Remembering

Sunday mornings are full of serendipity.

This morning at the pre service breakfast for veterans, active and retired military personnel, families and youth. Gwen, sitting across the table, passed over a photo of two young people in uniform. The so young faces looked out with all the possibility of youth. They were the photos of this very woman and her brother who lies buried in Germany. His grave was in the next picture with her grandson who had made the pilgrimage to the site.

The photos began a discussion. On one side of me was a young woman who said she would be studying the war in history in grade 10. On the other side of me was a young man who had been impacted by a school visit to the war cemeteries of Europe. The conversation was meaningful. We were connecting out of such different experiences.

The service began and ended with this group of 36 or so being piped in and out of the sanctuary. For some that was the most emotional moment of the morning. Others commented on the music, the trumpet, the laying of the wreath.

Later during coffee and conversation, one veteran, Alex, told me that he had just spoken to another veteran, Franz, who had been a prisoner of war in the far east during World War Two. Alex had been one of the group dropping supplies to the prisoners. He had not known until now that Franz had been on the ground receiving the lifesaving provisions.

And that was only my little perspective on the serendipity taking place this morning in the wonderful gift of intergenerational community here at Emmanuel.

Peter

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