Today I am up to my ears in preparations for Sunday's Remembrance service.  In a moment of rash stupidity, I decided to do a booklet (rather than just a song sheet for those who can't see the screen) that we'll sit in a circle with monitors for visuals rather than a screen and, as I've only had five requests for candles and bought 4 dozen of the things, I'd find a suitable to text so that everyone could have a 'labelled' candle to take away.

In the trusty open source software that is E-Sword, Iwas looking at various translations of John1:5 and found this in the Message which I really like...

The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness; the darkness could not put it out

I'm not a great fan of the Message, but this seemed ideal for Sunday, and I love the word 'blaze' used in this context, suggesting almost that the light consumes the darkness rather than merely that the darkness can't extinguish the light.

I hope the service works - we are using some three-handkerchief weepy hymns/tunes because I feel some of our folk need some release of pent-up emotion, some poetry (not too mawkish) and some images (when I decide which!).  Time will tell - but hopefully the Life-Light will indeed blaze through and the candles find their way into the homes of those who need the hope of the words.