Thursday, November 11, 2010

Defend Them Day By Day With Your Heavenly Grace

Today is Veteran’s Day in the United States. We remember all of those who served this country in the Armed Forces; we honor all of those who put their lives on the line and who have fought in foreign wars.

In England, today is Armistice Day. It is like our Memorial Day where all of those who gave their lives are honored. It started after World War I when the peace accord was signed with Germany on 11 November 1918 at 11:00 a.m.

I once had the unexpected opportunity to be in London on Armistice Day. I was walking in Westminster, near the Cathedral, Parliament and the Prime Minister’s residence. In the middle of Whitehall, a wide street, there is a monument to those who died in war. I As I was walking down Whitehall, the military parade was marching down the street to the monument. There was Queen Elizabeth standing at the monument ready to lay the wreath commemorating the war dead. The Scottish guardsman played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes and the Queen placed the wreath at the foot of the monument at 11:00 a.m. just as Big Ben struck the hour. The entire nation stopped and observed 2 minutes of silence for the 20 million people that died in World War I.

This moving ritual is repeated every year in remembrance not only of those who served, but for those who died.

Today, let us remember in our prayers all of those men and women who have served this nation, and all of those who are still in harm’s way, especially all of those from St. Augustine.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we commend to Your gracious care and keeping all the men and women in our Armed Forces at home and abroad. Defend them day by day with Your heavenly grace; strengthen them in their trials and temptations; give them courage to face the perils that beset them; and help them to know that none can pluck out of Your hand those who put their trust in You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

This Sunday for Adult Christian Formation, we will begin a short series on Sundays until Advent at 11:00 a.m. in Sutton Hall—Stump the Vicar. Bring your questions whatever they may be, about Scripture, the Episcopal Church, the liturgy, you name it, bring it! There will be a prize for anyone who stumps the Vicar.

Art classes begin Saturday, 13 November at 10:00 a.m. in the art room in Bright-Davies Hall. Please join Lee Runion. The class is free. Lee’s phone number is 409-392 4171.

Rather than have a service the morning of Thanksgiving, this year we will celebrate a Thanksgiving liturgy on Sunday, 21 November, so that everyone can attend. After the Eucharist, we will have our Thanksgiving luncheon. Please invite your friends and family to offer thanks for all of God’s blessings. Please remember to sign up to bring a dish to share.

Big Mista BBQ fundraiser for the Community Garden, Saturday, 11 December. Melva Pope has tickets, so please pick some up for friends and family.

PLEASE REMEMBER EVERYONE ON OUR PRAYER LIST, especially Pat Williams, the trumpeter who played at Second Sunday Jazz, who is in ICU.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550

No comments:

Post a Comment