For the third year in succession now, Doreen and I
have visited London to support Cynthia O’Neill of Hillgrove fame, in
holding a remembrance service at the Animals War memorial adjacent to
Hyde Park. This last one was on an extremely wet and windy Sunday
morning; yet we were encouraged to find that around seventy folk had
already gathered for 10.30 am. Yes, and – like in the two previous years
– it was hardly because of much advanced publicity! Once again, many new
faces were amongst the crowd who appeared in hope of witnessing a
possible service of commemoration for the animal victims of past wars,
and they were not disappointed! The Remembrance Service began at
10.30am; and then, shortly after the two minutes of silence observed at
eleven AM. wonderful fellowship followed which had to be brief because
of the rain.
Yes, thanks to Cynthia O’Neill who had initiated such
an occasion – by having turned up annually on her own before I’d joined
her to create a public act of worship – the folk now turning up annually
are bountifully being blest. Yes, and not least by a delightful hymn of
Linda Bodicoat from Leicester, written specially for such an occasion. I
sense it touched all our heartstrings and – I feel sure! – set the bells
ringing in Heaven as well. And again - as in previous years - several
complete strangers came forward to say they were so delighted that such
a service had been held for this special hour, which included the
Nation’s two minutes silence. Others had simply arrived ‘as by chance’
in order to offer their own two minutes to the animals in silence; and
they’d been rewarded by a full Christian service instead!. But – very
sadly – this may not be the case in the future; and you need to know
why:
Before the first memorable service for the animals in
2008, which proved such a great success, two sources had approached me
claiming to be quite horrified that I should hold a service of
remembrance in London for the animals at the same time as the one for
humans was to be held at Whitehall. ‘What dreadful repercussions would
occur’ they suggested. ‘Yes, and this could give a horrific image to the
whole animal activist movement as well as the Christian church itself!’
was the avowed forecast of others. Well, one can only say that their
timidity was not to be rewarded. ‘The righteous are as bold as a
lion’ and those who do God’s work - solely for the animals and
without any ulterior motive for themselves - can face the devil in the
face and make him and all his Beelzebubs’ run back to hell. That first
service, attended by several celebrities, was a superb occasion and went
without a hitch.
Ah but old Lucifer is not far away. He hates to be
defeated, and so, during months approaching the second animal blessing
service at the same place, several delightful letters arrived. Indeed, I
was obviously a real saint of a man – so the letters were worded – and
could such admirers come along and support me in this repeat years
venture? Well, offers of conversing over the phone followed letters sent
and letters received. The writers then wanted such an occasion to be
altered from the morning of remembrance Sunday to the afternoon; or
possibly to another day instead. Well, I wasn’t having it! Whitehall is
far removed from Hyde Park and Marble Arch. ‘One service does not in any
way conflict with another’ was the stand I took. ‘Such services are not
conflicting but actually complementing one another’ I affirmed. Well,
the adversary was not content: ‘Who has given you permission to take a
service at the side of the animals war memorial? We require an answer!’
they affirmed. Well, I can assure you that they didn’t get one. The
Service took place as planned; and more still turned up, than the year
previous.
Last year’s service adjacent to Hyde Park became the
third of its kind; and this time I had acquired a fellow Anglican cleric
to give the short address and offer the closing prayer as well. Doreen
and I were feeling the weight of getting down to London when the trains
were as packed as sardines for the Remembrance Weekend. Yes when booking
on a train is usually inoperative while travelling return - to and from
North Wales! - and when hotel prices are astronomically high as well!.
So, very reluctantly – and after conversing with my fellow cleric- I
made it clear in the Service that (like John the Baptist said of Jesus)
I must now decrease from the scene and my fellow cleric must now take –
at the very least – the leading role within future services. Indeed,
Father George has happily agreed to this; and that is how it must surely
remain because – in all honesty – Doreen and I cannot afford to face the
chaos and cost involved which being at the Animals War memorial that
special weekend creates.
“In my Father’s House Are Many Mansions!” Are The Words
Of Our Precious Lord”.
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