Dear Friends,
This past week has led to many conversations about memories. 2022 is now the year we will remember when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died. I have heard many stories of remembering her Coronation which has led to others sharing other major events that have been significant. The assassination of Martin Luther King Junior. The death of Princess Diana. The 9/11 bombing of the twin towers, all moments in our history that we know are significant and bring about change. I wonder what our children and grandchildren will recall in years to come as the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday September 8th 2022 was one such history changing moment.
Most people today have never known another Monarch in their life time and it is only a few months ago that we all joined in with then Jubilee celebrations for the longest ever reigning Monarch.
One of the things that stand out about Queen Elizabeth II’s reign has been her willingness to publicly voice her faith in Christ as being what has driven her to serve her country in the way that she has. She has lived out the life that she believed God had called her to and has done so the best of her ability. All of us by the time of reading this article will have had the opportunity to pay our respects to Her Majesty, sign condolence books and to give thanks to God for her life. Perhaps you have made a display in your church.
As we look back though so we must also look forward and give thanks to God for King Charles III. On Monday 19th September, I along with thousands of other people sang the words of the National Anthem during the day of the Queen’s funeral, and although it did seem odd singing God save the King, I personally found it very moving and felt as if the baton had been passed from one Monarch to the other.
So let us give thanks to God for the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II, for her faith and dedication to duty, and let us pray for King Charles III as he takes on his new role and leads us as a nation into a new era. Let us also consider the role of our faith in Christ in our lives and how we too pass on the baton of faith to others.
Love and prayers,
Rev. Sharon
