This weekend the churches join in remembering the 75th Anniversary of the end of World War 2.
Matthew 5: 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God”
Peace loving God,
on this special anniversary,
your Church remembers
all who have fallen in war,
those who re-live war daily through injury or broken spirit
those left behind, grieving for a loved one.
And as we remember,
we pray for those who seek peace:
for those who are good negotiators
working with dedication and persistence;
going the extra mile for peace.
We pray for peace.
But also…
help us to find new ways of addressing aggression;
constructive ways of challenging harsh regimes,
seeking justice as well as peace.
We pray for peace.
Copyright © 2013 Martin Hazell”
“On this special Bank Holiday weekend, we commemorate the celebrations at the end of World War 2, when relieved after all the horrors of war, we could return to our lives, much affected but resolute in our belief the world could be a better place. Those following days, months, years as “the new normal” became a time of austerity and hardship for many, the people of Britain envisioned a social care structure that formed the NHS. 75 years later, as we recover from the first weeks of lockdown and, perhaps, a lessening of the restrictions imposed on us to help the NHS fight the effects amongst the vulnerable, we say a “thank you” to all the brave men and women who have worked tirelessly for our survival. Of course, we are far from being out of the woods, but we are mindful that at times of national emergency, we do our best when we all come together and play our part.
Despite our wealth as a country, let us remember those amongst us – the poor, the homeless, the vulnerable – who have faced this emergency in ways that most of us cannot imagine – the people who are stuck in high-rise flats, living on the streets, not having the cash to feed the family; the refugees and migrants. All of them are part of our communities and, in what is often described as a Christian country, require our help and support. And so, this weekend, I ask your prayers especially for those who do not benefit as much as they need from our social services and healthcare programmes.
And also this weekend, as we start Christian Aid Week, on Sunday, when we offer pray and action for countries where structures of health and social care do not exist or if it exists it is for the wealthy and ruling classes. We can do our part and last week I outlined ways of donating to this important charity and for ease I repeat the key links:
Give to Christian Aid: you can donate through their secure website, https://www.christianaid.org.uk/appeals/key-appeals/christian-aid-week by phoning or by saving and retaining what you wish to give so that when churches reopen we can collect the monies together and send it to Christian Aid.
You can also sign up for daily prayer and reflection with guest speakers, including a special virtual act of worship on May 10th with sermon by Rowan Williams. https://www.christianaid.org.uk/christian-aid-week/daily-prayer-reflection”
Martin