Dear Friends and neighbours,

As we come towards the close of a calendar year, the autumn days are drawing in, we naturally turn our minds to remembrance. Remembering is both at the same time a personal experience retelling of stories of lives and events that we have been involved with, and, it is a national action as we remember those lives lost through acts of war and sacrificial service. We remember with love those who have been caught up in grief and suffering, it seems trite to say we are thankful at this time, but we can remember and grieve with one another. When we remember this as a nation we are invited to reflect on the cost of war using the words of the Kohima Epitaph “ when you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow we gave our today.”

Nobody wants their life to count for nothing. We each have a purpose, a calling, we have a tendency to try and reduce this to a limited number of spheres of life such as becoming a nurse or teacher or becoming a priest, but it is true for us all. We each have a purpose with ambition and desire, we do not exist to simply please ourselves, we are beings that are hardwired for sense and meaning. Those that went to war, that will yet go to war do so in the hope that their lives will have meaning, they seek to serve the better good.

As I said earlier, this is also the time when we might reflect on our own memories and relationships that we have been part of. This reflection may cause us to feel joy and peace, it may also cause us distress and anger. Grief is a difficult period with no neat end date, no neat structure. Despite this, our work places and, maybe, family and friends expect us to ‘work through it’ or ‘snap out of it’ as if we can neatly switch our emotions off and on at whim.

In both the Christian and Jewish tradition there is a long history about the power of remembering and the healing presence of tears. The Psalms often recount the terrible disasters that the Jewish people experienced but are framed by the remembrance that God was present and brought them through that time of trial. The Gospels tell us how Jesus demonstrated his love for all people especially those who were ill at ease, those who mourn, those who are in dark places, those who have been unfairly treated, we are called to remember the way in which Jesus practiced love by giving himself through service to those in need. And so we remember, God is with us, God is for us. We might struggle to understand how this might be true, but can only do so as we remember and bring to mind events and relationships that we could not control but somehow seem miraculous in their occurrence.

There are two events which I would like to invite you to in Tresillian.

Sunday 2nd November 11.15 am at Holy Trinity A service of Holy Communion for All Saints ‘Remembering loved ones’
A service during which we will remember those whom we have loved but no longer see. The congregation are invited to light a candle in remembrance. All are welcome.

Sunday 9th 10.50 am Act of Remembrance at the Memorial in the playing field when we remember those who have given their lives in the hope of making a difference to those they left behind.

Gras ha kres,

Caroline
Revd Caroline Husband
01726 337730