Oder of service Remembrance Sunday 2024

The Town Mayor of Stourport-on-Severn Councillor J. Thomas
The Deputy Mayor of Stourport-on-Severn Councillor H. Williams
Members of Stourport-on-Severn Town Council
Town Clerk Sue Saunders
The Clergy Lay Minister Sandra Baty
The Royal British Legion Members of Stourport-on-Severn Branch
The Parade Marshall Cpl. Liam Trownson
Assistant Parade Marshall Barry Cooper

ORDER OF SERVICE

Led by Lay Minister Sandra Baty

O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know. Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world; and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm. As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future; for you are the source of life and hope, now and for ever. Amen.

Scripture:

God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46.1

This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Lamentations 3.21-23

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6.8

Introduction

We meet in the presence of God. We commit ourselves to work in penitence and faith for reconciliation between the nations, that all people may, together, live in freedom, justice and peace. We pray for all who in bereavement, disability and pain continue to suffer the consequences of fighting and terror. We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow those whose lives, in world wars and conflicts past and present, have been given in courage and taken away, by war and prejudice.

Remembering

Roll of Honour

1914 - 1918 read by The Town Mayor

1939 - 1945 read by The Deputy Mayor

Subsequent Conflicts and in the Falklands in 1982

A member of the British Legion says:

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 affirm: We will remember them.

The beginning of the two-minute silence may be signalled by the Bugle.

Silence...

The completion of the silence may be signalled by the Bugle.

Kohima Epitaph: When you go home, tell them of us and say - for your tomorrow we gave our today.

Laying of Wreaths

Prayer:

Ever-living God we remember those whom you have gathered from the storm of war into the peace of your presence; may that same peace calm our fears, bring justice to all peoples and establish harmony among the nations, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Lay Minister Sandra Baty

Hymn:

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home;

A thousand ages in thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

Words by Isaac Watts
Music - St Anne - by William Croft

Act of Commitment

We say together:

To remember the past is to commit ourselves to the future. To remember war is to commit ourselves to peace. To remember violence and tyranny is to commit ourselves to love. Let us promise to strive for peace in our world starting in our hearts and in our homes. Let us promise to build peace into our community, our neighbourhood, our country and our world.

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
Where there is injury, let us bring forgiveness;
Where there is doubt, let us offer faith;
Where there is darkness, let us bring light;
Where there is despair, let us offer hope;
And where there is sadness, let us bring joy.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in forgiving that we are forgiven;
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Universal Prayer for Peace

Lead us from death to life, from falsehood to truth; lead us from despair to hope, from fear to trust; lead us from hate to love, from war to peace. Let peace fill our hearts, our world, our universe. And may it begin here with us. Amen.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

God Save our Gracious King
Long live our noble King
God Save the King
Send him victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God Save the King

Henry Carey

The Blessing

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.