Remember, Deliver and Forgive

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Date: 12 September 2011 11:22:49

Several of our former young choristers were with us for a late summer holiday, before university and work commitments whisked them away again. Also in attendance were several members of the fire service, remembering their colleagues who lost their lives ten years ago, in the 9/11 attacks in America. Particularly poignant were the words of the hymn, 'All my hope on God is founded' (Michael): '... tower and temple, fall to dust. But God's power, hour by hour, is my temple and my tower'. Also very thought-provoking was the theme of the sermon and children's short play: Forgiveness (not an easy subject for many on a 9/11 anniversary).

We sang the anthem by Farrant, 'Hide not thou thy face', a capella, from the back of the church, taking care not to sing 'Deliver Russ from all our sins', as we had been instructed. It would be quite handy to have a scapegoat called Russ, on whom to blame all our sins, from time to time....

We processed out quietly to the sound of the organ playing 'O God our help in ages past', a truly fitting remembrance voluntary.