Book of Alternative Services

Sunday, November 13^th, 2022

Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 33] (Green)
Or
Remembrance Sunday (Violet or Black)

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

Eucharist: The Propers for All Souls Day are appointed for Remembrance Sunday. Names of members of those who have died in the last year may be included in the prayers of the people and a special intention made for them with the prayer before the gifts. If there are members of the parish who died in the wars it would be appropriate to add their names as well. A Litany of the departed for use before or after the Eucharist is provided by the Church of England's Common Worship: Times and Seasons (available online).

Act of Remembrance: This may be best done at the end of the service. During an appropriate hymn there may be a procession to a suitable station such as a war memorial, plaque, or a list of those who served and or died in the wars. Such a service is also provided in Common Worship: Times and Seasons (available online). The dismissal and blessing may be said after this or before the procession to the station.

Blessing of a Graveyard: There may be a procession to the graveyard using Psalm 25, Psalm 116, Psalm 118, or Psalm 42. The blessing and dismissal would be used at the conclusion of this second (or first) special act of commemoration. One of the best of these services that may be adapted to local use may be found in the Catholic Book of Blessings (available online at the Catholic Culture website). The minister may circulate through the graveyard after this service and bless individual graves and offer prayers for individual departed members. In practice this means that family and friends of the departed disperse to different areas of the graveyard to clean and tidy the graves as they wait for the minister to come to them. It may be appropriate for the whole congregation to gather first at the graves of those parishioners who have died in war or during the previous year. In parishes where the cemetery is located some distance from the parish church, this service, extended with readings, may be used at another time during the day or during the week.

Colour: As All Saints and All Souls reflect two different aspects of the Christian theology of death it may be appropriate to reflect this in the liturgical colour used for both days. White for All Saints allows for thanksgiving for those who have been sanctified. Traditionally violet (or black) has been used for All Souls to reflect the eschatological hope of salvation for all people and to also allow an occasion for the public expression of bereavement. Violet allows a more somber reflection of the reality of the grief of the loss of loved ones in a culture that is often uncomfortable with grieving. This is especially true for those who died in armed conflict. However, it may be more pastorally appropriate to use white if the parish regularly uses white for funerals and has integrating a hopeful and joyous eschatological outlook. In this case it may be appropriate to change into a violet stole for the blessing of graveyard and individual graves to allow an expression of human loss invariably found in the experience of death.

Note on the Name of the Service: Remembrance Sunday is the most common title. Although "All Souls' Sunday" does have a complimentary ring with "All Saints' Sunday" it may sound alien to many. "Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (or just ‘Departed:') with an (or ‘the') Act of Remembrance", or "Commemoration of the Departed: with an Act of Remembrance and the Blessing of the Graveyard" might be more suitable.

Morning Prayer: Ps 66, 67; Hab 1:1-4, (5-11), 12--2:1; Phil 3:13--4:1; Coll 392 or Coll 429 or FAS 331 (Remembrance Sunday)

Holy Eucharist: Proper 33: Propers 392; Is 65:17-25; Is 12 (as canticle); 2 Th 3:6-13; Lk 21:5-19; Preface of the Lord's Day
Or
Remembrance Sunday: Propers 429 or FAS 331; Wis 3:1-9; Ps 116:1-8; 1 Pet 1:3-9; Jn 6:37-40 or Jn 11:21-27; Preface for the Commemoration of the Dead

Evening Prayer: Ps 19, 46; (1 Macc 2:29-43, 49-50); Mt 23:13-24; Coll 392 or Coll 429 or FAS 331 (Remembrance Sunday)

Link to full text for this day.