On Sunday 13 November communities gathered to honour and remember the service of the men and women who served - and continue to serve - at home and abroad. Churches marked the event with beautiful displays of remembrance and moving moments of reflection.
Bishop Stephen took part in a Remembrance Service with the Royal Artillery at the garrison town of Larkhill, Wiltshire. It was a day filled with reflection, as he came across the name of the first soldier killed in Afghanistan, over whose funeral he had presided.
In Shaftesbury, large crowds line the streets to pay their respects on Enmore Greene where the service took place and those from the community also planted a tree to remember Queen Elizabeth II.
Shaftesbury Team Rector, the Revd Donna Gibbs, said: “So many people came out to remember, and I was in awe at the number of children and young people who came to church afterwards as we learnt about being grateful for now and thankful for those who died to protect our future freedom then.”
In the Canalside Benefice, Revd John Rees had a busy weekend as he moved from the Staverton Community Commemoration on 11/11 to leading the Sunday service outside Hilperton Village Hall. Those from the local Scout and cadet groups stood to attention holding memorial flags as the large crowd that had attended sat in solemn reflection.
Staverton School also participated in the day’s events, with each class making a wreath of their own to display in honour of the fallen.
Elsewhere at the grounds of Sherborne Abbey, hundreds of poppies were set up in a display, including a memorial wall flowing with knitted poppies and flanked on both sides by the empty outlines of two soldiers. The wreaths of poppies were also placed for the individual soldiers and their regiments at the war memorial outside.
At All Saints Academy, Brother Alasdair Kay, Rector of Wyke Regis, led the Remembrance services alongside his Roman-Catholic counterpart, Fr Anthony, in a show of ecumenical chaplaincy. It was a coming together of different groups as many from the school, the local Scouts, the ambulance service, and the cadets stood to honour our service men and women.
Commenting on the service, Brother Alasdair said: “It has been one of my ambitions to see a truly ecumenical chaplaincy serving all pupils.”
Meanwhile, St Aldhelm Church, Branksome, was packed with people of all ages as representatives from local youth groups such as the Brownies, Scouts, and Guides took part in their service.
In the village of Abbotsbury, crowds gathered outside in the church grounds to observe and participate in their Remembrance Service before committing wreaths of poppies to the memorial. Bugles played out during the minute’s silence and echoed around the hushed village in a show of respect.
St Mary’s Church, West Moors gave their Parish Eucharist Remembrance Sunday to a full crowd from the local village. Knitted poppy displays decorated the tops of post boxes, and a list of names of all those from the area who had given their lives in the pursuit of freedom was read out to the crowd by the Royal British Legion.