NOVEMBER – The Rector writes…
“Remember, remember the fifth of November…”
“At the going down of the sun and in the morning; We will remember them.”
I am always struck by how many opportunities for remembrance there are in November. The month begins with All Saints and All Souls Days (1st and 2nd November), when the church traditionally remembers those who have gone before us – not necessarily famous saints who have caused the miraculous, but ordinary saints. Those who have loved us and made us the people we are today, but who we no longer see this side of heaven. If you would like to gather with others to remember loved ones lost recently or a long time ago, Kingsland Church will be holding a Remembering Loved Ones service on 1st November at 6.30pm. All are welcome, come as you are.
The fifth of November is a very different kind of communal remembrance. The old rhyme warns us against “gunpowder, treason and plot” – but while we light bonfires and enjoy fireworks, the day is a sober reminder of how hatred between religious groups never ends well. Guy Fawkes was part of group of Catholics wishing to supplant the protestant King James I. 421 years after this event, we still find ourselves witnessing the very real damage that centuries of division can cause in countries and communities around the world. Perhaps this bonfire night, we might remember the value of forming friendship and trust with those we consider different to ourselves. Whether our background, age, race or beliefs, our differences are not to be ignored but celebrated, as parts of our identity which can enrich all those we connect with rather than being a cause for suspicion or hostility.
Moving through the month, Remembrance Day falls on 11th November. For many, this is a chance to give thanks for our political freedoms and the armed forces of the past and the present. It is also a time to remember the horror of war and the precious lives lost through conflict – each person unique, with a story to tell and a life cut short. Our Remembrance Sunday service will be held on 8th November at 10.50am, starting in Church and moving to the War Memorial in the churchyard at the end of the service.
If all this feels a bit heavy, at the end of the month, Kingsland Church will be holding our 50th consecutive Advent Carol Service. We will be celebrating with a special service led by our church choir, including a faithful few who were in the choir at that first service in 1977! Do join us for this special occasion on Sunday 29th November at 6.30pm.
Maggie
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