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Vicar’s Letter 8^th November 2021

Remembrance Day this year is celebrated on Sunday 14th November. Arguably, this is the only day in each calendar year that brings the country together in communal silence, private grief and renewed hope. No matter where you are, the Last Post is played by that lone trumpet, the same words of Laurence Binyon are spoken. The weather often conspires too and I find myself thinking about how important the temporary discomfort of the cold or the rain or the wind (or all of the above!) is in contrast to the size of the sacrifice of those whom we are remembering. There is both a social and communal dimension in remembering these important events. With Remembrance Day, we have so much to be grateful for, recognised without reservation and with a huge collection of stories and poems that seek to express our gratitude.

In Isaiah 46:9 the Lord commands, “Remember your history, your long and rich history. I am God, the only God you’ve had or ever will have – incomparable, irreplaceable – From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, all along letting you in on what is going to happen, assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do.’” Throughout Scripture the Lord invites his people to examine their history in order to see examples of his love and power, to encourage them to continue serving Him, and to warn them away from sin and idolatry.

The Scriptures speak loudly about the importance of history. God’s divine power and wisdom ultimately control human events, but history is also the story of man’s response to God in rebellion and reconciliation. A rigorous study of history must incorporate both of these elements, keeping the divine narrative in mind while taking seriously the human actors involved.

Preserving the memory of these events is vital to the future of our ministry and our ability to see God’s love and graciousness.

It is important to understand the past to move forward to the future. To continue to give thanks for our loved ones who touched our lives and made us who we are.. To continue to give thanks for those who have served and are still serving today in all our armed forces men and women. For lives broken and shattered in doing their duty. For lives changed by those who did not come back.

Remembering the past gives power to the present.

Sharon