ANZAC Day commemorated. Lest we forget.

25th April, 1915 – troops from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) storm the beaches of the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, in what was to become a mistake-ridden, disastrous campaign; but one which forever cemented the brave and determined character of the ANZACS in our history and cultural identity.
25th April 2019- A century after World War I, ANZAC Day is enshrined in our lives as one of the most sacred days of the year. On this day we remember not only the original ANZACs, but all the servicemen and women who have been involved in the armed forces, past and present. The day is marked by dawn services, wreath laying ceremonies and parades of veterans in city streets, suburban parks and small country towns. Throughout the country the ode to the fallen is read:
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.
(from Laurence Binyon’s “For the Fallen”)
And we all reply with the response “Lest we forget”
No ANZAC Day would be complete without the veterans having a beer together in the local pub or RSL (Returned Serviceman’s League) club and it’s the only day of the year that “two up” a coin-tossing game is officially legal. People cook Anzac biscuits and share them with friends.
25th April 2020 – This year there are no parades. The streets cannot be lined with crowds waving flags to cheer our veterans and serving personnel. Nobody can have a drink and a yarn with a mate at the pub. But all over Australia we lit candles and stood in our driveways or on balconies, waving to our neighbours as the sun came up this morning. With the help of our various electronic devices we listened to a prayer from the Prime Minister, the last post, the ode, and bugle calls to start and end a minute’s silence.
We will never forget how much we owe to the fallen for the life we enjoy today.
May their spirit continue to encourage us to help our mates and be brave in the face of trials.

For the Unborn

I lay beneath your heart

How could I have known

What I hoped was a heart of flesh

Had become a heart of stone

My lips formed silent words

You did not hear my cry

Your words were not for me

I couldn’t ask you why

I had my dreams and hopes

I had my life to live

If only you could have known

All the love I had to give

My earthly life at best enshrined

In only a stranger’s prayer

To cherish the babe that I once was,

Now resting in God’s care.


Copyright Jo Collett 2020

Don't be afraid.

^“ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit,^[e] striving together as one for the faith of the gospel ²⁸ without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.” (Philippians 1:27-28)

The past few weeks have seen major upheavals in the way we all live our lives. The overwhelming message to the church at this time is to stand firm, proclaim the gospel and don’t be afraid.

Jesus gave us His stellar example of courage and fortitude as He lived His last days here on Earth. He suffered betrayal and denial by His closest friends, rejection, unjust persecution, and horrendous and inhumane torture until death on a cross. Beyond even these things, He suffered the unimaginable experience of bearing the whole of humanity’s sin- He knew and felt every terrible sin of every human, past present and to come. Beyond even this, He experienced complete separation from His Father God. 

We will never need to suffer in the same way as Jesus. We are promised that God will never leave us, nor forsake us. The gospel story proclaims that death was not the end for Jesus. It was the triumph over death and sin.  Jesus returned from death. His burial tomb was found empty. He appeared to His despairing disciples, commissioning them to spread the gospel throughout this world. He ascended to Heaven, but sent His Holy Spirit to His believers to strengthen and empower them.

The reality of Christ can change everyone. Peter, who ran away and denied Christ was transformed into a bold and authoritative preacher. Paul, who persecuted the newly-formed Christian church was transformed by a personal encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus and became one of Christ’s most influential disciples, establishing churches and writing many portions of the New Testament. 

God is still available today, to every person, in every circumstance, through a simple prayer of faith in Jesus Christ. 

We need not be afraid of anything this life throws at us.