ISBN 0 85169 329 6 

Published 2005 by CTBI 

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland 
Bastille Court 
2 Paris Garden 
London SE1 8ND 
info@ctbi.org.uk 
www.ctbi.org.uk/remembrance 

A catalogue record of this publication is available from the British Library 

It is expected that this service will be widely used across the UK in a variety of formats. For this reason, this publication is not subject to copyright. 
Further copies are available from our website (as above) and our distributor: 

CTBI Publications 
4 John Wesley Road 
Werrington 
Peterborough PE4 6ZP 

Telephone: 01733 325002 
Fax: 01733 384180 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

An Order of Service for
Remembrance Sunday

Free version 
You may like to edit this box in order to enter the name of your local borough. 

THE SERVICE

GATHERING 

All gather in silence 

The presiding minister reads one or 
more of the following sentences: 

God is our refuge and strength; 
a very present help in trouble. 
Psalm 46.1 

I lift up my eyes to the hills – 
from whence will my help come? 
My help comes from the Lord, 
Who made heaven and earth. 
Psalm 121.1-2 

This I call to mind, 
and therefore I have hope:

the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, 
his mercies never come to an end; 
they are new every morning. 
Lamentations 3.21-23 

Those who wait for the Lord shall renew 
their strength, 
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, 
they shall run and not be weary 
they shall walk and not faint. 
Isaiah 40.31 

What does the Lord require of you 
but to do justice, and to love kindness, 
and to walk humbly with your God? 
Micah 6.8 

The presiding minister continues: 

We meet in the presence of God. 

We commit ourselves to work 
in penitence and faith
for reconciliation between the nations, 
that all people may, together, 
live in freedom, justice and peace. 

We pray for all 
who in bereavement, disability and pain 
continue to suffer the consequences of 
fighting and terror. 

We remember with thanksgiving and sorrow 
those whose lives, 
in world wars and conflicts past and present, 
have been given and taken away.

REMEMBERING 

An older person says: 

They shall grow not old, 
as we that are left grow old; 
age shall not weary them, 
nor the years condemn. 

A younger person may reply: 

At the going down of the sun 
and in the morning, 
we will remember them. 

All affirm: 

We will remember them.

The beginning of the two-minute silence 
may be signalled 

Silence 

The completion of the silence 
may be signalled 

The following prayer is said: 

Ever-living God 
we remember those whom you have 
gathered 
from the storm of war into the peace of 
your presence; 
may that same peace 
calm our fears, 
bring justice to all peoples 
and establish harmony among the nations, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
Amen.

The following hymn, or another that 
similarly expresses hope in God and 
trust for the future, may be sung: 

O God, our help in ages past, 
our hope for years to come, 
our shelter from the stormy blast, 
and our eternal home; 

Beneath the shadow of thy throne 
thy saints have dwelt secure; 
sufficient is thine arm alone, 
and our defence is sure. 

Before the hills in order stood, 
or earth received her frame, 
from everlasting thou art God, 
to endless years the same. 

A thousand ages in thy sight 
are like an evening gone; 
short as the watch that ends the night 
before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever-rolling stream, 
bears all our years away; 
they fly forgotten, as a dream 
dies at the opening day. 

O God, our help in ages past, 
our hope for years to come, 
be thou our guard while troubles last, 
and our eternal home.

LISTENING FOR THE WORD FROM GOD 

The reader says: 

Hear these words from the New Testament 

Either one or more of the following are read: 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to 
you. I do not give to you as the world 
gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, 
and do not let them be afraid. 
John 14:27 

The wisdom from above is first pure, then 
peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of 
mercy and good fruits, without a trace of 
partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of
righteousness is sown in peace for those 
who make peace. 
James 3:17-18 

This is the message we have heard from 
him and proclaim to you, that God is light 
and in him there is no darkness at all. 
1 John 1:5 

or the following is read: 

