(Please contact the Church Society Office if you would like to order this service as a booklet)

A SERVICE FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

This service is designed to start either at 10.30 a.m. or at 10.50 a.m., according to local custom. Alternative positions are therefore given for the Act of Remembrance (section 5). This section can also be used if the Silence is observed at an outside war memorial before the service begins. As the service is intended for ecumenical as well as Anglican use, there are alternative directions concerning the posture to be adopted for prayer.

Stand

1. INTRODUCTION

Minister

The Lord reigns for ever;

he has established his throne for judgement.

He will judge the world in righteousness;

he will govern the peoples with justice (Psa. 9:7-8).

Praise the Lord, all you nations;

extol him, all you peoples.

For great is his love towards us

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever (Psa. 117).

We have come together to worship almighty God;

to offer him praise and thanksgiving

for our nation's deliverance in time of war;

to recall to our minds

those who through death, injury or bereavement,

suffered to bring peace and freedom to our world;

to seek his forgiveness

for our failure to achieve reconciliation

between the nations, and

to ask for strength

to overcome evil and injustice wherever it is found.

2. HYMN

(Suggested Hymn: 'O God, our help in ages past.')

Kneel or sit

3. Confession

Minister

Jesus said,

'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you...

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.'

He also said,

'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'

As we realise our failure to live up to

Christ's standards and to obey his commands,

let us come in penitence to seek God's forgiveness,

as we say together:

All

Almighty and merciful God, Lord of men and nations,

we confess with shame the sins, both private and public,

by which we have broken your law and grieved your Spirit.

We acknowledge the reproach that war has brought

upon the name of Christ.

We confess our lack of love for you and for our fellow men.

For the sake of your Son, who died for us,

save us from our sins.

Take from us all hatred and bitterness,

whether in thought, word or action.

Teach us to forgive, as we are forgiven,

so that we may grow more like him

and live our lives according to your will.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Minister

Almighty God, who has promised to forgive

all who repent of their sins and believe

in his Son, Jesus Christ;

grant us pardon for our sins, peace in our hearts,

strength in his service, and everlasting life.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Stand

4. PSALM 46 may be sung or said

1 God is our | refuge and | strength:

a very | present | help in | trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the | earth

be | moved:

and though the mountains are | shaken in the |

midst of the | sea;

+3 though the waters | rage and | foam:

and though the mountains quake at the | rising |

of the | sea.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the | city

of | God:

the holy dwelling place | of the | Most | High.

5 God is in the midst of her

therefore she shall | not be | moved:

God will | help her and at | break of | day.

6 The nations make uproar and the | kingdoms

are | shaken:

but God has lifted his | voice and the | earth

shall | tremble.

7 The Lord of | hosts is | with us:

the God of | Jacob | is our | stronghold.

8 Come then and see what the | Lord has | done:

what destruction he has | brought up | on the earth.

9 He makes wars to cease in | all the | world:

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear

and burns the | chariots | in the | fire.

10 'Be still and know that | I am | God:

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be ex | alted up | on the | earth.'

11 The Lord of | hosts is | with us:

the God of | Jacob | is our | stronghold.

Glory to the Father and | to the | Son:

and | to the | Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be | ginning is | now:

and shall be for | ever | A | men.

If  the service began at 10.30 a.m., proceed to section 6 and then use

section 5 later, as indicated.

If the service began at 10.50 a.m.

5 ALL STAND FOR THE ACT OF REMEMBRANCE

Verses from Psalm 103 may be read

Minister

Let us remember with gratitude

those who, in the cause of peace

and the service of their fellow men,

died for their country in time of war.

The list of those to be remembered by name may be read

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

we will remember them.

All      We will remember them.

The Last Post may be sounded

THE SILENCE

It may be helpful to use this time to pray

for those bereaved through war; for those who suffer

in body, mind or spirit as the result of war; for the

troubled places in the world; and for peace.

The Reveille may be sounded

Sit

6 READING FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

e.g. Isaiah 2:1-5; 10:33-11:9; Jeremiah 18: 1-16a; Micah 4: 1-5;

Habakkuk 2: 1-14

Reader    This is the Word of the Lord

All             Thanks be to God.

