Wearing a poppy with pride

It's time for me to point people towards the (ever growing) collection of poppy images that can be used as avatars on Facebook, Twitter and so many other places.

There are all poppies with cap badges, branches and even cadet forces too and by using them during the time when we remember those who have gone. we do this especially through the observance of All Saints, All Souls, Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and other events; marking the passing of those who have departed this life and paying our respects to them. It is in the doing of this that we echo Binyon's words 'We Will Remember Them' in a tangible and obvious manner.

So for those who would like a poppy with a badge all you need to do is:

Google Vic the Vicar + Avatar + the name (i.e. Royal Signals or ATC or hussars) and you should find the badge you want.

If you cannot find the badge then add a comment to this blog and I will add it to the collection as quickly as I can.

A new addition to the poppies this year has been one for those who wish to honour the dead (by the way - 'Glorious' means they are in glory - it is not glorifying war) and draw attention to the lives lost through the actions of the Islamic State (IS) - because 'Never Again' means exactly that:

Please wear a poppy to support those who have served the cause of peace and justice throughout the years and have served to protect our land and uphold, and observe, the various conventions that protect the weak and oppressed.

Remember when Everyone knew about Church?

That time when just about everyone, yes ALL the people you met, knew the Lord's Prayer (traditional version) and could quote passages (King James Version) and knew that the time before Christmas was Advent and the time before Easter was Lent (and they knew this was a 'purple' season too!)?

I happened to mention to someone that Advent started next week and they, being rather typical of the people I tend to meet these days, assumed that I was talking about a new club. After all Trinity has become Kuda (which is, if memory serves me correctly, the name of a Tapir in India) so it makes sense that Advent might be another renaming!

I explained that Advent was the time before Christmas and immediately they picked up on it and asked whether that was another name for the twelve days before Christmas!!

Thus stopped in my tracks I moved the bus back a little and explained that the twelve days of Christmas actually began on Christmas Day (which this year, I added, will happen on the 25th December) and ends with Epiphany (5th January) - so they occur AFTER Christmas.

 Quick as a flash, back comes the response, 'Epiphany? Isn't that what they do when someone dies - Why do they do it for Christmas?

'No, no, no.' said I (patiently), 'That's an epitaph!'

'Yes, that's what you said. Why do one at Christmas because that's all about giving presents not dead people. That's Hallowe'en!'

So I began to explain that Hallowe'en was not about epitaphs nor dead people and get on to All Souls, Saints and all that stuff when I came up with a great idea!

I looked at them and said, 'Never mind - soon be Christmas won't it?' And left knowing when I'd been soundly beaten :-)

Remembrancetide - a season to remember

From pumpkin to poppy the season that is Remembrancetide is a cornucopia of emotions and a place of much misunderstanding and confusion.

In my mind the season begins with 'All Saints', which is also known as 'All Hallows', (Nov 1) - where, as the name suggests, all the saints are remembered, reflected upon and given thanks for - and moves on to the next day (Nov 2) 'All Souls' where, as again the name gives a hint, we remember all those who have gone before.

But of course, as is often the case, I'm just a little out of kilter with the Church calendar for Remembrancetide begins with All Hallow's Eve (Oct 31) - 'Hallowe'en' - and the season known as Hallowmas, the three days of All Hallow's Eve, All Hallows' and All Saints. I guess Hallowe'en, not featuring in my calendar is the source of my error.

Here we are with remembering at the forefront of the Church's being:

We remember the saints (All Souls / Hallows) giving thanks for their example and lives - Nov 1

We remember all those who have gone, especially the recently departed, commending them to God's grace, love, care and mercy and giving thanks for their lives - Nov 2 (All Saints)

We remember those who have died in conflict (combatant and civilian), thinking of service and selfless commitment, peace not war - Nov 11 (Armistice Day)

And on the nearest Sunday to Armistice a Day we also keep 'Remembrance (Sun)Day - where our nation focuses its attention on the 'Empty Tomb' (Cenotaph) in Whitehall and on local memorials, Halls of Memory and monuments as we remember the dead and pray that war will will cease and peace be ours.

So there you have it a nutshell - Pumpkin to Poppy - Remembrancetide