Witnesses from the past
Dear Friends
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
The month of November always reminds us to remember the end of World War One and provides us with an opportunity to observe the Remembrance Sunday as per our Church Calendar.
The sacrifice of those who gave their lives to build peace was enormous and extraordinary. Their sacrifices revealed the truth that they lived out their lives beyond their own capacities and family life situations. 11th Nov 2019 marked 101 years since the end of world war One and we can remember that war ended in Sri Lanka a decade ago in May 2019.
I was able to hear the life stories of the soldiers and others who prepared to give their lives towards the end of World War Two in my recent visit to the D-Day museum at Portsmouth. Their unspeakable feelings and their expression of agony, one cannot listen to without tears. They left so many of their desires for us to remember them. Their courage and faithfulness in their service were remarkable!
As we are surrounded by so many witnesses from the past, may we ask ourselves: how do we practice our faith in our Christian life journey to bring peace in all our circumstances.
Remembrance Sunday and All Souls Day are reminding us to look at those whose lives radiate their unforgettable determination, Hope and faithfulness on what they stood for till the end of their lives. They are clouds of witnesses. They strived towards bringing peace.
I invite you all to light candles as a sign of your prayers for the souls departed in the war and show our continuous care and concern for their families and friends both in the UK and in Sri Lanka through our prayers.
May our children listen to their stories from the past and may they be a channel of peace to bring God’s kingdom in our lives.
Please come and renew your lives to serve the Lord with the purpose to bring peace to humanity. Jesus said the following in His teaching with the crowd:
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven
This month we will have two Advent Bible Studies in our worship services at South Harrow and Hounslow. I wish and pray you all may have a personal preparation with gratefulness to the Lord, so that His name may be glorified through each one of us in our life journey.
With blessings
Revd Jessie Anand,
Minister, LTCC 9th Nov 2019