Sunday 8 November Remembrance Sunday
For those of you unable to join a service of Remembrance this year I humbly offer the following which I pray you find appropriate.
Act of remembrance
We began by laying a wreath at the communion table.
I am going to describe a video I saw recently and used in our services in church. It depicts in cartoon form a peaceful landscape with a rabbit playing in the grass and a butterfly fluttering by. The blue sky becomes black and the tranquillity is shattered by shell bursts. The green of the grass gives way to the black of scorched earth and the rabbit struggles to find safe shelter.
On finding a steel helmet left by an unknown soldier the rabbit shelters under it, and peers out from time to time. On one of these occasions a bird, also in a state of panic shelters under the helmet with the rabbit until the shell bursts subside. Eventually, as they come out from their shelter again the sunshine brightening up the sky, shoots of grass begin to grow and as the meadow strives to return to the normal, poppies begin to grow too. Eventually the meadow becomes established but now with the reminder of these poppies depicting the bloodshed as a permanent aspect to remind us that the new tranquillity was won at a cost. Lest we could ever forget if we were touched by the horror. Lest we forget!
This video was then followed by someone playing the Last Post, the 2-minute silence followed by the Rouse. This video contained to following words set as a Bible reading and prayer!
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” John 15:13
Please stand in honour of their sacrifice
Let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping: those who have died for their country in war; those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure and all who have lived and died in the service of mankind. We will remember them!
I then shared a poem by Joshua Dyer (aged 14) who was tasked at school, to write a poem for Remembrance Day. It is called - ONE THOUSAND MEN ARE WALKING
One thousand men are walking
Walking side by side
Singing songs from home
The spirit as their guide
they walk towards the light milord
they walk towards the sun
they smoke and laugh and smile together
no foes to outrun
these men live on forever
in the hearts of those they saved
a nation truly grateful
for the path of peace they paved
they march as friends and comrades
but they do not march for war
step closer to salvation
a tranquil steady corps
the meadows lit with golden beams
a beacon for the brave
the emerald grass untrampled
a reward for what they gave
they dream of those they left behind
and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields
there walks one thousand men
Joshua Dyer 2019 (aged 14)
Lest we forget.
My videos are available online should you have access and wish to view them. The first is on the BBC website if you search for Remembrance. The second is from YouTube.
Thank you for reading this service and may God bless you and keep you safe as you like we “Will Remember them”
Act of remembrance
We began by laying a wreath at the communion table.
I am going to describe a video I saw recently and used in our services in church. It depicts in cartoon form a peaceful landscape with a rabbit playing in the grass and a butterfly fluttering by. The blue sky becomes black and the tranquillity is shattered by shell bursts. The green of the grass gives way to the black of scorched earth and the rabbit struggles to find safe shelter.
On finding a steel helmet left by an unknown soldier the rabbit shelters under it, and peers out from time to time. On one of these occasions a bird, also in a state of panic shelters under the helmet with the rabbit until the shell bursts subside. Eventually, as they come out from their shelter again the sunshine brightening up the sky, shoots of grass begin to grow and as the meadow strives to return to the normal, poppies begin to grow too. Eventually the meadow becomes established but now with the reminder of these poppies depicting the bloodshed as a permanent aspect to remind us that the new tranquillity was won at a cost. Lest we could ever forget if we were touched by the horror. Lest we forget!
This video was then followed by someone playing the Last Post, the 2-minute silence followed by the Rouse. This video contained to following words set as a Bible reading and prayer!
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” John 15:13
Please stand in honour of their sacrifice
Let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping: those who have died for their country in war; those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure and all who have lived and died in the service of mankind. We will remember them!
I then shared a poem by Joshua Dyer (aged 14) who was tasked at school, to write a poem for Remembrance Day. It is called - ONE THOUSAND MEN ARE WALKING
One thousand men are walking
Walking side by side
Singing songs from home
The spirit as their guide
they walk towards the light milord
they walk towards the sun
they smoke and laugh and smile together
no foes to outrun
these men live on forever
in the hearts of those they saved
a nation truly grateful
for the path of peace they paved
they march as friends and comrades
but they do not march for war
step closer to salvation
a tranquil steady corps
the meadows lit with golden beams
a beacon for the brave
the emerald grass untrampled
a reward for what they gave
they dream of those they left behind
and know they dream of them
forever in those poppy fields
there walks one thousand men
Joshua Dyer 2019 (aged 14)
Lest we forget.
My videos are available online should you have access and wish to view them. The first is on the BBC website if you search for Remembrance. The second is from YouTube.
Thank you for reading this service and may God bless you and keep you safe as you like we “Will Remember them”