Remembrance Collect
God of peace, whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life: Look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your healing power make whole both people and nations; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 2:1-5 – The Future House of God
John 15:9-17
Remembrance Sunday. The image that immediately springs to mind is a Poppy – perhaps with the caption ‘Lest we forget’. An important message. But unfortunately, we have indeed forgotten. Rather than honouring those who laid down their lives for friends and family, the self-centred, power-hungry, money-driven state of the world is an insult not just to the memory of those lost in war, but also those today who are prepared to risk their lives for people they don’t even know.
The emergency services, fire, police, ambulance. Coastguards. Lifeboat crews. During Covid, Health service staff were given choruses of applause in thanks – but they remain understaffed, unacknowledged and underpaid. All too easily, we take for granted those who we rely upon to allow us to get on with our lives in security and comfort.
And, sadly, most of the time, we take our Saviour and Redeemer for granted too. Not intentionally, but by allowing the things of the world to take priority over obeying Jesus’ command to love my neighbour. We read Paul’s letter to Laodicea, and don’t realise that we’re just the same.
On Remembrance Sunday, we think about sacrifice and perhaps wear a poppy – but we then put it away until next year. Every Sunday, we worship and give thanks – but then Monday comes. Do we then get on with daily living, only calling upon Jesus when we’re in trouble? I suspect that often, we do. I know I do.
War, violence, hatred, anger have a basis in worldly sin, and we recognise that clearly – but equally sinful neglect of the poor (in every sense) is easily ignored – and so is neglect of our Saviour, and His supreme gift of freedom.
So on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it is right to keep silence for the fallen, in every sphere of life, but unless we resolve to remember them as we remember Jesus – every day of the year – it means little.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot.
‘Tommy’ – Rudyard Kipling
Praying Together 10th August 2025
And while we think of the things we value most, do we remember that we are of such value to God, that His Son was prepared to go into the flames for us?
Praying Together 27th July 2025
In a word, it is all prayer, a rich sequence, choreographed in different moments of gathering, praise, listening and communion.
Praying Together 20th July 2025
Jesus comes to us in many ways and with many faces. Are we aware we may ‘entertain Angels without knowing it?
Praying Together 13th July 2025
May we never miss meeting your gaze,
in the eyes of our sibling, the stranger.
Praying Together 6th July 2025
Always remember that ‘success’ is simply doing His will – it’s not necessarily achieving the outcome we would ourselves consider to be ‘successful’. Leave that definition with Him.
Praying Together 29th June 2025
Jesus is looking for commitment. Absolute, unconditional, commitment. When I think of what that means, I’m always minded of Martina Navratilova’s remark: “The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.”
Praying Together 22nd June 2025
As Christians, may we never regard mercy and compassion towards others as weakness, naivety or gullibility, but display the traits which demonstrate that we follow a Saviour who came to rescue those left behind.
Praying Together 15th June 2025
You couldn’t fly a kite inside a church building –for the Kite to fly you’d have to go into the windy street outside. Where does that place the need for the Spirit to act?
Praying Together 8 June 2025
Of all the strange things happening on the Day of Pentecost, perhaps the most puzzling is when God appears to have second thoughts. In Genesis 11, He makes it difficult for people to understand each other’s language
Praying Together 1st June 2025
The song by Mary Black, ‘Bless the Road’, while written as from a parent whose child is leaving home alone for the first time – maybe first day at primary school, going to college, beginning an independent life – always puts me in mind of the thoughts and blessing of Jesus as He prays for His disciples before His Ascension.
Praying Together 25th May 2025
‘Peace I give to you… do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.’
His peace is not remote and only there at the end of things – His Peace is with us now.
Praying Together 18th May 2025
So the commandment is a challenge. To love those who betray you. Those who jeer. Those who wield the whips embedded with flint, hammer in the nails, pierce your side.