Dear friends,

The season of Remembrance is upon us once more… time seems to pass by so very quickly!

At the very start of the month on Sunday 1st at 6pm we have our All Saints & All Souls Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance, a time set aside for us to especially remember and give thanks for those whom we love but no longer see. There will be the opportunity to come forward to light a prayer candle and have the name of your loved one(s) read out during our Act of Remembrance, if you would like that. There is a list at the back of Church, or you can let me know by email or phone.

The following Sunday 8th November we shall gather together, as a village, to
remember those who gave their lives in the World Wars and later conflicts. This year we will be returning to the previous format of gathering around the War Memorial for our short outdoor service. We will meet in the Church Hall from 10:30am for coffee. All are most welcome to join us for the continuation of the service in St. Stephen’s.

At the end of the month, Sunday 29th is Advent Sunday. At 6pm we will be having a Taizé Advent Service by candlelight. It is a very gentle and beautiful time together of readings and Taizé chants as well as Advent Carols. Do come. All are very welcome at all our services.

One of my favourite Taizé chants is ‘Jesus remember me, when you come into your kingdom’ (+Luke 23:42). The melody is beautiful and the words are spoken by the criminal hanging on the cross next to Jesus. Jesus responds with a promise, that on that very day, the repentant man will be with him in paradise.

We are assured, over and again, that our loved ones, all the blessed saints who have gone before, are indeed in paradise, resting with our Lord for evermore.

Every Sunday, as we gather for worship and in The Eucharist, we share and receive together, we hear Jesus’ words to us, ‘Do this in remembrance of me’.
Jesus shared a cup of wine and told his disciples it was a new covenant in his blood, poured out for forgiveness, a blessing for each of us.

At the start of all our services we remember that we live in a world of conflict and wars, and we light our Peace Candle as we continue to pray for peace. You may have seen the poster on our board ‘Praying for Peace’. As we remember with love and thanksgiving this month, may we also continue to pray for peace… a true and lasting peace in our world.

God Bless
Keith

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