St Andrew's, Dearnley Remembrance Weekend

St Andrew's, Dearnley and Smithy Bridge

We hope to welcome lots of visitors to St Andrew's, Dearnley during Remembrance weekend, this coming Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9.

Our church will be open from 10am on Saturday until 4pm on Sunday for anyone who would like to visit us to look at the many art displays on the theme of Remembrance, created by children from local primary schools.

The church will be open both days for general viewing of the children's projects on Remembrance and we will have regular churchgoers in attendance to show visitors around and to welcome everyone who wishes to remember those who fell in the two world wars.

This year's Remembrance weekend is of special significance, of course, as we commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

As part of our two-day Remembrance, we have a special event starting on Saturday at 4pm and called 'Lest we forget', a special presentation of music, art and poetry by primary school children with the backing of Junior Blast.

It is expected to last about an hour, after which church will close until we reopen again on Sunday morning for our special Remembrance Sunday Sung Eucharist, which starts at 9.30am, and at which we will remember all those fallen heroes from our parish who died in the two world wars.

Anyone planning to attend 'Lest we forget' on Saturday afternoon might wish to arrive early in order to look at the children's displays or, alternatively, to have tea and biscuits with us after the Sung Eucharist on Sunday then take a look around at the children's creativity.

On this most poignant of weekends it is interesting to recall the following sentences which were written in our parish magazine of October, 1914:

"Right is Might and, under God, the end is sure if we do our duty. 'The Day' is dawning in blood and tears for brave little Belgium and Servia and Montenegro, as well as for their greater allies, but it is dawning and future generations will reap the harvest of Freedom and Justice which is being sown now by the brave lads of the seven nations on land and sea.

"Among the most sorrowful people in England today are those who are too old to go to the Front, and who have no sons to take their place. But even these (people) have their part to do, and we must see to it that it be done."

Parish rota: lay assistants, C Longhurst, J Halstead; readers, S Knight, D Knight; Intercessions, C Cook; sidespersons, J Barker, C Phillips; refreshments, Dennis, Doris, Judith.