Stand

7 THE JUBILATE

1 O shout to the Lord in triumph | all the | earth:

serve the Lord with gladness

and come before his | face with | songs of | joy.

2 Know that the Lord | he is | God:

is is he who has made us and we are his

we are his | people and the | sheep of his |

pasture.

3 Come into his gates with thanksgiving

and into his | courts with | praise:

give thanks to him and | bless his | holy | name.

4 For the Lord is good * his loving mercy | is for | ever:

his faithfulness through | out all | gener | ations.

Glory to the Father and | to the | Son:

and | to the | Holy | Spirit;

as it was in the be | ginning is | now:

and shall be for | ever. | A | men.

Or HYMN (Suggested Hymn: 'All people that on earth do dwell.')

Sit

8 READING FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

e.g. Matthew 5: 1-12; Romans 8:31-end; James 4: 1-10

Reader     This is the Word of the Lord.

All              Thanks be to God.

Stand

9 HYMN

(Suggested Hymn: Jesus shall reign where'er the sun')

10 THE CREED may be said

All

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit

and born of the Virgin Mary.

He suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again.

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Kneel

11 Prayers

All

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Lead us not into temptation

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Minister

The collect for the day may be used

A prayer of thanksgiving

O God our Father,

We thank you for all your goodness to us

as a nation, and for the many occasions

when you have guided and protected us.

We thank you for your Word, the Bible,

which down the years has moulded the laws

and thinking of our country.

Above all, we thank and praise you for sending

your Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Saviour.

Today, especially, we give thanks for those

who died in the cause of freedom and justice,

so that your truth might continue to be known,

and your laws obeyed within our nation.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for those who suffer

Father, we remember how your Son, during the time

of his ministry on earth, had great compassion

for those who suffered.

We bring to you those who still suffer

as the result of war.

Hear our prayer, Father, for those who live with

the pain and scars of bodily injury; for those

whose minds are shattered by the horrors which

they witnessed or endured; for those who have

been bereaved; for those who do not believe

in you or trust their fellow men.

Grant to them peace of mind and heart, and relief

from all their suffering,

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A prayer for peace

O Prince of peace,

Bring your peace into our disorded world.

Come now to live in our hearts.

Bring your order into our chaos.

Hasten the day when you will come again, and

all men will acknowledge your sovereign rule.

In your name we ask this. Amen.

If the service began at 10.30 a.m., section 5 should now be used

(kneel or sit)

For our Queen and those in authority

Lord God, whose faithfulness knows no end,

We pray for our Queen and for all those under her

who guide and govern the affairs of our nation.

Grant that they may honour you, so that they may be

set free from the fear of man.

Help them in every situation to know and do

the thing that is right.

Overrule all their deliberations for the good of our

people and the glory of your name.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For our nation

Grant, O Lord, that our people may devote themselves

unselfishly to the common good, giving much

and taking little.

Grant that we may love your Word and seek to obey

your commandments, so that justice and peace,

unity and concord, may reign in our land.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For ourselves

O God our Father, help us to realise that

all striving after justice must begin

with ourselves, and not with others.

Make us to be those who work for peace and seek

always to express your love in the world.

Help us to encourage the spirit of reconciliation,

by being those who forgive, rather than those

who try to establish their rights.

We ask this in the name of the One who forgave

those who persecuted him, even Jesus Christ

our Lord. Amen.

All

The Prayer of St Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is despair, hope;

and where there is sadness, joy.

Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console;

to be understood as to understand;

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

and in dying that we are born again

to eternal life. Amen.

The grace

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,

be with us all evermore. Amen.

Stand

12 HYMN (Suggested Hymn: 'He who would valiant be.')

Sit

13 THE ADDRESS

Stand

14 HYMN (Suggested Hymn: 'When this land knew God's gracious love outpoured.)'

or

'Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided.'

Kneel or sit

15 THE BLESSING

Stand

16 THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

(Please contact the Church Society Office if you would like to order this service as a booklet)