Morning Prayer took on a different character with the dual celebrations for Rogation Day and Memorial Day. In both cases the sermon (which can be found here) emphasized the nature of uncertainty in our lives. "Today we come together to celebrate those in our midst who choose a life of uncertainty for the common good." The graves of some of those who served included an American flag in remembrance of their sacrifice. It’s a solemn reminder of the tenuous nature of life and those who sacrifice their lives so that others might live. (The readings for today’s service have been published).
Rogation" comes from the Latin "rogare," which means "to ask," and "Rogation Days" are days during which we seek to ask God’s mercy and for blessings, particularly with regard to farming, gardening, and other agricultural pursuits. The day goes back to 5th Century after a series of natural disaster in France that led to blessings for the plants.
We acknowledged our dependence on God through a collect and special prayers for gardens, fields and orchards, read by different members of the congregation. (The bulletin is published here ). We remembered the uncertainty of farmers and celebrated those in the congregation such as Johnny Davis that make their living in this pursuit. The children did a skit on creating gardens (shown above)
The sermon’s theme was also cited with the military. We celebrated the recent award of T. C. Collins in bringing to closure a murder that seemingly would not get solved. There were special prayers for those that served in each of the armed forces (the Navy shown above). Those who had an assocation with a branch of the military were asked to stand to be recognized. Helmut who is a veteran was asked to read the Prayer for our Country. We also recited a litany for our nation as well as sang the more notable patriotic anthems – American the Beautiful and My Country Tis of Thee.