Remembrance Sunday this year included in the printed order of service included the verse written for 2009 by our very own David Wilkinson, ‘Tears Fill Our Eyes’; and, a new contributions for 2011, ‘Time’. Also repeated this year was the hymn written for Remembrance Sunday by Scotland‘s Carnwadric Parish Church Worship Group and John L BELL, ‘What shall we pray for those who died.’ [1] Those taking part in the service were the duty elders, Robert & Jean Wadsworth, Wendy Slattery and Ann Shadbolt & David Wilkinson, who gave a duologue of David recent inspirational verse. John Cartmell read the roll of honour. The organist was John Gibson, who chose such suitable music for the occasion. The service was led by Tom Birch.
WORDS ON WHICH TO MEDITATE AS WE PREPARE FOR WORSHIP
They are not here. And we, we are the Others
who walk by ourselves unquestioned in the sun
which shines for us and only for us.
For they are not here.
And are made known to us in this great absence
that lies upon us and is between us
since they are not here.
Now, in this kingdom of summer idleness
where slowly we the sun-tranced multitudes dream and wander
in deep oblivion of brightness
and breathe ourselves out, out into the air –
it is absence that receives us;
we do not touch, our souls go out in the absence
that lies between us and is about us.
For we are the Others,
and so we sorrow for these that are not with us,
not knowing we sorrow or that this is our sorrow,
since it is long past thought or memory or device of mourning,
sorrow for loss of that which we never possessed,
the unknown, the nameless,
the ever-present that in their absence are with us
(with us the inheritors, the usurpers claiming
the sun and the kingdom of the sun) that sorrow
and loneliness might bring a blessing upon us.
(Edwin Muir from ‘Resources for times of remembrance: Beyond our Tears’ published by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.)
LEST WE FORGET
Lest we forget – NO! that will never be
for you sacrificed your lives for our liberty
and we wear our poppies in deep respect
lest we forget – lest we forget.
Lest we forget and in deepening sorrow
God bless you all for giving us a tomorrow
and in your honour for your moment we pause
to remember the fallen of tragic war.
Lest we forget a tear fills our eye
and it is with thankfulness that we cry
the debt we owe you we cannot repay
but we will remember you on this special day.
Lest we forget a lone bugle will sound
and that poignant music will us surround
so as the ‘Last Post’ begins to fade away
we will stand and salute you on Remembrance Day.
Copyright 2005: David Wilkinson
GATHERING OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD
An elder will carry in an open Bible and place it near or on the communion table. In true Reformed tradition this simple act is a reminder that our authority is God’s Word revealed to us in Scripture open before us.
The congregation is asked to stand as the Bible is carried to the table and, unless directed otherwise, remain standing for the Call to Worship.
THE CALL TO WORSHIP
God is our shelter and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not be afraid,
even if the earth is shaken and mountains fall into the ocean depths …
Come and see what the Lord has done.
See what amazing things he has done on earth.
(Psalm 46, vv 1-2, 8.)
HYMN 67: Immortal, invisible, God only wise (Tune: St Denis. Music: Welsh hymn melody. Words: W Chalmers Smith.)
PRAYERS OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION
A TALK IN FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH FAMILY
HYMN 90: O Lord, all the world belongs to you (Tune: O Lord, all the world belongs to you. Music: Patrick Appleford. Words: Patrick Appleford.)
NATIONAL ACT OF REMEMBRANCE
WE HOLD IN OUR PRAYERS, HEARTS AND THOUGHTS THOSE OF OUR CHURCH FAMILY WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR PEACE AND REMEMBER ALL WHO MADE THE GREAT SACRIFICE.
Andrew BRAND
Reginald BUCKLEY
John CAMPBELL
Duncan Gibson COOK
Sam FIELDS
Henry JACKSON
William C MATHER
Edward MURPHY
Alfred NUTTALL
Edward RIMMER
James R SANDHAM
Robert SANDHAM
Percy L THACKERAY
James S WALKER
Alexander WATT
James WESTHEAD
Tom WRIGHT
Albert DICKSON
Victor DRUMMOND
James R FLAXMAN
Albert GORNALL
Charles LAMBERT
J Russell LUXTON
When you go home
tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow –
we gave our today.
