黄色视频 shares nations’ grief on the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Published On - 8 September 2022

Ann-Marie Nye Latest News
Queen Elizabeth II

The United Reformed Church shares in the grief of the nations following the death of Her Majesty the Queen, Elizabeth II.

Following the death of her father King George, Her Majesty succeeded the throne on 6 February 1952, but was officially crowned in 1953. Queen Elizabeth was the world鈥檚 longest-reigning living monarch and was a much-loved and popular royal figure.

Many United Reformed churches (黄色视频s) will be open for times of prayer and reflection over the coming days.

The General Assembly of the 黄色视频, the church鈥檚 governing body, sends a loyal address to the Queen each time it meets. At the 2022 General Assembly, the Assembly wrote to the Queen noting that in this year both Her Majesty and the 黄色视频 are marking a jubilee.

The Assembly thanked Her Majesty for her 鈥渟teadfast and faithful service鈥� over the seven decades of her reign.

Praising her example of 鈥渄uty, integrity and public service鈥�, the Assembly placed on record its appreciation of Her Majesty鈥檚 public witness to her Christian faith and the way in which she has sought to live her life as a servant of Christ.

The Revd Dr John Bradbury, 黄色视频 General Secretary, said: 鈥淗er Majesty Queen Elizabeth II lived the most remarkable life of dedicated Christian service.

鈥淎s a devout Anglican and Presbyterian her faith shone from her words and deeds. Her contribution to the life of our nations, the commonwealth, and beyond will be remembered with gratitude for generations to come. She inspired respect from across the political spectrum and from monarchists and republicans alike.

鈥淭he United Reformed Church has always been aware that as each General Assembly presents a loyal address to the throne, we have been addressing a fellow baptised sister in Christ. We give thanks for her life and uphold in prayer all who mourn for her. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.鈥�

The following Bible readings, hymn, reflection and prayer are offered for individuals, groups or for churches to use.

A hymn upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II

漏 The Revd Dominic Grant, 9 September 2022. Tune: Thaxted (鈥淚 vow to thee, my country鈥�)

We stand to mourn a sovereign,
a nation’s guide and friend,
who through long years of tumult
was faithful to the end.

We offer our thanksgiving
for all that she instilled:
her constancy of service,
her lifetime’s vow fulfilled.

Now from our world departed –
though never from our hearts –
receive her in the peace, Lord,
your love alone imparts.

And as we mark a passing
of sceptre, orb, and throne,
we’ll find in her compassion
a pattern for our own:

that all who stand in mourning,
or languish now in fear,
may know again your promise
to wipe away each tear.

With her we’ll join in witness,
Christ’s mercies our refrain:
great Sovereign of the nations,
eternal is your reign!

Isaiah 6: 1-5

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory.

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: 鈥榃oe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!鈥欌��

Reflection

This year will be known by many as, 鈥榯he year that Queen Elizabeth died鈥�. Whatever we think about the institution of the monarchy, the death of our Queen has a huge impact upon us.

Her face, her presence, her being there have been part of all our lives for so many years. For most of us, she has been the only monarch we can remember. She has been part of our lives, our imaginations, our sense of who we are.

The writer of this Bible passage from the book of Isaiah shared this experience of the death of a monarch, after a reign of many years. It is probably no co-incidence that it was in this year, the year that King Uzziah died, that he had an experience of the ground shaking beneath him, when the Temple shook and he felt lost.

Many of us now will also feel dislocated and shaken up, in ways we can鈥檛 quite describe and perhaps hadn鈥檛 expected.

But the monarch whose reign has just ended in our own land would be the first to say that the God whom she worshipped, and to whom she committed her life in service, the God in whose name she was anointed in a holy place, this holy God, is with us, and the whole earth is filled with God鈥檚 glory.

There are those who would say that what she provided above all was a kind of stability and reassurance. When times were painful and difficult for us as a nation, she was there. She always sought to comfort the suffering and to steady the anxious.

Above all, her own faith in God was sure and strong. She spoke with increasing depth, in her many Christmas broadcasts, about her own reliance on God. In the face of her death, we can depend on the God who is always with us, filling not only the temples of this world, but also our families and communities, with love and hope.

In the year that Queen Elizabeth died, we give thanks for a life of dedicated service to our nations and commonwealth. We give thanks for God鈥檚 faithful servant, Elizabeth. We pray for her family and closest friends, for those who will mourn and miss her most.

We grieve for what we have all lost. And we also take heart and hope from the faith that we shared with her and that she shared with us, remembering that death is defeated and that God reigns above all.

Other suggested readings

Esther 4: 12-17 (the story of a good Queen who protected a people in danger)

1 Peter 2: 9-10 (about a people becoming a royal priesthood, a holy nation)

Revelation 21: 1-4 (the new Jerusalem, death will be no more)

John 11: 20-27 (a woman witnesses to faith in the resurrection)

Prayer

O God, our rock and our redeemer,
we come to worship you
and to give thanks for your servant Elizabeth.

We thank you for her long life
and her dedicated service to commonwealth and nations.

We thank you for what she has meant
to each one of us鈥�

We treasure memories
of meeting her 鈥�.
of celebrating and marking moments in her life,
of the opening of parliament,
of her presence at significant times in our history,
and of her speaking to us on radio and television.

We rejoice that she lived and shared
the faith we hold
and that she followed her vocation,
hearing a call to serve.

We pray for those who will miss her most deeply,
that they may find comfort and hope.

We celebrate and affirm our faith
that death is defeated,
that new life awaits your children,
and that creation is renewed in Christ.

We pray for our nations at a time of change
and for our new King.
May he follow his mother in faithful service
and may your blessing rest on him.

We pray too for our elected representatives in parliament,
for our public servants
and for all citizens, of all faiths and none.

And, in this day and time, we pray,
as we are always glad to pray,
may your Kingdom come. Amen.

Quote from The Servant Queen, a book published on the occasion of her 90th birthday

鈥淓ach day is a new beginning. I know that the only way to live my life is to try to do what is right, to take the long view, to give of my best in all that the day brings, and to put my trust in God.鈥�
Queen Elizabeth II

鈥榃e Are Open鈥� poster

Please download and display our 鈥榃e Are Open鈥� poster to let people know they can come in to sit, to pray, to be still and grieve.

The demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: National Mourning Guidance

Download government guidance for the public and businesses on the period of National Mourning following the demise of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

  • (PDF)

Photo: Joel Rouse/ Ministry of Defence 鈥� nagualdesign, published under the .