We want to apologize to those who receive this weekly             E-news on computers or smart devices in a distorted format. There is little we can do about this and are currently researching a new platform that will format to whatever device you view on. 

As we approach the Veterans Day Weekend some of you have commented on my wearing a red poppy in my buttonhole. In other parts of the English-speaking world, which for the most part are the former Dominions of the British Empire, the remembrance of the losses in both World Wars still remains  

deeply imprinted on the popular consciousness. In a world where increasingly societies have shorter and shorter memory-spans, the strengthening of national remembrance for the fallen is a remarkable thing.  Throughout the English-speaking provinces of the Anglican Communion, this coming Sunday will be kept as Remembrance Sunday, or ANZAC Sunday as it is known in Australia and New Zealand. This is the Sunday closest to the 11th of November. At the 11th hour of the 11th day, in the 11th month of the year 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent bringing to an end five years of bloodshed on a scale unprecedented either hitherto or since. The US Army was a full and very significant combatant in that war. It was the entry of the United States in 1917 that hastened the defeat of Imperial Germany, Austro-Hungary and their Turkish allies, which led to the signing of the Armistice in 1918.

In the US, we keep the anniversary of the Armistice as Veterans Day. Although Veterans Day occurs in November its focus is wider than commemorating the fallen. It celebrates the devotion to service of all who have, and all who currently serve the nation in the Armed Forces. In the US the primary focus for commemorating the fallen is Memorial Day. At first I found this somewhat confusing until it was explained to me that this is an older commemoration dating back to the bitter experience of the American Civil War.

Back to the red poppy. A Canadian army physician Lt. Col. John McCrae marveled at how in the spring the fields of Northern France and Belgium, so desecrated by trenches and torn-up by shells erupted into a sea of red poppies. I quote from the lines that begin and end his poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

...  If ye break faith with us who die
          We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

The 11th of November is also the commemoration of our Patron Martin of Tours. On Tuesday the 11th I will celebrate a simple spoken Eucharist in the Chapel at 5:30 pm to mark the actual date of our Patronal Festival. We will keep a more festive celebration of our Patron on Sunday 16th in conjunction with my Installation as St. Martin's 12th Rector. In keeping with observing multiple things on the same day, the 16th will also be our In-gathering Sunday, bringing to an end the official period of our Annual Renewal Campaign. I hope many of you will endeavor to return your pledge cards at our worship services on the 16th.

My sermon for All Saints' can be found at relationalrealities.com or now on our new parish website at stmartinsprov.org, which only leaves me to say - see you in Church this Sunday!

Mark+