Remembrance Service & Update from Revd Miri Keen

From 15th November we’ll be returning to Zoom Church at 10.45am every Sunday another ‘good thing’ that showed us week by week that we are part of a community who with God’s help and his love in our hearts will pass through this season with hope for new beginnings.    
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Remembrance Sunday & Armistice Day
Acts of Remembrance will take place, but with this, from the Government website, at the forefront of our minds: 
“For the avoidance of doubt, the following people are legally permitted to attend events to commemorate Remembrance Sunday as participants. Attendees should observe social distancing at all times. Attendees should also take advantage of opportunities for wreath layers to represent wider groups.
·         people attending as part of their work (such as local councillors, local faith leaders, the local MP)
·         people attending in a voluntary capacity on behalf of a recognised organisation
·         members of the armed forces
·         veterans of the armed forces, and/or their representatives or carers
Members of the public are legally permitted to stop and watch the event as spectators, but event organisers should take reasonable steps to discourage the public from attending events, and be mindful of the risk that such events pose, especially to veterans who are often elderly.”
In order to enable every member of our communities to honour those who left our villages to serve but who never returned, we are encouraging all those who do not fall into one of the authorised groups to hold a ‘Doorstep Remembrance’ at home at 11am on Sunday morning.  You may wish to observe the silence in your own way, perhaps lighting a candle, laying a wreath or poppy; you may prefer to listen to the radio coverage from London, or you may wish to use the short order of service I am attaching to this email.    I hope that in much the same way that ‘Clap for Carers’ offered us an opportunity for a collective thanksgiving ‘Doorstep Remembrance’ will be a poignant collective pause to remember that the service of every one of the Fallen began on the doorstep as they left their home and is remembered by us. 
I am grateful to our Parish Councils and all those who have been working with me to interpret and enact the most recent regulations and accompanying advice.

The following Acts of Remembrance will take place subject to Government Regulations
Remembrance Sunday 8th November
Leckhampstead War Memorial          10.50am
Welford &Wickham War Memorial   10.50am
Armistice Day Wednesday 11th November
Brightwalton War Memorial              10.55am

On 11th November (Wednesday) we shall be gathering on Zoom for ‘Prayers for Peace’.  In a troubled world this will be an opportunity to pray for peacemakers and peacekeepers of all sorts and from all nations and communities.  The Zoom link is in this week’s pew sheet 

Revd Miriam Keen