By John Kline
CNHI News Service
MILLERSBURG — Tying the knot just got a whole lot tastier.
That’s the word from newly ordained pastor Gene Hile, co-owner of the Pizza Depot in Millersburg, who recently announced he will expand his business repertoire to include wedding ceremonies and receptions.
What’s more, the whole shebang will cost just $55.
Hile said he first became interested in providing weddings at the Depot after hearing that his son, a divorcee, and his new fiancee were having a hard time finding a minister who would marry them.
“For some reason their present minister didn’t want to marry them because my son had been married before,” Hile said. “Then we saw a neat program on the Food Channel about two gentlemen out in Portland, Ore., both ordained ministers, who ran a donut shop called Voodoo Donuts.
“They had good business, but they basically were dealing with the same situation, where people were coming in saying that their minister wouldn’t marry them for whatever reason, so they’d marry them over a box of doughnuts.”
After seeing the program, Hile said he knew there needed to be someone of nondenominational leadership in the community who people like his son could turn to for help.
Hile’s wife, Priscilla, agreed.
“We thought ‘hey, what a cool idea,’ ” Priscilla said. “We can help people out and also bring people in to the community. Right now the town isn’t busy at all because of the layoffs, and really most people don’t even know where Millersburg is. So really we’re just trying to get people back into town by doing something unique and fun.”
With the decision to hold weddings at the Depot set, the next step for Hile was to become officially ordained — something he’d actually been thinking of doing since he was a young man just out of high school.
Hile began researching ordination online, and soon found an online institution that fit his needs perfectly.
“I ended up using one that had been started by a minister out in Las Vegas, if you can believe that,” he said. “But I’m now officially recognized by the state of Indiana and Elkhart County.”
As word of their plans got out into the community, Hile said that it was only a matter of time before other local businesses decided they’d like to participate as well.
After he printed up some posters and put them up in the store, he began seeing some interest.
“A gentleman from one of our local businesses came in just to visit and saw it, and said ‘Hey, let me in on that,’ “ Hile said. “It just kind of snowballed from there.”
Now, anyone who takes advantage of Hile’s wedding package will be treated to a wedding service, a bottle of wine from Jesse’s Package Store, video rentals from Millersburg Video, an oil change from Stickler’s Service Center, and even a visit to local chiropractor Dr. Gene Neyhart.
John Kline writes for The Goshen News. He can be reached at john.kline@goshennews.com.
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February 13, 2009
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