Falklands : DIGNIFIED COMMEMORATIONS MARK FALKLANDS LIBERATION
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 16.06.2007 (Article Archived on 30.06.2007)
A day of commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of the Falklands liberation from Argentine occupation took place on 14 June 2007.
Photo (c) J. Brock (FINN) Members of the Clergy prior to the service at the monument
DIGNIFIED COMMEMORATIONS MARK FALKLANDS LIBERATION
Members of the Clergy prior to the service at the Monument
By J. Brock (FINN)
A day of commemorations marking the 25th anniversary of the Falklands liberation from Argentine occupation took place on 14 June 2007. Events began with a thanksgiving service in Christ Church Cathedral conducted by the Rt. Reverend Stephen Venner, the Bishop of the Falkland Islands. He was assisted by Reverend Kathy Biles, Fr. Peter Norris of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the Rev. Ken Newton of the Tabernacle Free Church and the Reverend David Northfield the Armed Forces Chaplain. HRH the Earl of Wessex read the first lesson fro Isaiah and the Rt. Reverend Stephen Verner delivered the sermon.
Bishop Venner’s Sermon:
“On those rare occasions when one has time to read the whole of newspapers instead of just the headlines, I quite enjoyed reading some of the opinion columns as journalists let themselves dream dreams.
And, just before I left the UK I was reading a lovely article, which began by bemoaning all the things which were wrong with British society. It started by exploring the increase – as the writer perceived – of youth crime. Young people had no jobs, had no purpose in life, had lots of energy, they hadn’t got enough money to do anything or to enjoy anything very much and so, according to the writer, their expertise and therefore their energy was diverted into crime. And yet, said the writer, locking them up didn’t seem to do any good.
Then he went on to explore British sport, which was also a sport for him he bemoans the fact that although occasionally there are flashes of brilliance and we did really well, we were never consistent. Lewis Hamilton may have won one Grand Prix but he was very worried about the next one. And so he came up with what he thought was a brilliant, if not rather tongue in cheek idea that any young person who is doing anything the slightest bit wicked should be locked up and while they are locked up they should be given a very strict regime of physical education and sports training. And, at their time in prison they would come out as expert sportsmen to beat the rest of the world. QED, everything was sorted.
All joking apart (and I hope he was joking). All joking apart, there are, as always, some elements of truth in that. I know that the issue of young people’s crime is not something that you are aware of here in the Falklands. One of the interesting little bits of homework I did was to look at the BBC website where there was a lovely series of quotations from young people and I intend to quote a few of them during the course of the next 45 minutes. – You think I’m joking.
The young people quoted on that BBC website recently agreed that one of the great selling points of these Islands was that people feel safe. Arian Goss, aged 11 said ‘You could walk around with a big wad of cash here and not worry.’ I did ask what an eleven year old was doing with a big wad of cash. But I believe that there is a link to celebrations today.
The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah wrote some wonderful words, which the Prince read as our first reading – a text used to start the very first liberation day sermon in 1983. ‘The spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me. He sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.’
One of the things that has stayed with me from my last and first visit to the Falklands was just how fresh the Conflict is for most people here. And, not just because wherever you turn there are memorials to bring it to mind. It is still very much in the minds and experience of most of you who live in the Islands. And, for many, many people who don’t.
But also I have been struck particularly since I have been here this time and that’s the real evidence of the good that has in the longer term come out of the Conflict – signs of real development and real growth in these Islands.
And so I go back to the website. It tells us that one of the history teachers in your school here is writing a unit on the conflict because so far the conflict has not been taught as part of the history curriculum in the schools here. And, it was felt that the time had come when, perhaps, it should. I think that’s right. It must be good because it is so important that we remember those events – if only to help focus on the commitments and energy that is needed to be directed into something positive.
Let me re-wind a little bit a few thousand years. We just sung that hymn ‘Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer.’ And, that points us back to perhaps the most important story in human history. It’s a story from the Old Testament – the story of the liberation of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It’s a story that is fundamental to Jew, to Christian, to Muslim and to many other peoples. It’s a story that has been resonating all this year as we have celebrated the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery from the United Kingdom. We remember that throughout the world there are countless people who are remembering that slavery in many parts of the world is now a thing of the past, though sadly in other parts of the world is still with us. And, it’s part of the tradition and history of so many peoples. I am tempted to sing but I’ve been warned off it. ‘When Israel was in Egypt’s Land – Let my People go.’ And the stories in scripture – the stories of the Bible – tell us again and again of what happened when the Israelites took their land flowing with milk and honey forgranted.
What happened when they forgot what they owed to God and their ancestors and as they took it forgranted, so gradually bit by bit, year after year, generation after generation, things started breaking down. Things started to go dramatically wrong. But on the other hand the Bible tells us wonderful stories of what happened when the people of Israel remembered what had happened so many years before in Egypt and in the desert – how their lives had been richly blessed by God and by the faith of their predecessors and, some in the great days, for example, of David and Solomon. The world was a far better place. Everything seemed to go well because the people were living lives constantly remembering with gratitude the events of the past.
