A year ago today, I sat in the office, the blinds all drawn following protocol to prevent glass damage if there were further bombs, trying to make sense of what was happening via the tv and the web.
But even though the experience is clear in my mind, it was second hand, through the media. So instead read the words below, via Rachel North , from 6 month remembrance ceremony. And at noon BST stop and think, about the victims of this attack and of sectarian and religious wars everywhere and what you can do to make a difference in your life to prevent cultural and religious differences being a destructive force instead of a constructive one.
We are here today in fellowship, to remember our fellow passengers from the morning of July 7th 2005. We think of them often, especially those who did not finish their journey. We think of all those who loved them and knew them. We think of the injured, the desolate and those who mourn. We think of the victims of the other London bomb attacks. We think of all those whose lives were changed by the events of 7th July. We think of the victims of all acts of terrorism’.
ALL: We hold them in our thoughts.
‘We think of those who helped us on that morning and afterwards, the staff of London Underground, especially the drivers of our train and the staff of Russell Square and Kings Cross. We think of the police officers, the fire officers, the ambulance drivers, the emergency services, the doctors and nurses and surgeons. We think of the kindness of passers-by and we think of all those who love London and who thought of the people of the city on that day and who held us in their thoughts.’
ALL: We hold them in our thoughts
‘We remember our fellow passengers from our train:James Adams, Samantha Badham, Phillip Beer, Anna Brandt, Ciaran Cassidy, Rachelle Chung For Yuen, Elizabeth Daplyn, Arthur Frederick, Karolina Gluck, Gamze Gunoral,Lee Harris, Ojara Ikeagwu, Emily Jenkins, Adrian Johnson, Helen Jones, Susan Levy, Shelley Mather, Michael Matsushita, James Mayes, Behnaz Mozakka, Mihaela Otto,Atique Sharifi, Ihab Slimane, Christian Small, Monika Suchocka, Mala Trivedi’
ALL: We hold them in our thoughts
ALL: When we all got on the train we did not know that for some of us it would be a last journey, and that some of us would not come home.
We did not all finish our journey together, but we carry you in our hearts. To all that loved you, knew you, worked with you, miss you, our thoughts are with you.
Wherever we travel, we know that we are all fellow passengers,and we are with each other on our journey.’Silence for one minute
A short prayer from the gentle service of Compline, at the end of the day
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake.
ALL: Amen.
Lest we forget
