Remember and Honor

Dear Beloved Christ the King Community,

Upon the conclusion of the Civil War, several communities in both the northern and southern United States honored those who had died by decorating graves, hosting civic ceremonies, and gathering for prayer and worship.

Then on May 5, 1868, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), issued General Orders No. 11 or the "Memorial Day Act," which formally established "Memorial Day" as a Decoration Day on which the nation would remember its war dead and decorate their graves with flowers.

While Memorial Day weekend has become the unofficial start of summer for many communities, it is right for us to pause to mourn and remember those who have died while serving in the armed forces, and also for us to pray for lasting peace to be upon our world, and so I offer you today scripture and a prayer:

Isaiah 25:8

he will swallow up death forever.

Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces,

and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,

for the Lord has spoken.

Gracious God,

Today we pause to remember and mourn those in our community who died in military service, people from our own families and ancestry, for people we know and for people we did not know. We remember them in thanksgiving that nothing can separate us from your love through Jesus: not life or death, not pain or war. Be with those who mourn; wrap your loving arms around all who suffer. We especially pray today for lasting peace to be upon our world. We pray that war and strife may cease and that a new creation come to this world. Teach us to love each other as you love us; to value the image of God found in each person; and to work for justice and peace in all the world, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

Grace and peace, and even more hope!
Pastor Jennifer