John and Margaret Williams celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on 20 March with a large gathering of family and friends.
The couple are members of Mountview Uniting Church in Mitcham. They first met at a Methodist Central youth council, when Rev Bob Uren suggested to John that he drive Margaret home after her first meeting as council secretary. They announced their engagement at the Kyneton Easter camp in 1954.
The couple’s eldest grandson, Nathan Pither, flew in from Hong Kong to deliver the congratulatory address. He brought with him their eight-month-old great granddaughter, Elsie, before they flew back to Hong Kong the next day.
The wedding anniversary was a joyous and nostalgic occasion that evoked plenty of memories for the attendees. The Maroondah Singers provided an afternoon of musical entertainment and sang two hymns used in the original wedding ceremony 60 years ago – ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’ and ‘This, this is the God we adore’.
“To have both the bridesmaid, Margaret Edgington and the best man, Hector Davis, still with us after 60 years added much to our celebrations,” Mr and Mrs Williams said.
Mr Williams and Mr Davis both worked in Methodist youth programs during the 1950s. They provided leadership for Easter camps and Flying Squads – keynote endeavours of Methodist youth work during that period.
Ms Edgington, sister of the late Rev Richard Golding, made the bride’s gown which was subsequently worn by each of the couples’ two daughters. The wedding gown was on display at the celebration.
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