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REMEMBERING THE FALLEN is the title of a short article in this month’s Parish Paper.  The article urges us to remember the fallen of two World Wars and numerous conflicts since and to give generously to the Royal British Legion poppy appeal.  Father Peter also mentions Remembrance Sunday in his November Letter as one of the dates that make this the “month of holy souls”.

In November, the 90^th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, we particularly remember the First World War.  Terry Gaylard’s book 25th Anniversary (1866-1991) A History of the Church and School  (see our History page for details of how to download it) includes a vivid picture of St Peter’s in the First World War.  Five days after War was declared on August 4, 1914 “there was a Choral Evensong, with Penitential Procession, special prayers for the soldiers and sailors”.  The book tells us how St Peter’s provided hospitality to Canadian soldiers stationed in Devizes and arranged concerts for the “cheering of the invalids”.  The wounded were treated at a Red Cross hospital at Braeside.  Throughout the War “the names of those who had gone from the parish were mentioned at the Wednesday evensong and prayers were offered for them"; a “roll of honour” contained 90 names. Special Requiem Masses were said for those killed in action. In the month after the Armistice “the church windows were cleared of their ‘Blackout’ shadings, and the lamp shades also removed". 

In February 1920 Field Marshal Lord Methuen unveiled the 16 feet high War Memorial designed by Sir Ninian Comper that stands in front of our church. Sir Ninian was a very distinguished church architect; some would place him on the same level as Christopher Wren.  After the War he designed many memorials around Britain, including the Warriors' Chapel at Westminster Abbey and the Welsh National War Memorial at Cathay’s Park in Cardiff.  The memorial itself and the original dedication ceremony are described in detail in Terry’s book.  The memorial was dedicated originally to the 44 men of the parish who gave their lives in the 1914-18 War, with a later inscription for 1939-1945.

It was to Comper’s War Memorial that the congregation moved in procession for a wreath laying during this year’s Remembrance Sunday Mass.  The visiting celebrant was Fr Peter Clarke, our Area Dean in the Forward in Faith College of Deans.  The names of all the fallen were read out with some very moving poetry readings.  Fr Peter Clarke led the prayers and blessed the memorial. Some pictures of the ceremony have been added to our Gallerypage.

Fr Peter in his sermon said that he was “thrilled” to see a renewed recognition of those who fell in the service of our country.  In this week when Barack Obama became President-elect change was very much in the air.  We can look back 40 years to before the Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights movement to see the extent of the change has taken place.   Fr Peter believes that a process of change could also bring about the peace and an end to wars that the prophet Isaiah foresaw.

November - The Month of Holy Souls.  The Parish Paper and Father Peter’s Letter for November contain much to remind us that this is the month when we think of  those we love that are no longer with us,  with the Feast of All Saints on the 2^nd, All Souls  Day on the 3^rd and Remembrance Sunday on the 9^th.  Father Peter’s Letter explains why this remembrance of our loved ones is important, and the blessings that we can receive: it “…helps us to take the next step - to move forward into the future with hope. It does not diminish our humanity but affirms it”. 

At the Commemoration of All Souls Mass and Requiem a long list of loved ones that parishioners wanted to be remembered by name was read out.  Father Peter offered this prayer:

Remember, O Lord, our parents and brethren who rest in the hope of resurrection and eternal life. Pardon all their transgressions whether voluntary or involuntary, whether by thought, word, or deed committed by them. Do Thou shelter them in places of light, in places of green pasture, in places of refreshing, whence all pain, sorrow and sighing have fled away, and where the visitation of Thy Countenance rejoiceth all Thy saints from all Ages. Grant to them Thy Kingdom and participation in Thine ineffable and eternal favours and the enjoyment of Thine unending and blessed Life. For thou, O Christ our God, art the life, the resurrection and the repose of Thy servants who have fallen asleep, and to Thee we ascribe glory, with Thine eternal Father and thine all-holy and righteous and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever and from all Ages to all Ages. Amen.

Bishop Andrew’s visit to St Peter’s on 12th October promised to be an enjoyable and inspiring one, and he certainly did not disappoint. He had spent the previous two days at the Forward in Faith National Assembly in London, as had Father Peter and some members of our PCC. His feeling had changed from one of “dire gloom” at the start of the Assembly to one of “qualified cheerfulness” by the end of it.

Cheerfulness was also the theme of his sermon at the Mass. With the newspapers predicting financial meltdown and other depressing developments there is a temptation to look back to an imagined “Golden Age”. Old people [the Bishop defined an old person as anyone older than he!] are particularly prone to this. In reality the “Golden Age” never existed: we may have experienced wars from the World Wars to the Cold War and severe economic collapses in the past, but our view of the past is coloured by the happier parts - we only remember the holidays with good weather.

Bishop Andrew referred us to verses in one of the readings for the day: Philippians 4 verses. 4-7:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

If we follow the teaching of these verses we can attain cheerfulness. He also referred to part of the Gospel for the day: Matthew 22 verse 1 “…
"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son."

As children of God we can look forward to our future banquet, of which the Blessed Sacrament is a foretaste, rather then looking back to a supposed “Golden Age”.

After the Mass refreshments were served, and then most of the congregation returned to their seats for a question and answer session. The Bishop understood that some might want to leave during the session to “put the sprouts on”, but most stayed for a lively meeting at which some of the Bishop’s answers drew loud applause.

The picture on the left shows the Bishop’s arrival at the Mass, and more pictures from the day can be found on our Gallery page.

Devizes Town Council has now recognised what we in the congregation of St Peter's knew all along - that our church is always beautifully decorated with flowers.   The Trustee Savings Bank Silver Trophy (pictured right) was awarded jointly by Devizes Town Council and Devizes Chamber of Commerce to St Peter's Church for "Best Display in Church or Chapel Grounds" as part of the Devizes in Bloom 2008 festival.  The trophy together with the a certificate was presented by the Mayor to Ann Girvan. . If you are unable to visit our church - it is usually open during the daytime - then take a look at our Gallery page where you will find  some pictures of Ann's arrangements that adorned the church during this year's Harvest Festival.

Terry Gaylard's book 25th Anniversary (1866-1991) A History of the Church and School is now available as a PDF download from our History page.

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