This morning's Remembrance Day Service at the City of Oshawa War Memorial, Memorial Park, was very well attended. For good reason. It is truly a most remarkable and special event.
A big thank you to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 and Branch 637 and the many who gave assistance. Please see the Program (below) with names of those participating and Acknowledgements to supporters.
Col (Retired) Bob Chapman, after his, once again, superb job as Master of Ceremonies, is pictured below with Councillor colleague Derek Giberson.
Likewise deserving compliments is Rev Richard Parker, Chaplain Branch 43 RCL and Columbus Community United Church Minister who was camera shy after the ceremony, but kindly allowed me to copy his Prayer and Benediction, reproduced in the first comments below.
Honourable mention also goes out to Cadet WO Emma DiLoreto who gave an exceptional speech representing the youth of Oshawa.
The ceremony, the parade, the music, the military museum tanks circled around the park, and the prayers, were all impactful to see and hear. Also, however, being present with so many fellow Oshawans gathered solemnly to mark the occasion brought feelings of warmth and strength, especially when singing the words in the hymn 'shine through the gloom and point me to the skies'.
A big thank you to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 and Branch 637 and the many who gave assistance. Please see the Program (below) with names of those participating and Acknowledgements to supporters.
Col (Retired) Bob Chapman, after his, once again, superb job as Master of Ceremonies, is pictured below with Councillor colleague Derek Giberson.
Likewise deserving compliments is Rev Richard Parker, Chaplain Branch 43 RCL and Columbus Community United Church Minister who was camera shy after the ceremony, but kindly allowed me to copy his Prayer and Benediction, reproduced in the first comments below.
Honourable mention also goes out to Cadet WO Emma DiLoreto who gave an exceptional speech representing the youth of Oshawa.
The ceremony, the parade, the music, the military museum tanks circled around the park, and the prayers, were all impactful to see and hear. Also, however, being present with so many fellow Oshawans gathered solemnly to mark the occasion brought feelings of warmth and strength, especially when singing the words in the hymn 'shine through the gloom and point me to the skies'.
Rev. Richard Parker's PRAYER:
Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict and ask that God may give us peace;
For the service men and women who have died in the violence of war.
For civilian women, children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror, calling to mind in penitence the anger and hatreds of humanity;
For peacemakers and peacekeepers, who seek to keep this world secure and free,
For all who bear the burden and privilege of leadership, political, military and religious;
Asking for gifts of wisdom and resolve in the search for reconciliation and peace; O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know.
Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm.
As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future for you are the source of life and hope, now and forever.
Rev. Richard Parker's BENEDICTION:
We remember today all those who have come before us and given the greatest gift to our democratic nation - their lives.
Their duty, their honor and their lives are precious gifts that must be given to the future of our country and our families.
The duty of our veterans past and present is the fiber of the word Freedom and is stronger by our recognition of service and sacrifice.
We honour that service and sacrifice today and should carry it forward for our children to honour.
Freedom and democracy are the result of all of the most honourable things our country has produced.
Today we stand to remember the most honourable amongst us and we must continue to carry the burden of their sacrifice, lest we lose sight of what true Freedom is.
Today is for remembering - stand in honour of them, walk in their path of duty, remember the cost, and hold in your heart the cause of freedom.
Let us pray for all who suffer as a result of conflict and ask that God may give us peace;
For the service men and women who have died in the violence of war.
For civilian women, children and men whose lives are disfigured by war or terror, calling to mind in penitence the anger and hatreds of humanity;
For peacemakers and peacekeepers, who seek to keep this world secure and free,
For all who bear the burden and privilege of leadership, political, military and religious;
Asking for gifts of wisdom and resolve in the search for reconciliation and peace; O God of truth and justice, we hold before you those whose memory we cherish, and those whose names we will never know.
Help us to lift our eyes above the torment of this broken world and grant us the grace to pray for those who wish us harm.
As we honour the past, may we put our faith in your future for you are the source of life and hope, now and forever.
Rev. Richard Parker's BENEDICTION:
We remember today all those who have come before us and given the greatest gift to our democratic nation - their lives.
Their duty, their honor and their lives are precious gifts that must be given to the future of our country and our families.
The duty of our veterans past and present is the fiber of the word Freedom and is stronger by our recognition of service and sacrifice.
We honour that service and sacrifice today and should carry it forward for our children to honour.
Freedom and democracy are the result of all of the most honourable things our country has produced.
Today we stand to remember the most honourable amongst us and we must continue to carry the burden of their sacrifice, lest we lose sight of what true Freedom is.
Today is for remembering - stand in honour of them, walk in their path of duty, remember the cost, and hold in your heart the cause of freedom.