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up 
the mountain, and after he sat down his 
disciples came to him. Then he began to 
speak, and taught them, saying: 
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is 
the kingdom of heaven. 
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will 
be comforted. 
"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit 
the earth. 
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst 
for righteousness, for they will be filled.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will 
receive mercy. 
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will 
see God. 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will 
be called children of God. 
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for 
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the 
kingdom of heaven. 
"Blessed are you when people revile you 
and persecute you and utter all kinds of 
evil against you falsely on my account. 
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is 
great in heaven, for in the same way they 
persecuted the prophets who were before 
you.” 
Matthew 5:1-12
PRAYING TOGETHER 

Prayer is led: 

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, each one 
remembered by and known to God; 

May God give peace 
God give peace 

for those who love them in death as in life, 
offering the distress of our grief and the 
sadness of our loss; 

May God give peace 
God give peace

for all members of the armed forces who 
are in danger this day, remembering 
family, friends and all who pray for their 
safe return; 

May God give peace 
God give peace 

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; 

May God give peace 
God give peace 

for peace-makers and peace-keepers, who 
seek to keep this world secure and free; 

May God give peace 
God give peace 

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. 

May God give peace 
God give 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 for ever. 
Amen.

All join together in the Lord’s Prayer: 

Our Father, who art in heaven, 
hallowed be thy name. 
Thy Kingdom come; 
thy will be done on earth 
as it is in heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread 
and forgive us our trespasses 
as we forgive those who trespass 
against us. 
And lead us not into temptation 
but deliver us from evil 
For thine is the kingdom, the power, 
and the glory 
for ever and ever. 
Amen

RESPONDING IN HOPE AND COMMITMENT 

Representative and other members of the 
public come forward to lay wreaths, light 
candles or offer other symbols of 
remembrance and hope, such as single 
flowers or crosses. 

The Kohima Epitaph is said: 

When you go home 
tell them of us and say, 
for your tomorrow 
we gave our today. 

A hymn may be sung 

The act of commitment is made: 

Let us commit ourselves to responsible 
living and faithful service. 

Will you strive for all that makes for peace? 
We will 

Will you seek to heal the wounds of war? 
We will 

Will you work for a just future for all humanity? 
We will 

Merciful God, we offer to you the fears in 
us that have not yet been cast out by love: 
May we accept the hope you have placed 
in the hearts of all people, 
And live lives of justice, courage and mercy; 
through Jesus Christ our risen Redeemer. 
Amen

The National Anthem(s) are sung 

The following blessing is used: 

God grant to the living grace, 
to the departed rest, 
to the Church, the Queen, the 
Commonwealth 
[or to the Church, the State] 
and all people, 
unity, peace and concord, 
and to us and all God’s servants, 
life everlasting. 
And the blessing of God Almighty, 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit be with you all 
and remain with you always. 
Amen

TAIZE CHANTS 
Da pacem, Domine 
Christ of compassion (In te confido) 
Dona nobis pacem 
Dona nobis pacem, Domine 
In God alone 
Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom 
O Lord, hear my prayer 

OTHER MUSIC 
The RSCM has published a list of suitable choral anthems and organ music in Sunday by Sunday 25 (June 2003); see also Sunday by Sunday 33 (June, 2005). Details available from the RSCM website: www.rscm.com/sundaybysunday.

FURTHER RESOURCES 

Copies of the Remembrance Service in this form may be ordered from CTBI publications as below:

Beyond Our Tears – resources for times of remembrance 
ISBN 0 85169 286 9 £7.95 128pp (P) 
Published by CTBI, available from bookshops and:

CTBI publications 
4 John Wesley Road 
Werrington 
Peterborough PE4 6ZP 

Telephone: 01733 325002 
Fax: 01733 384180 

Web ordering: www.ctbi.org.uk/publications  
Postage and packing charges apply – please see the website for details. 
Church of England Liturgical Commission: Common Worship: Times and Seasons & Common Worship: Festivals 
ISBN 1 00 000 581 X £15 (published by Church House Publishing) 
available from bookshops 

Church of Scotland: Book of Common Order 
ISBN 0 715206 84 2 £20 (published by St Andrew Press) available from bookshops.