April 29, 2007
Anzac Day worship
At the door, everyone got given (the free gift) of a red poppy. I talked in the sermon about Anzac Day and how it leads me to Jesus;
from dark to dawn
voluntary sacrifice (John 15:13)
that forms a new community (1 Peter 2:9, 10)
practising forgiveness and grace (Ephesians 2:13-14)
and in our dying, resurrection life is born (Galatians 2:20)
By way of response, people were invited to say thanks by pinning their poppy on a rough wooden cross wrapped by barbed wire. It was quite something watching people crowd forward and seeing the love.
I was thinking that, in a service where we had several (including not-usually-going-to-any-church) visitors for a child dedication, a poppy was something that everyone would be willing to receive at the door... it is a nz symbol, of sacrifice, and nationhood, a very familiar thing that it would be quite nice to be given on entry into a strange space for an unfamiliar event...
Posted by: lynne at May 1, 2007 12:03 PMwhat a special service that would have been
let us always remember them
