This year’s annual Remembrance Service and Parade will take place on Sunday 8 November, beginning at 10.30am at The Cenotaph in the War Memorial Park.
All are invited to the service, which will be led by The Right Reverend Sophie Jelley, Bishop of Coventry.
The service will honour and pay respect to those who lost their lives in the two World Wars and other conflicts throughout the world.
There will also be a short service in the Garden of Remembrance and Civilian Monument in London Road Cemetery at 3pm where people can also pay their respects.
The order of service will be:
- 10.30am - Solemn music will be played by the City of Coventry Brass Band
- 10.45am - Arrival of the Parade, led by the 13th City of Coventry Scout Band, assisted by the Parade Marshal, SSM John Convery and Standard Bearers Association.
- 10.54am - The Bishop gives an introduction to the service and the two minutes' silence. The Bishop continues:
- As As we commit ourselves to work for peace on earth and reconciliation among the nations, let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping: those who
have died for their country in war: those whom we knew, and whose memory we treasure: and all who have lived and died in the service of humankind.
- As As we commit ourselves to work for peace on earth and reconciliation among the nations, let us remember before God, and commend to his sure keeping: those who
Exhortation recited by ex-serviceman Mr Jim Ramsey:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;
at the going down of the sun, and in the morning.
We will remember them.
(All) We will remember them.
-
11am - Last post. Two minutes' silence.
The Hymn - St. Anne
Please join in the singing of the hymn which is led by the Coventry Philharmonic Choir.
- 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. - O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
be Thou our guard whilst troubles last - And our eternal home.
Issac Watts (1674-1748) Psalm 90
Reading of Psalm 46 by Pastor Eniiwaju Etomi, Senior Pastor, Holy Ghost Zone Parish, Hillfields
- God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble - Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, - though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. - There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells. - God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day. - Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts. - The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. - Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth. - He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth. #
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shield with fire. - He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” - The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress
Psalm 46
Prayers led by Monsignor Tom Farrell, Roman Catholic Dean of Coventry
At the end of each petition the minister says:
Lord in your mercy,
(All) Hear our prayer.
The prayers conclude with this prayer, followed by the Lord's Prayer
Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
infinite in wisdom, love, and power:
have compassion on those for whom we pray;
and help us to use all suffering
in the cause of your kingdom
through him who gave himself
for us on the cross.
Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray for the coming of the kingdom
in the words our Saviour taught us.
(All) 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.
Laying of wreaths
Assisted by Wreath Marshal, Mr Ray Bond, and the Lord Mayor’s Cadets. Led by the Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands. The Civic Wreath will be laid by the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry. Everyone is welcome to follow to lay their own tributes.
During the wreath laying the hymn ‘O Valiant Hearts’ is sung
Words by Sir John S. Arkwright
Please join in the singing of the hymn which is led by members of The Coventry Philharmonic Choir
- O Valiant hearts, who to your glory came,
Through dust of conflict and through battle-flame;
Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
Your memory hallowed in the land you loved. - Splendid you passed, the great surrender made,
Into the light that nevermore shall fade,
Deep your contentment in that blest abode,
Who wait the last clear trumpet-call of God. - Long years ago, as earth lay dark and still,
Rose a loud cry upon a lonely hill,
While in the frailty of our human clay,
Christ, our Redeemer, passed the self-same way. - These were his servants, in His steps they trod,
Following through death the martyred Son of God
Victor He rose; victorious too shall rise
They who have drunk His cup of sacrifice. - O risen Lord, O Shepherd of our dead,
Whose cross has brought them and whose staff has led
In glorious hope their proud and sorrowing land
Commits her children to Thy gracious hand.
Amen.
(Reproduced by permission of Novello & Co. Ltd.)
Solemn music continues during the rest of the wreath laying.
Prayers of commemoration offered by the Bishop
Let us commemorate the faithful departed.
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord
(All) and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace
(All) and rise in glory. Amen.
Let us pray
Almighty and eternal God,
from whose love in Christ
we cannot be parted,
either by death or life;
hear our prayers and thanksgivings
for all whom we remember this day;
fulfil in them the purpose of your love;
and bring us all, with them, to your eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Litany of reconciliation
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,
(All) Father forgive.
The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,
(All) Father forgive.
The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,
(All) Father forgive.
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,
(All) Father forgive.
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,
(All) Father forgive.
The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children,
(All) Father forgive.
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,
(All) Father forgive.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Act of commitment - The Bishop
Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service.
Will you strive for all that makes for peace?
(All) We will.
Will you seek to heal the wounds of war?
(All) We will.
Will you work for a just future for all humanity?
(All) 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.
(All) We will.
The blessing, given by The Bishop
Kohima, recited by ex-servicemen Mr Jim Ramsey
When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today
The National Anthem (1st verse only)
God save our gracious King
Long live our noble King
God save the King
Send him victorious
Happy and glorious
Long to reign over us
God save the King.
After the service, all those attending are requested to stand fast to allow the departure of the civic party and clergy who will proceed to the saluting base area inside the park near the main entrance. The parade will then re-assemble and march past the saluting base, where the salute will be taken by the Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, together with Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of the City of Coventry, supported by the clergy and other distinguished visitors.
You can also download a PDF version of the order of service.