Dear Friends,
I trust you are all keeping safe and well, and not becoming too frustrated in these difficult and challenging times.
Friday just past was to have been a special day of celebration, as our country was to have come together to give thanks to God on the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe. The Second World War had been long, and hard, and very costly as our country fought the battle against a terrible evil that threatened to overrun the world and change all our lives for ever. The odds were stacked heavily against us. And yet, with the right leadership, and the immense bravery of so many, a lot of whom paid the ultimate price, victory was ours. Whatever your views about war, it would be so wrong not to remember and give thanks to God for all that was done so that we might be free.
But in our present circumstances, our celebrations have to be scaled back, for we cannot gather in our beloved church buildings to sing our hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God together, because right now we are fighting in another war, also against a terrible evil that threatens to change our lives for ever. However, this war is against an unseen evil, one that can attack any of us at any time. And we are fighting it in a completely different way. But with the right leadership, and the immense bravery of so many, some of whom have already paid the ultimate price, we do believe that victory will be ours. And the signs are that we are beginning to win that victory. Thanks be to God.
For our service today, I have taken inspiration from the first services of thanksgiving that were held in Westminster Abbey in 1945, and have adapted some of the material I found there. If you happen to be in St Andrews, you will see that, thanks to Ron, the outside of Holy Trinity Church has been decorated to remember and give thanks for all that was done for us so many years ago, as well as what is being done on our behalf right now, to win the war against this present evil. So, let us give thanks to God for all who are risking so much on our behalf.
With love and blessings
Marion