A November to Remember
November is one of those months when the Church invites us just to stop for a moment. While the world around us moves at an ever-increasing pace, we are encouraged to remember, reflect, give thanks, and perhaps ask ourselves some important questions.
The month begins with All Saints and All Souls, remembering the lives of faith that have gone before us and those we have loved and lost. All Saints celebrates the great company of God’s people – not simply the famous or remarkable, but ordinary people whose lives have made a difference through kindness, generosity, courage, and faith. All Souls gives us space to remember those especially precious to us: family, friends, and loved ones whose absence is still felt, sometimes very deeply.
Remembering is not about living in the past. It is about recognising the people and experiences that have helped make us who we are, giving thanks, acknowledging sadness, and reflecting on what really matters. That feels particularly appropriate as we approach Remembrance Sunday. The poppies are back, and once again adorning the tower of St Peter’s, Powick: it is a truly remarkable display of more than 5,000 handmade poppies. Each one is a small act of remembrance created by so many across our villages last year and together they continue to make a powerful statement. Please see the service poster for details of our Remembrance Sunday gatherings at 10.45am (including Guarlford & Christchurch), and the Armistice Remembrance at Callow End on 11 November.
Remembrance must be about more than wearing a poppy, attending a service or observing a two-minute silence. Do we honour the sacrifices of previous generations by working for a more peaceful, just, and compassionate world today? Do we take seriously the cost of conflict and the suffering of those caught up in wars? Do we value our freedoms and recognise the responsibilities that come with them?
Perhaps we are in danger of becoming a society that moves on rather too quickly. One moment we are watching The Celebrity Traitors, the next looking forward to I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! whilst enjoying our weekly dose of Strictly. Christmas lights are under starters’ orders, and the shops are being bedecked more and more each week. I’ve even been booked to turn on the Christmas lights at Callow End before Advent has begun! There is nothing wrong with entertainment or getting ready for Christmas – life is busy and diaries fill up quickly, but do we sometimes miss the opportunity to stop and think?
The Church’s calendar offers us a different rhythm. Towards the end of November, we celebrate Christ the King, bringing the Church’s year to a close. We are reminded that Christ’s kingdom, above all the competing voices around us, is one of love, service, justice, mercy, and peace. Then Advent begins and a new Church year opens. Whilst we seemingly hurtle towards Christmas, Advent invites us to prepare, wait, hope, and just make room for God in our lives. And there are practical ways we can do that together. We are trying to organise a Christmas Tree Festival at Powick Church and a Nativity Display at Guarlford Church- both offer opportunities to bring people together, celebrate the season and share something of the Christmas story. To work, they need people willing to get involved – providing a tree or display, helping with arrangements, offering practical support, or simply encouraging others to take part. Could you help? Could your family, school, club, business, or community group contribute? You don’t need to be a regular churchgoer or particularly artistic to help: simply turning up and getting involved will do! These events are for our communities, not just the church.
And if these opportunities don’t appeal, perhaps it is worth asking ourselves why? Are we too busy? Do we assume somebody else will do it? Have we become accustomed to being spectators rather than participants? I don’t ask to criticise, but because our churches and villages are at their best when people are willing to contribute something of themselves. I ask because our churches and village organisations need support to survive and flourish. Our churches are getting older and, in some places, more fragile. But look at the other end of the age spectrum. The 7th Worcester Scouts have been asking repeatedly on Facebook for trustees and volunteers. We came out to support their 50th anniversary last summer – where are those supporters now? Community life cannot be sustained by goodwill alone; it needs people prepared to give a little of their time and energy.
November takes us from remembering those who have gone before us, through celebrating the saints and the kingship of Christ, towards the hope of Advent. Faith is not just about looking backwards or waiting for Christmas. It is about how we live today, care for one another and shape the communities we want to be.
So, as the poppies return to the church tower and Christmas preparations begin, let’s resist the temptation to rush on too quickly. Let’s make time to remember, give thanks, hope – and do something together. After all, a community is not built by spectators. It is built by people willing to play their part.
With my best wishes, Rev Gary