For Remembrance Sunday, our service included as usual a period of respectful silence, during which we remembered before God all those who gave their lives in the two world wars and in many conflicts since.
The hymns were sensitively chosen, beginning with ‘I Vow to Thee my Country’ to the well-known tune by Holst. ‘Put peace into each other’s hands’ during communion was sung to the tune St Columba, and the sending out hymn was ‘Rejoice, O Land, in God thy Might’. At other points during the service, we listened to our organist playing Melita (‘Eternal Father strong to save’), Sibelius’ Finlandia – associated with ‘Be Still My Soul’ – and the music for ‘O God our Help in Ages Past’.
Andrea spoke of the great suffering and loss that war brings but also the courage and resilience, qualities apparent, too, during this challenging time of pandemic. We heard in the reading of St. Paul’s letter to the Romans his understanding of suffering, but also his conviction that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. Love again was at the heart of the Gospel message, and in the reading from the book of Revelation, St John’s vision of heaven, we were shown an image of great resurrection hope.
A display of delicate poppies placed to the side of the communion rail reminded us of the symbol for remembrance, and hope for a peaceful future.