Story by Grady Teachey
Photos by Steve Bramham

This is a true love story—a story that starts when a community gets involved and sends love to the Biloxi, Mississippi area after Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast in late August of 2005.

Some Background

Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel (the Chapel) is a non-denominational church located on the beautiful North Carolina barrier island named Topsail Island (TI).  The Chapel sent four separate teams to Biloxi and donated funds that purchased fifteen sets of kitchen cabinets for use in the rebuilding efforts since Hurricane Katrina devastated that area.  The mission teams joined with Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization, ministering in Biloxi.  Samaritan’s Purse is noted for their compassion and organizational skills that enables ministry to both physical and spiritual needs.  You might remember the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).

The Bride and Groom

We met the bride to be in Biloxi.  She is Marilyn Starnes, the Biloxi Chaplain Coordinator for the Billy Graham Evangelical Association.  Her home is in Charlotte and she has been a widow for twelve years.  Marilyn is a radiant person that lights up the room; you immediately know she is a “giver.”  When going to visit at a local hospital or in a home she would make statements like, “I need to go and ‘love on’ this particular family.”  She is a joy in action.

Let’s not forget the groom; we met him in Biloxi, also.  He is Ken Sides, the Project Manager for the Samaritan’s Purse organization in the Biloxi area.  After twenty-two months in Biloxi, Samaritan’s Purse transferred their relief efforts to other local and state organizations.  Ken—who lives in Statesville—is an excellent organizer, leader, and motivator.  You immediately notice that he is a “giver.”  He has a big smile and a giant heart.  You just love him when he makes a statement like, “You are doing a ‘God-sized’ job when assisting those in need.”

Ken & Marilyn met each other in Grenada after Hurricane Ivan hit that beautiful Caribbean island in September 2004.  Both were dispatched to Grenada for relief support and their love story began there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilemma turns into a Blessing

While having dinner with Ken & Marilyn during one of the latter trips to Biloxi, our team found out that they were engaged to be married when the Samaritan’s Purse Biloxi project was to be phased out in early June 2007.  But, there was a small dilemma.  Since Ken & Marilyn were not active members of a local church back home, they had no place to be married.  They had been ministering in Biloxi for nearly two years.

Our Sandra Davis of Sneads Ferry/Raleigh came up with a solution and made an offer to these dear friends.  Sandra’s offer was simple:  “Come to Topsail Island and our mission teams will handle all the wedding events as a gift of love to you.”

(Left) - Dianne Barnes handles last minute touches.

Now remember, Ken and Marilyn are “givers” since they always help others.  They did not know how to react to the first offer.  Later that night and the next day the plans started to take shape.  Sandra called and reserved the chapel for the July wedding.  David & Dianne Barnes offered to host the reception at their newly renovated home on the Intracoastal Waterway in Hampstead.  Jim & Freddie King offered to host the rehearsal pig-picking at their TI home.  Grady & Brenda Teachey offered their Topsail home for the couple’s honeymoon week.  Things were shaping up.

The next night the team invited this couple to a nicer restaurant in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and reaffirmed the sincerity of giving them a TI wedding.  This time, they accepted the offer.

Planning for the July Wedding

The first planning meeting was held at the TI home of Rick & Bettye Benton of Roanoke Rapids.  The second planning meeting was held at the home of David & Dianne Barnes.  Ray & Norma Carole McDonald of TI via Mount Olive joined the team.  The third meeting was hosted by Gayla Kennedy & Dee MacMillan; Dee has a really cool renovated house on the island. 

(Right) - David Barnes offers his boat and convertible.

In true Emma Anderson style, people were pulling together.  Dwight and Sandra Davis insured that food and logistical items were covered.  Lynette Boyd (with assistance from Garth) was in charge of housing arrangements for guests. The Sherron family of Topsail via Lexington was very involved; Julia with food, Frank with logistics, Haynes with social functions, and Neill was named chauffeur and first mate for the boat trip from the church to the reception.  Emily Barnes was named as a hostess.  Will Alexander and Josh and Libby Godwin were assigned freelance duties.  Other heavy hitters on the team were Butch and Margaret Parrish, Durrell and Jeri Mills, John and Janie Hauser, and Tim and Gerry Horner.  The bottom line was that plenty of Topsail folks were rolling up their sleeves and making this wedding happen!

