Remembering for the future

Remembrance is about remembering. It is important to remember not only to learn the lessons of the past and to honour those who lost their lives in war, but also to help us shape the future of our world. We look back to the past in order to live the future more bravely, and we commit ourselves to work for peace and justice for all.

Planning

These websites will supply many appropriate display resources:
The National Memorial Arboretum
Help for Heroes: hero stories
Help for Heroes: shop
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission map

Gather

Prepare the space

Use some sheets of red crepe paper or a swathe of red fabric as the base of a display and place on it a picture of the National Memorial Arboretum, some Help for Heroes fund raising items, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission easy read leaflets and the map showing the countries in which Commonwealth War Graves are situated.
See Planning for hyperlinks to websites.

When it is time for the service to begin, fade any music that is playing as a number of young people move to stand beside the display. They read briefly some of the experiences of young, injured servicemen that can be found on the Help for Heroes website (see Planning), one voice fading as another starts to read. With appropriate technology you could display photographs of those whose words are being read.

Greeting

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all:
with us and with all who strive
for peace and justice.

Hymn ‘O Lord all the world belongs to you’ or ‘When a knight won his spurs’

Opening activity
Look together at the items displayed on the red background. Note the sheer extent of the commitment of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – soldiers from the British Commonwealth are buried right across the world. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was the result of the vision of Sir Fabian Ware. Too old to fight in the First World War, he became the commander of a mobile unit of the British Red Cross and horrified by the extent of the casualties, he decided to find a way to ensure their burial places would not be lost forever. His unit began recording and caring for all the graves they could find. By 1915, their work was recognised and the Graves Registration Commission became a unit of the British Army. It was actually an American woman, Moina Michael, who instituted the idea of using poppies for remembrance and the tradition spread to the British Commonwealth, where the idea has continued. Here is her poem:

Poem We Shall Keep the Faith

Oh! you who sleep in Flanders’ fields,
Sleep sweet - to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the faith
With all who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valour led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders’ fields.

And now the torch and poppy red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We'll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders’ fields.

A prayer of confession

Gracious God, when we glory in power and not in humility:
forgive us and grant us your peace.
When we glory in satisfaction and not service:
forgive us and grant us your peace.
When our hearts are at war with your will for our lives:
forgive us and grant us your peace.
When we are reluctant to plant the seeds of our plenty in the soil of the needs of others:
forgive us and grant us your peace.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.

Hymn  ‘Make me a channel of your peace’

 
Open the Word

Present the Word

Jesus said, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

 
‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say – “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’
John 12.23-28

 
Explore the Word

Red is a colour for remembering and so all the items that help us in today’s service are laid on a red foundation. Remembrance Sunday began after the First World War ended, nearly a hundred years ago. Then it was not a Sunday, just 11 November each year, the day the war ended. After the Second World War it was decided to remember on the Sunday nearest to 11 November each year. This year 11 November is a Sunday and we remember not just the dead of two world wars but also soldiers who have died in conflicts that are still happening. With new conflicts come new needs. Today’s injured service personnel conquer horrific injuries and need support to develop a new life-style.  Help for Heroes was born to raise money to fund this – and so today we give thanks for their initiative – which reflects the title of our service, Remembering for the future.

On the red display we see things that remind us of our commitment to remember: a picture of the National Memorial Arboretum, established to help us remember; the map of the Commonwealth war graves and items created by Help the Heroes to raise money for their work in support injured personnel as they look to the future.

But the most obvious item is missing. There are no poppies. So we are going to add these now.

Respond to the Word

You will need: a poppy template for each person, green pipe cleaners, scissors, pens and red crayons.

 
Invite people to cut out and decorate each of their two flower shapes. People might like to write thanksgivings, thoughts or prayers on them or simply colour them red. Then place one set of petals on top of the other and push a little hole through the middle of both sets using the tip of a pencil. Thread a pipe cleaner through the hole and twist a knot into one end of the pipe cleaner at the front of your poppy flower. Bend over the back of the pipe cleaner to make a stem and hold the flower in place.

Song ‘Peace is flowing like a river’ or ‘Think of a world without any flowers’

As you sing this song, people bring the poppies they have made and place them in vases around the display on the red cloth.

Prayers

A prayer of intercession

Led by four members of the congregation with a time of silence between each bidding.

As we remember those who have died in past wars,
so we pray too for those still dying today... 
and for those who grieve.....
God of the past be our future peace.

We remember those living in countries
where civil war is destroying communities
and making enemies of neighbours,
where fear and violence dominate every aspect of daily living...
God of today be our future peace.

We remember those who have been injured and traumatised
by the brutality of war ,
especially those robbed of their childhood
by what they have seen or been forced to do ...
God of tomorrow be our future peace.

We remember those who are peacemakers,
those who negotiate,
those who speak out at great cost to themselves and their families...
God of the future, be our eternal peace.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy 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 thine is the kingdom,
 the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

A prayer of commitment

In the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace,
will you comfort those who long for peace in their hearts?
We will.
Will you support those who long for peace in their families?
We will.
Will you visit those who long for peace in their homes?
We will.
Will you pray with those who long for peace in their church?
We will.
Will you work with those who long for peace in their communities?
We will.
Will you speak out for those who long for peace in their nation?
We will.
Will you honour those who work for peace in the world?
In Jesus’ name we will.
Amen.

Hymn ‘For all the saints’

Sending out prayer

Plant seeds of peace wherever your journey takes you
and bless others as you have been blessed. 
Speak no words that would wound.
Withhold nothing that can be shared and pray always for peace.
May God the Father be your strength,
Jesus the Son be your inspiration
and the Holy Spirit be your guide
this Remembrance Sunday and always.
Amen.