A new name

Dear friends,

This week we honour and give thanks for those who gave their lives in two world wars for our freedom. We are fortunate to live in communities that are small enough to have recorded every loss, every sacrifice. Or so we thought. Continuing historical research has in the last few years brought more names into the light – in particular recently we have remembered the crew of the Stirling bomber L-Lulu which crashed in Ipsden in 1943. This year we will also be remembering a recent (newly rediscovered) second world war casualty from Stoke Row, who also flew with Bomber Command, and whose name will be read, and story told, for the first time. Please join us at the combined Checkendon/Stoke Row parade service at 10.55am on Sunday to hear more, and to pay your own respects to those upon whose sacrifices our lives have been lived without fear.

The picture below was taken in 2018 on a visit to the Thiepval memorial in northern France, which commemorates over 72,000 UK and South African combatants from the Somme campaigns whose bodies were never recovered, and whose remains are still “missing.”  This is from a section of the memorial where 200 French and 200 UK “unknown” soldiers’ remains are buried, their identities lost in the chaos of war. Do join us on Sunday as we give one such his name back, as one of ours.

Worship Services for Remembrance Sunday 9th November

9.30am Remembrance Service at St John’s, Stoke Row with Canon Kevin Davies

10.55am Remembrance Service at St Peter and Paul, Checkendon with Canon Kevin Davies. With the parade of uniformed organisations, honour roll, last post and presentation of colours.

Midweek zoom service: Wednesday Evensong at 5.00pm  410 935 129

Our collections on Sunday at Checkendon will be donated to the Royal British Legion, for their ongoing work with veterans and families of those currently serving. Don’t forget that you can support both Checkendon  and  Stoke Row churches via dedicated and secure online card donation pages. Just click on the link. It is very easy! Thank you for your support.

Diary Dates:

Our next adventurous All Age Service at Checkendon is a week Sunday – the 16th November – when we’ll be trying our hands at some “Percussion Praise”! This service is suitable for everyone of all ages. Bring your enthusiasm, and a friend, and come along! There will be refreshments before and after the service, and a chance to try a variety of percussion instruments as we work together at a number of simple rhythms and praise chants.

For those of you who are looking further ahead the Christmas services for the Team Churches are now live on the team ministry website, and on A Church Near You.

This week we also honour and give thanks for the life of John Beddington, a much loved and respected member of the Checkendon community, whose memorial service is on Friday 7th at 1.30pm. We pray for God’s peace and fortitude for Roseann, and all John’s family.

The Lord is with us, through all things, even though the clouds come, even though the leaves turn and fall, glorious as they go.

May His peace be with you.

Revd Kevin Davies