07/11/2020
Lockdown 032 Mount Zion IM Church, Pemberton Sunday, 8th November 2020 – Remembrance Sunday “Lest We Forget” Lectionary Reading: Mark 1: 14 – 20.
Opening Thoughts Each year, on the Sunday nearest to November 11th (at the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month), many countries observe Remembrance Services to recall the end of hostilities of World War I with the Armistice and the Entente signed between 5:12 and 5:20 on the morning of 11th November 1918. World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919. As we are, once again, “locked down” and are, therefore, unable to meet together to hold the act of Remembrance in Church, might I suggest that we, along with others in our community, stand in the street, outside our homes to observe a “two minute silence”, in Remembrance of those who gave their lives. Music: Tone Poem: “The Triumph of Peace” – (Eric Ball) https://youtu.be/dyEekQk6’04”)QUnw ( 6’04”) Played by The International Staff Band of the Salvation Army, Conductor: Lt. Col. Bernard Adams Act of Remembrance On the 11th of November 1918 Private Arthur Wrench of the Seaforth Highlanders wrote in his diary: “I think it is quite hopeless to describe what today means to us. We who will return to tell people what war really is surely hope that 11 am this day will be of great significance to generations to come. Surely this is the last war that will ever be between civilised nations.” From our perspective what a terribly tragic irony. It is over 100 years since the Armistice was signed at the end of the First World War, and the Cenotaph was unveiled and the Unknown Warrior was buried in Westminster Abbey. These things are part of history, but for millions of people since then war has not been history but a part of their lives. In the last year alone more than 37 members of our armed forces have died in the conflict in Afghanistan, leaving yet more families and friends grieving. Some of us will have a personal memory of losing a member of our own family or friend, but for many of us it will be an inherited memory, passed on from one generation to the next. A Prayer of Remembrance Almighty and eternal God,
from whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life:
hear our prayers and thanksgivings for all whom we remember this day;
fulfil in them the purpose of your love ;and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those who have died in active service. We bring to mind those, who, from this fellowship fought and died in the conflict of WWI: Joseph Rylance and those who fought and died in WWII: Thomas Baron, Joseph Bent, Peter Peet, Richard Speakman, William Boardman. As we honour their courage and cherish their memory, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen. The Act of Remembrance is from the Poem “For the Fallen” with a response by all repeating the last line.
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WE STAND, TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT WE MIGHT HAVE OURS: They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them. Response: We will remember them. Laurence Binyon, (21st September, 1914)
The Last Post https://youtu.be/McCDWYgVyps (1’44”)
Hymn MP400 Lead us, Heavenly Father, Lead us https://youtu.be/LJfOrDiu-WE (2’04”) Words: James Edmeston (1791 – 1867); Tune: MANNHEIM [87 87 87] Friedrich Filitz (1804 - 76)
Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us
o'er the world's tempestuous sea;
guard us, guide us, keep us, feed us,
for we have no help but thee;
yet possessing every blessing,
if our God our Father be. Saviour, breathe forgiveness o'er us;
all our weakness thou dost know;
thou didst tread this earth before us;
thou didst feel its keenest woe;
yet unfearing, persevering,
to thy passion thou didst go. Spirit of our God, descending,
fill our hearts with heavenly joy;
love with every passion blending
pleasure that can never cloy;
thus provided, pardoned, guided,
nothing can our peace destroy.
Prayer of thanksgiving and Intercession Dear Lord, our Father, As we join together in Spirit in this Service of Remembrance, we thank You for Your continued goodness to us and ask for your presence with us and Your blessing upon us, as we, once again, are unable to meet in person. We and bring before Your Throne of Grace our Church and Sunday School Fellowship; our friends; families and local congregations. We would remember, too, those people who are less fortunate than we are - the lonely; the hungry; the refugees; the sad, those living with medical conditions; in discomfort or oppression; those grieving the loss of loved ones and all who are frightened and ask a Special Blessing on all who strive to combat these afflictions and sufferings. Guide our representatives in Parliament, we pray, that they may always seek Your will in the decisions they make on our behalf – and carry them out with due diligence. Loving Father, we pray that You will clear our thoughts of the concerns of our daily lives, that we might receive and respond to Your message. Minister to all our needs that we may respond to Your call to use our gifts, talents and skills in Your world, that our lives reflect Your love as we aid those whom we have remembered before You today, through Jesus Christ our loving Saviour.
(a time of silence for personal petitions and prayers of intercession) AMEN
The Family Prayer Our Father …… AMEN
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Hymn IM38 Be Still, My Soul https://youtu.4’56”)be/owM1ev6VkQc (4’56”) Words: Katharina A. D. von Schlegel (1697 - ?); Tune: FINLANDIA [10 10 10 10 10 10] Jean Sibelius (1865-1967)
1 Be still, my soul: the Lord is on your side;
bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
leave to your God to order and provide;
in ev'ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: your best, your heav'nly Friend
through thorny ways leads to a joyful end. 2 Be still, my soul: your God will undertake
to guide the future as he has the past.