Rehearsing the Big Event

Then, the real fun began at King’s Corner.  The food was great and the fellowship was fantastic.  Clint Spell (a local DJ) played oldies beach music and Jerry Simmons of Bayou La Batre, Alabama, took a turn on stage with his guitar providing live music.  The women of the mission teams assumed the name of the “Chapelettes” and provided a memorable performance.  Ken, Marilyn, and their guests warmed up to the Topsail hospitality very quickly.  New friends were made and old friendships were reinforced.

(Left) - Freddie and Jim King

“We wanted to help this special couple start their lives together in a place that’s special to us so it was easy opening our home and our hearts to them,” says Freddie King who hosted the rehearsal dinner at her home on the sound with husband Jim.  “Even though we’d never met many of their family and friends, it was like a family reunion.”

The Wedding

Let’s use the word beautiful.  The Chapel had beautiful flowers, the bride had a beautiful dress, the bride was beautiful, the groom was handsome, the tuxedos were beautiful, the weather was beautiful, and you get the beautiful TI picture. 

As the saying goes, people came from far and wide.  Some of them from all over the USA and Canada.  The officiating minister was the Rev. Kirby Breithaupt of Amhearstburgh, Ontario, Canada.  The soloist was Becky Collins of Gulfport, Mississippi.  The photographer was the Rev. Steve Bramham of Kennesaw, Georgia.  The Prayer of Blessing was delivered by Jack Munday, Managing Director of the Rapid Response Team with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association based in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Yes, it was something to behold.

Vows were exchanged and more pictures were taken.  The marriage becomes official.

(Right) - Julia Sherron (from left), Sandra Davis, and Freddie King share a special moment with the bride.

“With more breathtaking beauty than the sun-sparked surf of Topsail Island,” said Rev. Breithaupt, “Ken and Marilyn’s wedding ceremony was illuminated by the very Light of the World and was graced, from beginning to end, by His presence.”

Reception

After the wedding, the newlyweds were ferried to the reception by Captain David Barnes on his thirty-two-foot SeaCraft boat that sports twin 225-horsepower engines.  The reception was held at David & Diane’s home on the Intracoastal in Hampstead.  A tent with a dance floor was located outside where DJ Clint Spell again played oldies beach music.  A feast was served inside the beautiful home and seating was located outside with fantastic waterway views.

“Swept away in a real live storybook-fairytale best describes the gift of our wedding given by our Topsail Island friends at the Emma Anderson Memorial Chapel,” said Marilyn, a beaming bride.  “Who would have ever thought we would have met such wonderful people in Biloxi on a mission trip that would change the course of our lives forever.”

Nothing was omitted; the bride threw her bouquet, wedding cake was served, more pictures were taken, and the couple was transported to their honeymoon house in a 1964 burgundy vintage Cadillac convertible.  David Barnes inherited the 1964 Cadillac.  “We keep this special car for special occasions,” said David, “and Ken & Marilyn are very special to us; they are tireless givers.”

Honeymoon

The couple spent their honeymoon week on Topsail at the Teachey’s home.  Since this was a somewhat private time, the mission team members did not plan any activities for that week! 

“Our hearts still go out to the fine people of the Biloxi area,” said Brenda, “and we are thankful for God’s provision using the Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Organization.  It was a blessing for us to open our home to our friends Ken and Marilyn.”

“The vibrant beauty of God’s creation meshed with God’s love lavished over and poured out unsparingly on us was an unforgettable moment in time that will forever be etched in our memory and engraved on our hearts,” said Marilyn.  “God simply wowed us on Topsail Island.”

“Having our wedding on Topsail Island was a ‘God Sized’ miracle,” said Ken, “and the people of Topsail Island truly ‘loved on’ us.”

STEVE BRAMHAM is a freelance photographer and can be reached at 770-426-7845.  Grady Teachey and Brenda his wife live on Topsail Island.  They got to know Ken & Marilyn during mission trips to Biloxi.