Remembrance Sunday this year is on 11th November, when two minutes’ silence at 11am focuses attention on the armistice signed to end the Great War. Those who died in numerous wars and conflicts are personally remembered by their descendents and loved ones, while together we acknowledge the suffering and death involved in striving to defend against attack, and to establish quality of life and peace for all.
In Ickenham as in many places the names will be read from memorials of both world wars. This year a new national Armed Forces Memorial has been opened in the centre of Britain, bearing the names of 16,000 personnel who have died during combat, training, terrorism or peace-keeping duties since the end of the Second World War. I am writing this on the day that the Queen attended its dedication ceremony.
The Remembrance Sunday service at Ickenham URC usually includes a parade of Scouts and Guides. This year the centenary of the movement and its first camp on Brownsea Island has been celebrated with a Jamboree in Essex, with the emphasis on peace and friendship across nations.
In 1908 Robert Baden-Powell published Scouting for Boys. Within a year there were 50,000 Scouts in England, and by 1911 there were 500,000 worldwide. While he drew on his international military and intelligence experiences of trail-finding, local customs and cadet training, he saw that the qualities of personal initiative and responsibility could make for good citizenship and improved international relations.
In 1917, at the height of the Great War, he wrote, “It might be thought that if in years to come, a considerable proportion of the future citizens of each nation forms part of this brotherhood, they will be joined by a bond of personal friendship and mutual understanding such as has never existed before, which will help to find a solution to terrible international conflicts." By 1945 there were 4 million Scouts, and now there are over 28 million in 155 countries.
It will be fitting to recognise the contribution of Scouting to peace-building during the Remembrance Sunday Parade. Four Scouts from the 2nd Ickenham Explorers attended the Centenary Jamboree. They had a tremendous experience, sharing celebrations and world development activities with Scouts from across the world, and they made international visits themselves as part of the programme. It will be fascinating to hear from them and to see some of their pictures during the service, which begins at 10.50am on 11th November.
Bernie
You may have read in the last ICN that I was asked to preach at St James’ Church in Uganda at very short notice – five minutes to be precise! This was not as bad as it might seem; after all, if you cannot speak off the cuff after 33 years of teaching then something must be wrong. In the lead article, Mike Whitlam has written about our trip, and our plans for moving forward. However, here I would like to give some broader impressions of my own.
One thing that stands out in my memory is how graciously we were received in peoples’ houses. After initial introductions, the head of the household always welcomed us with prayer for our safe arrival and then gave thanks that we, having come all the way from England, should be interested in their welfare. Families shared food from what, by our standards, would have been very meagre resources. The refreshments usually consisted of bananas, hot roasted ground nuts and tea or coffee. The welcome could not have been more genuine or sincere.
My other abiding memory will be the roads, or should I say road – there is only one tarmac road between Kampala and Kabale. It is about 300 miles long, has just two lanes and in places is less than two cars wide and it is full of pot holes. Traffic rushes along it at breakneck speed and drivers seem to play a game of ‘chicken’, seeing who moves from the centre of the road first. Fortunately, we had an excellent driver who made us feel very safe, although we did see the results of several crashes as we drove along. As soon as you turned off this main road you were on red gravel roads which were bumpy, rocky and dusty in the hot sun and very slippery after rain.
While in Uganda we got a glimpse of the wild life, seeing zebra, antelope, monkeys and many types of birds including the national bird of Uganda, the crested crane.
My overall impressions: wonderful people, beautiful scenery and an opportunity to share some of what we have with people in need who will appreciate what we can offer. I hope that having read Mike’s article you too will want to become involved in CLICK Rukiga.
Revd Ken Tombs
On Sunday 11th November, an Act of Remembrance will take place around the war memorial in St Giles’ Churchyard, beginning at 10.55am.
Meanwhile, the usual 11am service at the URC will commence ten minutes earlier that day, at 10.50am and will include a Remembrance Sunday parade by scouts and guides.
The 9.45am service at St Giles’ will end at 10.50am, so that anyone present who wishes to attend either of these Acts of Remembrance will be able to do so. Please do join us if you can.
FROM THE CHURCHES’ REGISTERS
Baptisms at St Giles’
Sept 23rd Emilie Megan Capp
William Alexander Kendall
Weddings at St Giles’
Sept 22nd Christopher Michael Edwin Bennett and Nichola Salhotra
Sept 22nd Sonny James St Aubyn and Charlene Lorraine Sutcliffe
Oct 13th Michael James Watson and Claire Manolis
Cremations at Breakspear Crematorium
Sept 18th Pauline Wild, aged 53 (after service at St Giles’)
Sept 21st Derek John Kneale, aged 75 (after service at St Giles’)
ST GILES’ CHURCH MONTHLY STREET PRAYER LIST
Each week at St Giles’ Church we pray for all the people who live or work in a particular road in the Parish. During November we will pray for the following roads:
Nov 4th Clovelly Close
Nov 11th Copthall Road East
Nov 18th Copthall Road West
Nov 25th Court Road
If you live in one of these roads why not join us at our 8am or 9.45am services? You will be most welcome.
