St John the Evangelist

Remembrance Sunday 2026

Sunday, 08/11/2026

OPENING SENTENCE

We will recount the wonderful works of the Lord (Psalm 78)

HYMN-

GREETING

Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

COLLECT FOR PURITY

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SUMMARY OF THE LAW

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this:

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”

The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

God is love and we are God’s children. There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.

SILENCE

God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

ABSOLUTION

God, who is both power and love,
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.

GLORIA sung by Sue St Joseph

COLLECT

O God, our refuge and strength,
the very author of devotion:
hear the prayers of your Church;
and grant that what we seek in faith
we may in fact obtain;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end. Amen

PROCLAIMING & RECEIVING GOD’S WORD

FIRST READING Joshua 24.1–3a, 14–25, read by David Kerr

¹ Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. ² And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors – Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor – lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. ³ Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. ¹⁴ Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

¹⁵ Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.’ ¹⁶ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; ^{✝ 17} for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed;

¹⁸ and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.’ ¹⁹ But Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. ²⁰ If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.’ ²¹ And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, we will serve the LORD!’ ²² Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’ ²³ He said, ‘Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’ ²⁴ The people said to Joshua, ‘The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.’ ²⁵ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem.

SECOND READING 1 Thessalonians 4.13–18, read by Carolynne Sorrell

¹³ We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. ¹⁵ For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

GRADUAL HYMN

GOSPEL Matthew 25.1–13-: read by Dr Grant Fergusson

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St Matthew chapter 25 beginning at verse 1

Glory to Christ our Saviour

Jesus spoke this parable to the disciples: ¹ ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.

⁶ But at midnight there was a shout, “Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” ⁷ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” ⁹ But the wise replied, “No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.” ¹⁰ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. ¹¹ Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.” ¹² But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” ¹³ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.’

Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.

SERMON

Online Reflection 8^th November 2026

Once more today we gather on this Remembrance Sunday to remember and to worship. We remember those who have died in wars and conflict, especially perhaps those who gave their lives in the two World Wars of the last century; but also all who have died, who continue to die and those who have suffered and continue to suffer as a result of past and continuing conflict around our world. We give thanks for the freedoms that we enjoy today in our society as a result of the past sacrifice of others and recognise that so many across the world do not enjoy the blessing of those freedoms as do we. Above all today we gather to pray for peace – true peace, which is more than the absence of conflict, but also has to be about justice, the abolition of fear, the building of relationship and the possibility of fulness of life for all. We gather today to commit ourselves to work for the building of that peace across our world.

The first world war of the last century was described as, “the war to end all wars”, and it proved to be anything but! As we reflect on all the wars and conflicts that followed and which continue to this day – from the 2^nd World War, through Korea and Vietnam to Ukraine and the Middle East – we would be forgiven for losing hope, sinking into despair and asking ourselves whether we have learnt anything from the horrors of the past. Yet the message of the Gospel is a message of hope, and it’s a message that perhaps today we need to hear and declare more loudly than ever. We are challenged to hold on to hope and to offer hope to our world.

Joshua gathers the tribes of Israel at Shechem and invites them to commit their future life’s journey to the God who has brought them out of slavery in Egypt, to renew their covenant relationship with Him. This account [Joshua 24 v 1 ff] is about the future, yet it begins with Joshua inviting the people to remember what God has done for them in the past. Similarly, today we are invited to remember what God has done for us. God so loved the world that He is come to us in Jesus, His Son, living, dying and rising. He is come to this His world out of love for each and all that we might know fulness of life in Him. On Him, and in Him, our hope is founded and solidly grounded. Here is the One we are today challenged to choose and to follow. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians [1 Thess 4 v 13 ff] affirms that our future hope flows from what God has done in the past, the fact that Jesus has been raised, the fact of resurrection.

This is God’s world and, despite all that can so easily cause us to despair and lose hope, we affirm once more that God’s Kingdom will come. The parable that Jesus tells [Matt 25 v 1ff] of the wise and foolish bridesmaids affirms the coming of that Kingdom and challenges its hearers, and us, to prepare and to work for the coming of that Kingdom.

So, today we remember, we pray for peace, and we commit ourselves to working for the building of peace in our world. We choose to commit our lives to journeying ever onward in hope with the God of love whom we meet in Jesus, His Son, alive with us today in the power and strengthening of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

THE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYERS

Intercessions for Remembrance Sunday

Sunday 8 November 2026

Introduction

Today we remember those who gave their lives in the service of our country, those who suffered through war, and all who continue to bear its wounds. We give thanks for their sacrifice, pray for peace in our troubled world, and hold fast to the Christian hope of life everlasting. Trusting in God, who calls us to faithful service and promises life everlasting, let us pray.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

FOR THE CHURCH

“Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Faithful God, guide your Church in the way of Christ, that we may serve you with sincerity and faithfulness, bringing compassion to the suffering and hope to those in need.

We pray for Nicolas our Bishop, for Diana Hall as Rector Designate, and especially for all who minister to us during this interim period. Strengthen them in their service, sustain them in their ministry, and prepare us all for the next chapter in the life of this church.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.

FOR THE WORLD

“The Lord our God we will serve, and him we will obey.”

God of justice and peace, we remember all who have served and sacrificed in war, those who returned wounded in body or mind, and those who never came home.

We pray for all who live with the terror of war today. Turn the hearts of those who make war towards peace, and strengthen all who work for reconciliation.

We pray for our sovereign Lord The King, and for all who exercise authority among the nations.

May the memory of those who gave their lives inspire us to serve others faithfully, and to build a world where hatred gives way to understanding and lasting peace.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.

FOR THE SICK AND THOSE IN NEED

“Encourage one another with these words.”

Loving God, we pray for all who suffer in body, mind or spirit, especially those known to us:

We remember those living with the lasting wounds of conflict, those who grieve, and all whose pain is hidden from others. Give them comfort and strength, and help us to offer kindness, practical support and a listening ear.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.

FOR THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED

“we will be with the Lord for ever.”

Eternal God, we remember those who gave their lives in war and conflict, and all who have died in the hope of your eternal kingdom. We remember…[…]

We remember those whose names are listed on our war memorials, those buried far from home, and those whose graves remain unknown.

Comfort all who mourn, and grant us confidence that death will not have the final word. Receive the departed into your eternal peace, where all your people shall dwell with you for ever.

Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer.

CONCLUSION

“Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Merciful God, teach us to use wisely the time you have given us. May remembrance move us to action, gratitude lead us to service, and sorrow strengthen our resolve to seek peace. Keep us faithful, ready to love our neighbours and courageous in the work of reconciliation, until we are gathered into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray together

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Do not bring us
to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING

Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

HYMN –

DISMISSAL

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen