Email
RSS2‘remembrance’ a remembrance day service [11.11.01]
this act of worship was written in the aftermath of the attack on the world trade centre, new york on september 11th. some of the symbolism in the service was intended to provide time and space for prayer prompted by the events - especially the slab of concrete used in the ‘past’ section of the service and some of the newspaper cuttings used in the ‘present’ section.
the front of the worship area contained an altar, a bare tree and a slab of concrete.
the structure of the service (past, present and future) was inspired by a service originally created for wolverton methodist church in 1999. you can read an explanation and liturgy of that service at: http://seaspray.trinity-bris.ac.uk/~altwfaq/ .
we left a silent pause was left between each section to allow time for prayer and reflection.
photographs taken after the service can be seen here
The Service:
prior to the start of the service video images of conflict played behind the altar.
welcome
spoken welcome to the worship
meditation
guided meditation to relax and focus on god
hymn: ‘be here now’
a hymn of invocation
explanation of service & 1st ritual
spoken explanation of the theme of the service, the 3-part structure and the invitation to take part in the prayer ritual following the poem
[past]
poem: ‘parable of the old & young man’ by wilfred owen
So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said,
My Father, Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb, for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps,
And builded parapets and trenches there,
And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.
When lo! an Angel called him out of heaven,
Saying, Lay not they hand upon the lad,
Neither do anything to him, thy son.
Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns,
A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.But the old man would not so, but slew his son,
And half the seed of Europe, one by one.
ritual: chalking prayers
the congregation were invited to chalk their prayers or symbols onto the slab of concrete at the front of the worship area
psalm (23, 27 or 28)
silence
[present]
explanation of 2nd ritual
newspapers were passed round & articles or images relating to conflict and violence were torn out.
ritual: newspapers & poppies
the congregation were invited to bring forwrad the torn newspeper items, place them on the altar and scatter poppy petals over them.
poem: ‘on prayer’ by Czeslaw Milosz
You ask me how to pray to someone who is not.
All I know is that prayer constructs a velvet bridge
And walking it we are aloft, as on a springboard,
Above landscapes the color of ripe gold
Transformed by a magic stopping of the sun.
That bridge leads to the shore of Reversal
Where everything is just the opposite and the word is
Unveils a meaning we hardly envisioned.
Notice: I say we; there, every one, separately,
Feels compassion for others entangled in the flesh
And knows that if there is no other shore
We will walk that aerial bridge all the same.
hymn: ‘light within my darkness’ by abbess
spoken prayer for peace
silence
[future]
introduction to 3rd ritual
ritual: tree prayers
the congregation were invited to write prayers for the future on slips of paper and then to hang them on the bare tree at the front of the worship area. the tree of prayers symbolised life and growth for the future.
reading
a short series of passages from the bible promising peace
blessing: ‘god be in my head’
a body prayer in which actions replaced the words of this traditional blessing
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in mine eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at mine end, and at my departing.
prayer cards featuring a native amercian prayer were left by the door for people to take away with them
