The Commemoration of the Faithful Departed

We invite all who have lost loved ones in the past few years to join us as we remember them and give thanks for their life at this special service with beautiful music sung by our choir.

Cards are now available to complete if you would like us to remember someone by name at this service, (even if you can’t come along to the service yourself).  You can complete one at the South Door of the church.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them

Every year large crowds of people gather from our community on Remembrance Sunday at the War Memorial to pay our respects and to honour the sacrifice of those who have died in conflict and the pursuit of peace. And as we gather for that time of remembering, I am always struck by those powerful and timeless words of Laurence Binyon, ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them’. In other words, day and night, we will never cease to remember them and honour the service they have given to our nation. And this remembering is for people that, for the most part, we haven’t actually known personally. Imagine what it is like when someone we do know and love dies; they’re certainly never very far from our thoughts at any time of the day or night.

A friend of mine has just lost his brother at the tragically young age of 58 and he says that there are at least five times each day when he goes to pick up the phone and tell his brother something and is halted in his tracks. He can’t call Jerry – he’s no longer there. But he is in the eternal care of almighty God and my friend knows that but it doesn’t stop him missing his brother terribly.

At All Souls each year, we have the chance to come to St Mary’s and remember our loved ones before God. To carry on missing them and loving them, of course, but also to remember them in our prayers because we will never stop thinking about them and giving thanks to God for them. Come and join us – whether you come to church regularly or not – all are invited and welcome.

Will