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
all now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
his voice who ruled them while he dwelt below. 3 Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on
when we shall be forever with the Lord,
when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
all safe and blessed we shall meet at last
Scripture Reading: Mark 1: 14 - 20 (N I V)
Jesus Announces the Good News 14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Jesus Calls His First Disciples 16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him. 19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Reflection: Lest we Forget Mark 1: 14-20 In just a few days it will be 102 years since the official end of the hostilities of World War I. The death of nearly 1,000,000 British and many millions from other countries is still, rightly, remembered. In the Gospel we read of Simon and Andrew, James and John immediately leaving their nets and following Jesus to an uncertain and risky life.
In a similar way so did many answer the call of Kitchener. Britain was the only major power not to begin the First World War with a conscripted army. After war broke out, it was obvious that the small professional British Army was not big enough for a global conflict.
In a wave of patriotic fervour, thousands of men answered Lord Kitchener's call to join up. He realised that local ties could be used for national gain. Many more would volunteer if they could serve alongside their friends, relatives and workmates. And so, on 21 August 1914, the first Pals battalion was raised from the stockbrokers of the City of London. Immediately 1,600 men had joined what became the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
Pals battalions became synonymous with towns and cities like Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Hull, in the North of England; Glasgow and Edinburgh, in Scotland. Others were raised from Birmingham to Bristol and from Cambridge to Cardiff. Men from these cities enlisted in their thousands in 1914 and 1915. Many of these battalions suffered huge causalities and this ultimately ripped the heart out of many communities across our land.
Conscription then came in later when the volunteers were insufficient. The idealism and the impulsive volunteering of so many men might seem strange to our generation.
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We are much more careful and much less tolerant of death. It is sobering to reflect on one statistic: 454 British men and women lost their lives since 2001 in Afghanistan. This was 454 too many. But 454 would have been a very good day in the first world war. On July 1, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the British Army suffered 57,470 casualties. Now, we might argue that many of the casualties would never have happened if tactics we different – but that was not the fault of the casualties. Many of them signed up immediately – convinced that they had to do their duty. Despite the appalling casualties, despite the risks to life and limb. We live in very different times now. How many of us would be delighted if our children decided to join up today? We are, understandably much more risk averse today.
But both the Gospel reading and the bravery of so many young men in WW1, and since, remind us that sometimes we do need to answer a call. We need to do things immediately – we need to do what we know to be right.
Today we remember the sacrifice of so many.
In the military of course; some of their names are inscribed upon our memorial.
The military, yes, and also the civilians – we must never forget the civilians. Some calculations say that during World War I 11% of the population of France became casualties. We know how many civilians perished in World War II, with the advent of total war. In the 1940s Warfare began to affect not just those fighting – it began to affect everybody. So we also remember all those non-combatants who lost their lives in France and Belgium, in the blitz, all the way through to the innocents who lose their lives in the present day due to war and terrorism.
As John McCrae was kneeling at the grave of his friend in 1915 in Belgium, he was moved to write a poem reflecting the scene around him. He wrote this famous poem, entitled “In Flanders Field”: In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard among the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago. We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
McCrae himself was unhappy with the poem and he threw it aside, but one of McCrae’s fellow officers found it and was so touched that he sent the poem to England where it was published in the magazine Punch. What’s interesting is that Macrae – despite the horror he has experienced of war – still saw the need for it. He saw the urgent need for others to take the torch and carry it as best they can. We may need sometimes to take up our quarrel with the foe. War may be a necessary evil, but necessary nonetheless – Necessary that evil may not thrive.
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So today we remember. We wear our poppies with pride. But what will we do with our Poppies after Remembrance Day? Do we throw them in the bin? Do they end up discarded in a sideboard? Do we forget all about them? True remembrance means none of these things. It means holding onto our poppies and letting them remind us every day of our duty. Our immediate duty, I would say, is to do all in our power to maintain peace and solidarity between all peoples Surely, that would be the best way of honouring the fallen, of taking their torch and hold it high and not breaking faith with them. AMEN
Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Come to us,
You are One With Us, Mary’s Son;
Cleansing our souls from all their sin
Pouring Your love and goodness in: Jesus, our love for You we Sing –
Living Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, now and every day
Teach us how to pray, Son Of God;
You have commanded us to do
This In remembrance, Lord, of You: Into our lives, Your power breaks through,
Living Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, I would come to You,
Live my life for You, Son Of God.
All Your commands I know are true,
Your many gifts will make me new, Into my life, Your power breaks through,
Living Lord;
Hymn MP435 Lord Jesus Christ https://youtu.be/ekVLG-p8Xsc ( 1’30”) Words and Music: Patrick Appleford (born 1925); Tune LIVING LORD [98 88 83]
Benediction: The Lord bless us and keep us; The Lord make His face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us; The Lord lift His countenance upon us and grant us His peace; and may the Blessing of God Almighty, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit be with us all, evermore. Now, go in Peace, to Love and Serve the Lord.
AMEN
Music: “Ni**od”(from Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar, arr. William H. Harris) https://youtu.be/F20w5Mb7PcA. Played by Stephen Buzard, Assistant Organist at Saint Thomas Fifth Avenue in New York City (4’17”)
Stephen Buzard plays Ni**od, from the Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar, arranged by William H. Harris. Stephen is Assistant Organist at Saint Thomas Fif...
