It is a privilege to be asked to
launch the Great Lake 5000 Poppies Project. The project imitates the project
started in Melbourne, and is a community tribute of memory leading to next
year’s Centenary of the Anzac landing.
I have watched as our local
initiative has gained community support. I have heard the stories of friends of
friends who have been moved to turn their community spirit and remembrance into
the form of crafted Poppies. I applaud the work of Julie Davies, Joanne Read,
and Margot Bilston.
In launching this project and
speaking about it, I am ignoring the wise advice chiseled into the Anzac
Memorial in Hyde Park in Sydney: “Let silent
contemplation be your offering”.
I speak as one who has never known war; one who is a stranger to the values and virtues of the Military; one who is now the presence of those here today who have first-hand experience of our need to remember well. And yet like many Australians I take up the invitation to speak at what has been called our longest eulogy, our secular sacred rite, and our national story.
I speak as one who has never known war; one who is a stranger to the values and virtues of the Military; one who is now the presence of those here today who have first-hand experience of our need to remember well. And yet like many Australians I take up the invitation to speak at what has been called our longest eulogy, our secular sacred rite, and our national story.
You may know that Anzac Day
observance was very much the creation of an Anglican priest by the name of Alf
Garland. Garland was a feisty character who was often in trouble with his
Bishops. He was also a proponent of equality for Aboriginals at a time when
there were still occurrences of Aboriginal massacres being committed. I wonder
if Alf Garland were here today if he would direct us to the returned service
personal who need greater support than they are receiving presently.
At the age of 53 Garland became a
chaplain and served in the Middle East in WW1. When the horrifically long list
of the dead became known in 1915, Garland and a group of clergy wanted to
assist the 100s of thousands of people who were grieving. They also wanted the
nation to face the tough question about the supposed necessity of such wanton
slaughter. So Garland and his team devised the Anzac Day Ceremonies we now
observe. The two minutes silence was a deliberate effort to allow all people of
all faiths to pray in their own way to their own God. It was an acknowledgement
of a multi-faith society. Over the years this has changed from prayer to
remembrance. And here we today in an Anglican
building, people of all faiths and none, led by three devout Anglican ladies.
As a person of Christian faith I find
it intriguing that the Federal Government advertising for these centenary
observances describes them as “sacred”.
When historians describe the Anzac
experience as a “Baptism of Fire” my eyes prick up because the phrase “baptism
of fire” is a phrase borrowed from the words of Jesus in the gospels. Jesus
said he felt constrained, bound tightly, until he underwent his baptism of fire
for our sakes on the cross of Calvary.
When I see a war memorial that
contains the words “Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his
friends” I am taken to two places. One place I am taken to is the Memorial in
Melbourne and other places where this text from John’s gospel is quoted. There
is a card on your table which I hope you will keep and take home. The picture
shows a beam of light which strikes the word “love” in the quote. The beam of
light strikes the word “love” at the 11th hour of the 11th
day of the 11th month.
The other place I am taken to is of
course John’s gospel in the Bible.
The context of the quote is Jesus saying
that he is giving his life for his followers that they might be redeemed. He
calls his followers friends not servants. He says he has made known to His
followers all that needs to be known about the Father God. So the text “Greater
love hath no man than to lay down His life for His friends” seems to be a
free borrowing from the Christian faith. The quote refers to Jesus, but in our usage
it likens the laying down of life by fellow diggers to that of Jesus who lay
down his life. It is a bold comparison.
On the other side of the card you
will see one of the memorial sculptures from the memorial in Hyde Park in
Sydney. It is called “Sacrifice”.
The young naked man has been sacrificed, and
he is being carried by the grieving women of his life. The theme of sacrifice
is a delicate one. We face the uncomfortable question about what the sacrifice
of young lives achieves. If the sole point of Gallipoli is the making of a
nation, then I wonder if we should have delayed the making of a nation and
saved those thousands of young lives, and the grief of a million lives. I’m
reminded of the words of the last Anzac Vet Alec Campbell who died a few years
ago. He said: “For God’s sake, don’t glorify Gallipoli – it was a terrible
fiasco, a total failure and best forgotten”.
And yet we say “Lest we forget”. We want to remember those who did not
return. And those who were terrible injured and traumatised.
I have placed a text over the Sydney
sculpture of Sacrifice containing words from St Paul: “God’s
love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been
given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died
for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely
will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone
might actually dare to die. But
God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for
us.” I hope that when we hear the word “Sacrifice” over the next year or so, we
will remember the meaningful sacrifice made by Jesus for our redemption.
So friends a warm welcome to
today’s gathering. Thank you for your presence and interest, and the respect it
indicates. And well done with all the hand craft. May the 5000 Poppies Project
continue to grow. I now formally launch the project, and ask you to show your
appreciation to those who are our leaders.
Rev’d Les Forester 2014
5000
P0PPIES PROJECT
by Mr Frank Brady, president Forster-Tuncurry
RSL sub branch
The 5000 Poppies Project is a
wonderful act of Commemoration. The thing that makes it so wonderful is that it
is a Community based project open for everyone to take part. The ladies of St
Alban’s Craft Group are to be commended for recognising such a worthwhile
activity that allows community participation at the individual's own pace. I
believe that this is going to make a tremendous impact on people when they see
the time and effort that has been devoted to make such a visual commemorative
display.
I personally believe that the real
value from this project will be that all of the people involved will devote
time to think about the people that they are honouring, and in doing this, like
all ladies, they will talk about their project and the message spreads far and
wide. Whilst thinking of these strangers from another time we will dwell on the
legacy that they left behind.
ANZAC Day commemorates the
contribution of all who have served Australia. But it is also equally important
in preserving Australian values and promoting them as shared values in the
Australian community. These values are those that we recognise as the Spirit of
ANZAC which include such human values as Courage, Mateship, Fairness,
Persistence, Endurance, Determination, Respect and Selflessness. When we hear each of these values
spoken we recognise the benefit that will be given to this great land of ours
if we emulate these values in our everyday lives. As we attempt to live up to these values we
ourselves are passing on this legacy that is the right of every Australian.
Next year the Spirit of ANZAC has
survived for 100 years and throughout that 100 years many of us have had a
direct personal link through parents and grandparents. The next 100 years will be a real challenge
to each and every one of us to play our part in giving the right examples for
future generations to emulate.
Well done to each and every one of
you present here today, you are each taking part in a project that will be
emulated well into the next 100 years. Thank you for setting the bar so high
for the rest of us to emulate.