Silence is kept, during which petals of remembrance, representing all who have lost their lives, are scattered
LAST POST
REVEILLE
(Following the Act of Remembrance we all sit for a time of quiet meditation.)
A TIME OF QUIET MEDITATION
TIME: Verses for Remembrance Day
Time diminishes not the years since we said our last goodbyes.
And as we parted for that last time tears filled our eyes.
I went off to fight in a war against injustice and tyranny
and in doing so I gave you a tomorrow; sadly mine was not to be.
Time diminishes not the picture of you I have in my head
and inconsolable was I when you became one of the Glorious Dead.
In this place of worship my emotions are unashamedly on display,
and in God’s house I am thinking of you on this Remembrance Day.
Time diminishes not the memory of our last embrace,
when I held you tightly in my arms and kissed your beautiful face,
and we shared a bottle of wine by flickering candlelight,
as we planned a future together: so quickly went the night.
Time diminishes not all the memories that I have of you.
They say that time’s a great healer: For me that simply is not true.
Grief still fills my heart, and sometimes the pain is too much to bare,
for the love that we had known was something so very rare.
Time diminishes not, nor will time ever erase,
those special moments we spent together that seemed to be in a haze.
Beneath a sky of blue we walked in fields of burnished gold.
And because I died young I grew not old as you who are left grow old.
Time diminishes not the fact that we are spiritual soul-mates.
And until the time we shall meet again impatiently I await.
For strong is my faith and I know one day we shall be together again
when once more you will take me in your arms and banish all my pain.
© David Wilkinson, 2011
NOTICES FOR THE COMING WEEK AND WE OFFER OUR MORNING GIFTS
OFFERING PRAYER
Generous God,
we need money to live,
to meet the cost of living.
But the cost of true life is more than money.
The cost of true life demands that everything we possess,
that we do,
that we are,
is poured out extravagantly at your feet.
AMEN
THE WORD OF GOD
OLD TESTAMENT READING: Micah, Chapter 4, Verses 1 to 8
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ Old Testament page 901: The words here echo a very similar passage in Isaiah. Observe the great change in the tone of the writing from what went before. The Lord, who witnessed against Israel, is seen here consoling her by declarations of coming glories. Israel, though scattered is to be gathered.
HYMN 345: Guide me, O thou great Jehovah (Tune: Cwm Rhondda. Music: John Hughes. Words: v1 Peter Williams, vv 2-3 William Williams (or John Williams).)
GOSPEL: Luke, Chapter 1, Verses 68 to 79
Bench ‘Good News Bible’ New Testament page 75: The song of Zechariah, sometimes called the Benedictus. Salvation is not a purely spiritual matter. It consists in the service of God without fear, a service that entails both holiness and righteousness. A “saved” people are characterized by a distinctive devoutness and a passion for justice.
- A WORD IN SEASON
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD
HYMN: What shall we pray (Tune: Childhood (R&S 615). Music: ‘University of Wales’: A Students Hymnal. Words: Carnwadric Parish Church Worship Group and John L Bell adapted.)
What shall we pray for those who died,
those on whose death our lives relied?
Silenced by war but not denied.
God give to them your peace.
What shall we pray for those who mourn
friendships and love, their fruit unborn?
Though years have passed, hearts still are torn:
God give to them your peace.
What shall we pray for those who live
tied to the past they can’t forgive,
haunted by terrors they relive?
God give to them your peace.
What shall we pray for those who know
nothing of war, and cannot show
grief or regret for friend or foe?
God give to them your peace.
What shall we pray for those who fear
war, in some guise, may reappear
looking attractive and sincere?
God give to them your peace.
God give us peace and, more than this,
show us the path where justice is;
and let us never be remiss
working for peace that lasts.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
HYMN 705: Our God, our help in ages past (Tune: St Anne. Music: Probably by William Croft. Words: Isaac Watts altered based on Psalm 90:1-6.)
- PRAYER OF DISMISSAL
Follow God into the places of pain,
taking the generosity of grace.
Follow God into the places of service,
taking the gentleness of love.
Follow God into the places of thanksgiving,
taking songs of joy.
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[1] The set tune to ‘What shall we pray’ was unfamiliar. Therefore, it was set to the tune Childhood (R&S 615) with the last line of each verse amended to fit.