On Monday 4 August, a special Vigil Service is taking place at one of our sister churches in the local Cluster to mark the centenary of Britain’s entry into the First World War.
One hundred years ago on the 4th of August 1914, the British nation were anxiously waiting for news of whether the German Kaiser would respond to the British government’s ultimatum; issued after Germany had invaded Belgium. At 11pm the deadline expired and Britain was at war.
To mark the centenary of Britain’s entry into the First World War, St Mary’s will be joining with other churches around the nation next Monday at 10pm to conduct a vigil as we countdown that final hour to war.
Mirroring a service taking place at the same time at Westminster Abbey in London, the service will contain a mixture of war poetry, Scripture readings, prayers, music and silence in a sombre vigil.
No other war has changed the map of Europe so dramatically as did the First World War. Nine million combatants are estimated to have lost their lives and even conservative estimates count the overall death toll at fifteen million.
Like many communities across England and across the world, the families of West Malling and Offham lost many young men who never returned from the fields of Europe.
You are very welcome to come and join us to participate as we pay our respects and mark this sombre centenary in our nation’s history.