MOVING MEMORIAL SERVICE ATTENDED BY VETERANS AND ROYALTY
By J. Brock (FINN)
A service of remembrance was held at Christ Church Cathedral at 0940 on Sunday, 10 November 2002. It began with words of welcome by Rev. Alistair McHaffie (AM):
THE WELCOME:
Welcome to Christ Church Cathedral. A special welcome to His Royal Highness, the Duke of York. We are delighted, sir, that you can be with us on this occasion. We also welcome His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Donald Lamont and Mrs. Lamont and also the Commander British Forces, Commodore Richard Ibbotsen and Mrs. Ibbotsen. And, of course, on this occasion, it is a delight to welcome nearly 200 veterans to our service. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate you all in the Cathedral. It is a delight to see, maybe 50 of you in here. There is an over-flow in the Parish Hall and I do hope those listening in the parish hall will participate in the service by singing when we sing. So, please join in as if you were here in the Cathedral.
NOTICE:
Just before we start our service, Commander Surgeon, Rick Jolley has brought to the Falkland Islands, as a part of the SAMA Pilgrimage, two gold medallions struck by the Royal Mint. And each with either the reverse image of the South Atlantic Medal These are going to be presented to HM the Queen on the 27th of November, as a gift from the South Atlantic Medal Association.
DE3DICATION OF THE MEDALLIONS:
This year marks both Her Majesty’s golden Jubilee and the 20th anniversary of the restoration of her sovereignty to the people and the territory of the Falkland Islands.
Pray. Almighty God, source of all sovereignty, we dedicate these medallions to you. We ask that they may be a perpetual reminder to Her Majesty of this pilgrimage and of the sacrifices made by so many to restore her sovereignty to these Islands. We pray through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Amen.
OPENING HYMN: "O God, Our Help in Ages Past"
PRAYER BY MONSIGNOR MICHAEL McPARTLAND:
We Are here to worship Almighty God, whose purposes are good, whose power sustains the world he has made, who loves us, though we have failed in his service and who gave his only son, Jesus Christ, for the life of the world. As we give thanks for His great work of redemption on the cross, we remember all those who lived and died in His service and in the service of others. We pray for all who suffer through war and are in need. We ask for his help and blessing that we may do his will. And, that the whole world may acknowledge Him as Lord and King.
PRESENTATION OF THE STANDARDS: (Hymn, "Thine Be the Glory")
ROLL OF HONOUR: (Read by Cllr. The Hon. Mr. Roger Edwards)
THE ACT OF PENITENCE AND ABSOLUTION: (Rev. Ken Newton)
INTERCESSIONS: (Rev. David Devenney and Fr. Alf Hayes)
THE LORD’S PRAYER: (All the Congregation)
HYMN: "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer"
BIBLE READING, LUKE 17: 11-19: (HRH The Duke of York CVO ADC)
THE ADDRESS: (Rev. Alistair McHaffie)
Pray: Heavenly Father, we bow in your presence, May your Word be our rule, your Spirit our teacher and your greater glory our supreme concern. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Scottish Presbyterian minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful.
One Sunday morning the weather was so miserable and gloomy that one church member thought to himself, "Surely the preacher won't think of anything for which to thank God on a wretched day like this." Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying,
"We thank Thee, O God, that the weather’s not always like this."
His Royal Highness read us an account from the life of Jesus.
Jesus had healed 10 men of a most debilitating incurable and horrible disease - which is what leprosy was 2,000 years ago.
Ten men were made whole, only one showed gratitude
Ten men were returned to their families, only one said, "Thank you"
Our Governor has told me that, some years ago when he was an Ambassador elsewhere in the world he knew a clergyman who refused to take Remembrance Services because he was a pacifist.
I think he missed the point.
What we are doing this morning is expressing our gratitude for what others have done for us.
This year in particular, with the presence of so many veterans of the 1982 conflict, we cannot help but focus on those who lost their lives in order to restore democracy and freedom to the Falkland Islands.
We mourn the loss of those who died.
We regret that people died and were injured here 20 years ago.
And I hope that those of you who are here this morning, as veterans of that conflict, have experienced the gratitude of Falkland Islander for what you and your comrades did for them.
Of course, on Remembrance Sunday we think beyond 1982.
And we look back to the two World Wars of the 20th Century when millions died in order to preserve democracy and freedom and to restrain the influence of evil.
Falkland Islanders volunteered to serve in both of these wars and some of them died.
We regret their passing, and this morning we remember them, and we are grateful for the sacrifice they made.
War is at best always regrettable. War is a symptom of the failure of politicians and of human reason and diplomacy. War is a symptom of our sinful human condition.
But good can emerge from
In a sermon at Emanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, Gary Wilburn said: "In 1636, amid the darkness of the Thirty Years' War, a German pastor, Martin Rinkart, is said to have buried five thousand of his parishioners in one year, and average of fifteen a day. His parish was ravaged by war, death, and economic disaster. In the heart of that darkness, with the cries of fear outside his window, he sat down and wrote this table grace for his children: 'Now thank we all our God / With heart and hands and voices;/ Who wondrous things had done,/ In whom His world rejoices. /Who, from our mother's arms, Hath led us on our way/ With countless gifts of love/ And still is ours today. '"Here was a man who knew thanksgiving comes from love of God, not from outward circumstances.
ACT OF COMMITMENT: (Rev Matthew Olanrewaju RAF)
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM:
THE BLESSING (Rev. Alistair McHaffie)
HYMN: ("Now Thank We All Our God")
(100X Transcription Service)
Note: A transcription of the service at the Cross of Sacrifice follows.
