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Remembrance Sunday

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them".

Since these words were first written we have heard them every year at remembrance Sunday and Armistice day It is a chance to stop and reflect on the sacrifice of those brave men and women who have fought for our freedom never forgetting that they paid the ultimate price. Many of these being young men and women with a future ahead of them cut short by events out of their control.

I remember a few years ago when I visited some of the Cemeteries in Normandy of how young these people were and how they were all in rank even in death they were in rank.
But as I speak I am aware that there are many other conflicts going on especially the controversial war in Afghanistan. Today is not the day to debate the rights and wrongs of that war there but today is the day to take time to reflect and remember.

But as Christians it is also a time to pray: To pray for those who continue to fight for freedom and their families, but also to pray for peace and reconciliation. So out of this prayer must come action.
Reconciliation between nations is hard but it must start with us. We must be people of reconciliation. It starts by looking at what unites us with different people rather than what disunites us and celebrate difference. I wonder where the conflicts are in our lives. Where the places where we need to find peace? For reconciliation and peace of nations must ultimately start with us. We are the catalyst to peace and reconciliation. By finding and recognizing where in our lives we are unable to live in peace.

One of the most difficult things that we discover today is Compliancy.
So let us never forget the sacrifice of so many

Let us never forget the families that they leave behind

Let us never forget those who stand and fight for our freedom

Let us never forget the true horror of war and pray for peace and live as people of reconciliation so that we can say with a clear conscience “ We will remember them”

This additional link is for the  Help for Heroes the charity helping the Forces and the wounded troops
 http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/index.html?gclid=COSgtuKqpaUCFVD-2AodvCsDHg

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