Remembering - - -
As one who is fortunate enough to have never experienced war, there is much I do not know. I have never known the heart-pounding fear of battle, the anxious waiting for news of loved ones or the body-numbing hours working for the “war effort” in factories or farms. I have heard people say how great adversity can bring out the best in human ingenuity and caring. The story of Orpington Hospital illustrates this.
In 1915 the Ontario government donated $2 million to build a treatment centre for wounded soldiers, in Kent, England. It was a huge amount of money at the time and the hospital was one of the most up-to-date in the world. From 1916-1919, 25,000 badly injured soldiers were treated and only 182 died.
One of the doctors among the all Canadian staff was Thomas McCrae, brother of John McCrae who wrote the poem “In Flanders Fields”. Forced to deal with soldiers suffering from horrific facial injuries, Thomas became an early pioneer of plastic surgery. The hospital also set-up the first therapy programs for shell-shocked survivors of the trenches.
In trying to grapple with the horrific results of war, some amazing things have been achieved – unfortunately as conflicts continue to rage around the world, we have not yet learnt the way of peace.
Perhaps these words, prayed at a multi-faith service during the Gulf War, Feb 14, 1991, might help us. This prayer was created by people of Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Baha’i and Christian religions.
God of us all you are with us in the valley of darkness, as well as in mountaintop light. You would have us follow you, remembering that we walk this earth with human footsteps. Yet, sometimes God, it’s like walking a tightrope,
you challenge us to balance
liberating the oppressed
with loving our enemies.
You call us
to loose the bonds of injustice
without lifting the sword,
to stand for the oppressed
without becoming oppressors ourselves.
A way that leads out of self-serving pride into mutual understanding.
Out of our valley of darkness, into your mountain top light.
The message of this prayer is worth remembering!
Peace, Karen
heartbeat
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This Sunday at Beach
Sunday, November 6th 10:30 Remembrance Sunday—First Worship at St Aidan’s - Remembering war, we work for peace. Our Veterans are honoured
Sunday at Beach for kids ~ be a worship leader ~ help serve communion ~ take the offering.
NEW LOCATION: MEMORIAL HALL OF ST. AIDAN’s
OFF SILVERBIRCH, at QUEEN
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS CLOCK CHANGES NEXT SATURDAY NIGHT
Jazz Vespers Saturday, Nov 5, 4:30pm
Come out to hear the Larry Bond Trio Larry Bond with a repertoire of tunes by the world's greatest song writers: Gershwin, Ellington, Kern, The Beatles and more. Check out Larry’s web page and sound clips at: http://www.larrybond.ca/bio.phphttp://www.larrybond.ca/bio.php
Update from Council Lee Muirhead, Jane Dickson, Jim Winn & Karen Watson (HOMe)
Thanks to clear input from the congregation, Council is ready with a recommendation which will address a shortfall on the HOMe project budget and our 2011 deficit. Be sure to join us for this congregational meeting directly after our worship service on Sunday December 4th.
Speakers Series: Wed Nov 16, 7:30pm at Juice & Java, corner of Queen & Wineva Jay Bahadur author of Pirates of Somalia
check out: http://jaybahadur.blogspot.com/p/book.html
We’re making waves in the Beach!
416 691 8082