Printed Service – Sunday 10th November 2024
Prepared by Rev Steve Mann
‘We will remember them’
Some of the resources used in this service are taken from the Remembrance resource produced by the Methodist Forces Board for November 2023. The full resource can be downloaded here https://www.methodist.org.uk/for-churches/ministries/chaplaincy/exploring-chaplaincy/forces-chaplaincy/resources-for-chaplains-and-churches/resources-for-methodist-churches/
Preparation for Worship:
When the guns of war fell silent
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When the guns of war fell silent,
weary soldiers cheered and sang.
In the streets of towns and cities
crowds rejoiced and church bells rang.
Row on row of limestone crosses
now recall the sacrifice.
We remember, we will treasure
peace, that comes at such a price.
On a dark Judaean hillside
crosses silhouette the sky,
where the Son of God was taken,
crucified and left to die.
He was wounded for our healing,
gave his life that we might live,
deepest mercy, reconciling
peace, that nothing less could give.
When will all the guns be silent?
How we long for war to cease.
From the ruins of each conflict
rises up our prayer for peace.
May the selfless love of Jesus
give us hope at last to see
all the nations, celebrating
peace, when all the world is free
Andrew Moll © Andrew Moll / Jubilate Administered by Jubilate Hymns Ltd, copyrightmanager@jubilatehymns.co.uk CCL# 7119528
Hymn: Be still my soul
Be still my soul the Lord is on your side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief and pain.
Leave to your God, to order and provide,
In every change, He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul, your saviour and your friend,
will lead you safe until a joyful end.
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 wind and waves will know,
His voice who ruled, while he was here below.
Be still my soul the hour is hastening 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.
Arrangement: © 2019 Alanna Glover Words: Katharina Von Schlegel, translated Jane Borthwick; additional Alanna Glover CCLI No: 7125872
Prayer : God of Love, At this time of Remembrance, help us to remember, now more than ever, that all people are members of your family and called to reflect your likeness and light. We acknowledge that we find some of those qualities harder to reflect than others.
As today we are mindful of times when our nations have faced division, conflict and war, we confess that Christ was not selective about those whom he chose to love, forgive and bless: “he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
So, help us reflect who you are by echoing your love in all we do. For we are called to the costly business of being as committed to the welfare of those who call themselves our enemies as we are to the welfare of those we call our friends.
In obedience to the one who calls us to follow him as Lord, and inspired by his cross – a symbol of the greatest act of ‘love for enemies’ there has ever been – enable us to willingly embrace all that it stands for.
Help us to stand shoulder to shoulder with those we once called enemies and call them friends, living in a way that:
enables us to build bridges across seemingly impossible divides,
enables us to be ministers of peace and reconciliation,
allows light to shine in the darkest of places.
As we look at the dark and broken world around us, may we place our hope as in the prayer of Desmond Tutu: “Good is stronger than evil; love is stronger than hate; light is stronger than darkness; life is stronger than death. Victory is ours, through him who loves us.”
And empower us to face the challenges, in the midst of the many tribulations in our world that can cause hatred and division, to make our lives ones that promote goodness and love, life and light.
Amen.
The Revd Paul Mellor (RAF chaplain)
Reflection from Chaplain Tim Flowers:
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I’m Padre Tim Flowers I’m a Methodist Presbyter currently serving as chaplain to the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Leuchars Station in Scotland. Remembrance continues to be such an important time of the year no matter what the distance is since the long-ago times of the First and Second World Wars. We should always remember the sacrifice that was made on our behalf but it’s important that we remember that that sacrifice has continued to take place since the end of 1945 and that so many men and women have given their lives on our behalf since then.
When I take Remembrance parades and I’ve been fortunate enough to take them in different countries in different places, out in the fields or in a church or even in a Commonwealth War Grave Cemetery, I remember and give thanks for those that were willing to make that ultimate sacrifice.
Many of those around me have got different feelings; some who just wonder what it’s a about because it’s their first time and they’re trying to understand why somebody near to them has suddenly gone quiet, somebody stopped talking, somebody perhaps withdrawn into themselves as they remember two friends that they’ve lost. There are others those who perhaps see this as an opportunity to reflect on their own service and the experiences that they’ve had.
The British army is multicultural. We have many people of faith and people of no faith, but whoever I speak to wherever they come from whatever their ideas and their mind, the mind that they have, they always know and understand Jesus’ words when he said “greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friend” because that’s what being a service person means. We serve for our country and our nation but most of all we serve for those alongside us and that is so important. The other thing to remember about Remembrance is that it’s also a message of hope and a message of peace. A prayer to the Lord that those difficult times that have gone before, that have led to these different sacrifices being made on our behalf, will no longer be there. That we have a hope for the future for our children – a hope for peace in our world and Remembrance is so much important more important than just remembering those who have gone, but also looking forward to the future.
Hymn: StF 132 O God our help in ages past
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O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
Beneath the shadow of Thy throne
Still may we dwell secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.
Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.
O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.
Isaac watts (1674-1748)
Act of Remembrance:
This is a ten minute act of remembrance produced by the Plymouth and Devenport Methodist Circuit which includes a two minute silence; a poem, ‘Because of You’, written and read by Anne Middleton and the song, ‘You raise me up’, sung by Rev. Darren Middleton.
Or you may wish to create your own Act of Remembrance.
Printed below are words taken from the order of service produced by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
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.
All affirm:
We will remember them.
The beginning of the silence may be signalled
Silence
The completion of the silence may be signalled
The Kohima Epitaph
When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.
Prayer
Ever-living God we remember those whom you have gathered from the storm of war into the peace of your presence; may that same peace calm our fears, bring justice to all peoples and establish harmony among the nations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn: StF 707 Make me a channel of your peace
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Make me a channel of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love;
where there is injury, your healing power,
and where there’s doubt, true faith in you.
O, Master, grant that I may never seek
so much to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace:
where there’s despair in life let me bring hope;
Where there is darkness, only light,
and where there’s sadness, ever joy.
O, Master…
Make me a channel of your peace:
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
in giving to all that we receive,
and in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
Sebastian Temple, 1928-1997
Dedicated to Mrs. Frances Tracy © 1967, OCP Publications
Prayers
Let us confess to God the sins of the world; its pride, its selfishness, its greed; its evil divisions and hatreds.
Let us confess our share in what is wrong, and our failure to seek and establish the peace that God wills for creation.
Merciful God, bless our rulers and those in authority under them, that they may order all things in wisdom, righteousness and peace, to the honour of your holy name, and the good of your church and people.
Let us pray for the peace of the world:
For leaders and rulers; that they may have the wisdom to know, and the courage to do, what is right.
For all who work to improve international relationships; that they may find the true way to reconcile people of different race, colour and creed.
And for all people the world over; that they may have justice and freedom, and live in security and peace.
God, you have taught us, through your Son, that we should love one another; that no one has greater love than to lay down their life for their friends.
We remember with gratitude those who have done this, and those who continue to risk their lives for the good of others. May their decision and sacrifice never be in vain.
Let us pray for all those who suffer as a result of war; for the injured and the disabled, the mentally distressed, and for those whose faith in God and in humanity has been weakened or destroyed.
Almighty God, infinite in wisdom, love and power, have compassion on those for whom we pray; help us to learn from all the suffering of humanity, through him who gave himself for us on the cross – Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
The Revd Mike Hall (RAF chaplain)
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Hymn: StF 238 Lead us heavenly Father, lead us
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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;
lone and dreary, faint and weary,
through the desert 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.
James Edmeston (1791-1867)
Postcript:
You may wish to finish by listening to Mark Knopfler’s evocative song, ‘Remembrance Day’.
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On your maypole green
See the winding Morris men
Angry Alfie, Bill and Ken
Waving hankies sticks and books
All the earthen roofs
Standing at the crease
The batsman takes a look around
The boys are fielding on home ground
The steeple sharp against the blue
When I think of you
Sam and Andy
Jack and John
Charlie, Martin
Jamie, Ron
Harry, Stephen
Will and Don
Matthew, Michael
On and on
We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them
We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them
Time has slipped away
The summer sky to autumn yields
A haze of smoke across the fields
Let’s sup and fight another round
And walk the stubbled ground
When November brings
The poppies on Remembrance Day
When the vicar comes to say
May God bless them every one
Lest we forget our sons
We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them
We will remember them
Remember them
Remember them
Mark Knopfler © Unison Rights S.L., Universal Music Publishing Group