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Viewpoint from Rev Sue Upton 11/11/2022
 Rev Sue Upton
Assistant Minister, St Andrew's Church. Gorleston and St Nicholas' Church, Bradwell
November! The month of remembering
We begin with Bonfire Night. But the problem is that we don’t remember particularly well the social and political unrest that led to the desperate measure of the Gunpowder Plot. Our fireworks are as much a symbol of that pain as the poppies are a symbol of later pain
And the pain of war has never been absent since the poppy was first worn in 1921. The pain of death and bereavement, the pain of physical life changing injury for the victim and their family and friends and the pain that is sometimes much more hidden, of mental scarring. We have watched with horror war in Europe, as Russia and Ukraine collide, and are much less aware of, but should be equally aware of, the equally horrific scenes in Somalia, Syria, South Sudan, and many, many other countries around the world where the pain of war is devastating on a daily basis
 Jesus, as He sat with His closest friends at the meal that we now know as The Last Supper, told them to remember Him in a special way as they would continue their ministry without him. And in churches of many denominations all around the world that last meal with Jesus is remembered, whether it is called Holy Communion, The Eucharist, Mass, The Breaking of Bread, or something else
But as with fireworks on Bonfire Night, or the poppies of Remembrance Day, we need to remember the real Jesus who was labelled a political activist by the authorities of the day, who suffered the physical pain of torture and crucifixion and the emotional and spiritual pain of separation from His Father. But remember too that in His resurrection, both were overcome, bringing us hope for the future in Him. As we remember Him in the symbols of bread and wine, we need to make sure that it’s the real person that we remember, not only the symbols. We need to remember that Jesus stood up for the marginalised in society, that He brought comfort and security to those that He met day by day, that He brought peace to those in turmoil – and that He still does, and those of us who follow Him should be doing the same
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