| | | Remembrance
Sunday - 10 November 2019 |
Treaty of Versailles Centenary : 1919 - 2019
The Glencorse Pipe band lead the parade from Kirkhill
Light flakes of snow fell on the parade as they headed down Kirkhill from the British Legion to St.
Mungo’s, where a warm welcome awaited their arrival. Some 200 people from the British Legion, our
armed forces, Air Cadets, Scouts Association, Girl  Guiding,
Boys Brigade, Penicuik Athletic, and civil dignitaries, in addition to our normal Sunday
morning congregation filled the church. Sir Robert Clerk Bt, OBE, Lord Lieutenant of
Midlothian was representing Her Majesty the Queen. Representing the
British Army was Lt Luke Allwood, of the Royal Highland Fusiliers,
2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (2 SCOTS) based at
Glencorse Barracks.
The Treaty of Versailles is
Armistice Centenary service was particularly poignant falling on
the11th day of the 11th month, exactly 100 years from the signing of
the Armistice, bringing to an end over 4 years of WW1 hostilities.
The Rev John Urquhart led the service, with Penicuik Silver Band, led by Robert Fraser, leading the music for the praise.
The service opened with the presentation of the colours, led by Colours commander Annell Burns, approached to the tune of Boys of the Old Brigade, played by the
Penicuik Silver Band.
Colours for the Legion, Air Cadets, Scouts Association and  Girl
Guiding were presented to, and received by, Rev John Urquhart.
John
then continued the service with the call to worship, taken from Psalm 117. This was followed by our traditional Remembrance opening hymn
'Praise my Lord the King of heaven', hymn 160. The Prayer of Confession
led us into the Act of Remembrance, presented by Parade Commander David Little. This year we once again added the additional verse
 They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.
before the traditional act of Remembrance
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.
With the congregation responding 'We will remember them'.
The Last Post was played by the lone bugler Anna Florence, from Penicuik
Silver Band, leading into the Piper's Lament, played by Richard
Montgomery. which ends as the piper walks into the distance and fades
from view, signalling 11.00am and the start of our 2 minute silence.
The bugler then struck up the Reveille, ending the silence.
Our
praise continued with 'O God, our help in ages past'. hymn 161.
 John introduced us to a new hymn ‘Hope for the World’s Despair’
written by Rev Ally Barrett. A moving Hymn of Peace for Remembrance,
it won the Jubilate Hymn of Peace competition in 2018. We played
a video with lyrics to the seated congregation.
You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIQAykpkbhw
The
first reading was read from Isaiah 2: v2-5, by Lt Luke Allwood
of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of
Scotland (2 SCOTS), leading us into the hymn 'How deep the Father's love for us' hymn 549.
Sir Robert
Clerk read the second lesson from 'Romans 5: V6-11, from the 'Voice' translation. which led
us into the sermon from Rev John Urquhart.
John
opened the sermon with a story about T.E. Lawrence, better known as
Lawrence of Arabia. We hear how he found himself and his group in the
desert with little food or water, and the wind blowing sand into
their faces. Someone noticed that one of their group, Gazim, was
missing. Others thought he had fallen, had been shot, or simply
run away. What did it matter anyway, and they rode on.
 Lawrence
turned and went back, eventually finding Gazim, the sand blinding him,
and his throat parched, mad with thirst. Lawrence lifted Gazim on to
his camel and gave him some of the last drops of water in his bottle,
plodding back to the others. Reaching them, they watched in amazement
that Lawrence had rescued Gazim, who was not worth the cost of a camel.
Lawrence
turned back to save a comrade, even though he was not highly valued by
them. That required courage, and care for people, both rare qualities.
 On
of the people we are remembering today is Lance Corporal John Cleghorn
of the Royal Scots, whose name is on the memorial in the church. John
died Easter Monday, 9 April 1917, aged 20, on the first day of the
second battle of Arras. A gamekeeper on the Penicuik Estate, and a
member  of
St. Mungo's. During his training on the Pentland Hills, before heading to
France, he and a fellow gamekeeper Tom Webster, were responsible for
rescuing their fellow soldiers when caught in a blizzard on the hills
during night manoeuvres. Such actions require courage, and care for
the people, and these are rare qualities.
We hear how Jesus came to rescue people, the weak and troubled, laying down his life for us. You can hear the full story in John's sermon
'Amazing Grace' hymn 555 continued our praise, followed by
the offering, and 'Prayers for others and ourselves, ending with the Lords Prayer'.
Our final hymn, during which the colours were returned was 'When the guns of war fell silent'.
The service concluded with 'The National Anthem - God save our gracious Queen', and the blessing from Rev John Urquhart. The silver band then played as the colours departed the church.
Pipe band lead the parade to the war memorial after the remembrance service
The
members of the British Legion, Armed Forces, cadets and organisations
lined up outside the church for the parade, led by the Pipe Band, to the war memorial in the
park. Here the Rev John Urquhart took the service and presentation of wreaths and tributes.
Click on the above links to hear that part of the service
Published - 13 November 2019
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