CANORA – Cathy Trach, president of the Canora branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, welcomed all those in attendance at the June 7 Decoration Day Service held at the Canora Cemetery.
“Thank you everyone for joining us today to thank and honour our veterans for their bravery and sacrifice they have given for us.”
O Canada was accompanied with the raising of the Canadian Flag by F/Sgt. Max Paul of the Canora Air Cadets squadron.
Lay Minister Ken Rolheiser read a scripture passage from John 12: 23-26, followed by prayer.
“The souls of our veterans are with God. Their bodies are buried in peace. But their names live forever with us. O God, on this day we gather around our War Memorial and decorate the graves of our fallen comrades. Accept our memorial of their sacrifice, and this offering of praise and thanksgiving, through Jesus Christ our Lord. O God, we rejoice in all who have faithfully lived and honourably died, especially those who loved freedom and offered their lives in its defence.
"As we lay these tributes – an offering of benediction, beauty and remembrance let us be assured in our hearts that they who are absent from us have found a more perfect rest with You and have secured an unfading life.”
Those who placed wreaths in tribute to those who have served were:
- Canora/Pelly MLA Sean Wilson, Government of Saskatchewan;
- LAC Carter Dick, Royal Canadian Air Cadets; and
- Monica Dudeck and Liz Bahnuik, new member of the Canora branch, Royal Canadian Legion.
Two minutes of silence was observed.
Cathy Trach led a responsive reading of The Act of Remembrance:
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning…
We will Remember Them.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.”
The Benediction followed.
“O God, you will care for them better than we in our love could do. Christ, bless our comrades wee pray. Help us, O God, to be faithful to the ideals, which they struggled to maintain. We seek to perpetuate the memory of our departed comrades by service to their King. We remember our solemn obligation as we pray: Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget, lest we forget.”
The service closed with the playing of God Save the King
Following the service at the cemetery, all those in attendance were invited to the Legion Dugout for a time of fellowship.
Cathy Trach shared the Grace prior to the serving of lunch.
“We thank you, O God for your work of Creation and all You have done for us. We especially thank You for this opportunity for us to meet together in fellowship and to celebrate this annual Decoration Day, while remembering and thanking the veterans of the 1866 Battle of Ridgeway and all veterans who have proudly served this nation, Canada. We ask your blessing upon all veterans, the people gathered here today and the nourishing lunch we are about to share. Amen.”
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