And, so Jesus, when he was on the hillside, was building on centuries of that experience when he said in our fourth reading, ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, blessed are the pure in heart, blessed are the peacemakers, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. That, Jesus seems to be saying, is the absolute minimum of what should be expected of people who have been set free.
But there are another couple of dimensions that I just want to mention this morning. The first comes from the third reading that we had from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians’. ‘Let your gentleness be known to everyone.’ The call of the people of Israel was not just to be godly and to prosper and to be at peace themselves. The call to the people of Israel was to ensure in every way that they could that the whole world became a better place by the example that they set, by the relations that they had with the outside world, with other nations, with other peoples, they should bring the whole world to understand what they had learned from that liberation experience.
And so, this truly must be a challenge for all of us gathered here this morning. Those of you who had first hand experience of the conflict and the liberation, whether you are local people, members of the Armed Services, people who come here to remember loved ones, who died or were wounded, whoever we are it is to help those of us whose experience of it, or any conflict for that matter, is much more at a distance to face up to the same challenges that you have had to face up to.
Put it a different and more simple way. What is it that you who were there can offer to the rest of the world? What is it that you who were there can offer those who visit these Islands? What is it that you who were there can continue to offer to each other and to your neighbours? What is it that you who were there can offer to your children and your grandchildren?
Back to the BBC Website again. One youngster put his own very sharp challenge – ‘The Government keeps planning something else for youngsters to do but they don’t do anything about it.’ I have absolutely no idea whether that is true or not but it is quite clear from that website that there are a fair number of other young people who agreed with him.
And, secondly and finally (Doesn’t 45 minutes go quickly when you are enjoying yourself?) That same lesson begins ‘Rejoice in the Lord always. Do not worry about anything. Keep on doing the things you’ve learned and received and heard and seen in Me and the God of Peace will be with you.
The theme that I have tried very briefly to set is one of two extremes. On the one hand, if you forget the past and let it all therefore over time be wasted, then there will be inevitable and negative consequences. On the other hand, if you keep those memories fresh and alive for yourselves and for the generations that come after you, then they should be a gift to you and to others, to your children, to your neighbours, to the world, that God called the people of Israel to be.
The fact that we are meeting here this morning in this Cathedral church is the most powerful reminder possible that you – that we – are not on our own. If you want to take the challenges that I have set and others have set seriously, then that little word, God, needs to come into the equation. It was God who lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Of course, the Bible is written in real religious language, making it sound as if God was truly present and heard and known to everybody who was there. My guess is that it wasn’t like that at all - there were people who believed and there were people who didn’t –but looking back on it, they could see the hand of God clearly at work. I believe, as a Christian, that as we look back on the conflict and the liberation 25 years ago we also can see the hand of God in that, both for those who believed and those who didn’t.
You will continue to have the support of friends from around the world but above all you will continue to have the support and the inspiration of Almighty God – if only you turn to him and ask him to help you.
So truly, whether you live here in these Islands, or whether you live in the UK or in the Caymans, or in St. Helena, or so many other places represented here this morning, we do not need to worry - we do not need to worry if we are humble enough to turn to God for help. He is there just waiting to be asked to come into our lives.
One final quotation from a local teenager – ‘You’d be crazy not to want to come back here.’ Long may that be true
And, as I started with my opinion article and with sport, perhaps you in the Falklands could also show that as you star in the Island Games, you do so without having to lock all your teenagers up to make sportsmen of them.
May God bless you both now and in the years ahead.
Amen
The commemoration service at the Liberation Monument began at 1100 with the arrival of the Band of HM Royal Marines followed by the Falkland Islands Defence Force, the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines and the Royal Air Force. After HRH the Earl of Wessex arrived the service began with the National Anthem and prayers by Bishop Stephen Venner, Fr. Augustine Monaghan and the Reverend David Northfield. The bugler played the Last Post and there was a minute’s silence followed by Reveille.
Wreaths were laid by HRH the Earl of Wessex on behalf of HM the queen, the Rt. Hon. Mr Adam Ingram MP on behalf of HM Government, H. E. the Governor Mr. Alan Huckle on behalf of the people of the Falkland Islands, CBF Brigadier Nick Davies on behalf of the Military Lord Parkinson on behalf of Baroness Thatcher, and others representing the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, the Army, the Royal British legion, the Royal Naval Association, Royal Marines Association, FIDF Association and the Falkland Islands Government. Wreaths were also laid by SAMA members as well as other organisations and individuals.
Bishop Venner gave the final blessing.
After the ceremony the Freedom of Stanley March began with the FIDF marching to Victory Green. The Earl of Wessex, Brigadier Nick Davies, the Rt. Honourable Adam Ingram, and H. E. the Governor Mr. Alan Huckle took the salute on the dais at Government House. Members of the FIDF took the salute from Victory Green. The Freedom of Stanley March ended at the Jetty Centre.
At 1230 a public reception was held at the FIDF Hall. In the afternoon there was a reception on HMS Edinburgh.
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