Downtown Richmond, very near to the Leland
Hotel)
Pioneer Days (Also near to Downtown, On the grounds of the Wayne
County Museum)
Family Fun Fest (Also near to Downtown, 10th street park)
Most of you probably will not be interested but the "Tom Raper
RV Jamboree" is also that weekend and will bring about 1000 RV's into
town, so beware. Stay away from the west side of town, (Wayne county
fairgrounds).
Richmond Rose Garden: This is not a special event, but
if you like roses find some time to check it out. It is located at
Glen Miller park, on Main Street (US 40).
Gift Registry
We are registered at Elder-Beerman Department Store, Richmond, IN 800-233-7626.
Links
Here are a few internet links of interest.
Sharon Wilber, the bride
Ray Ontko, the groom
Ray Ontko & Co, where they
work
Earlham College, Department
of Computer Science, where he teaches with the best man
Charlie Peck, the best man
Like most of Indiana, Richmond does not observe daylight savings time. We do not change our clocks in the spring or fall. We are on Eastern Standard Time (EST) all year round. Until October, our clocks show the same time as clocks in Chicago, IL. For more information about Indiana time zones, visit "What time is it in Indiana?".
We look forward to celebrating with you!