In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

All of us are familiar with the symbol of the red poppy. Many of us are wearing them today. It is a symbol that has been long associated with Remembrance Day ever since John MacCrae’s famous poem, “In Flanders Fields”, was published. But did you know that there is also a white poppy as well, which is to be worn at this time of year? In fact the white poppy campaign is almost as old.

It started back in 1933 when the Women’s Co-operative Guild in England chose to wear white poppies to symbolize their commitment to work for peace and to end their complicity with militarism. The tradition has now spread beyond England to other communities as well. A few years ago, the Canadian Voice of Women for Peace was promoting the idea that Canadians should wear a white poppy for peace with the traditional red poppy.

One member of the “Women for Peace” was quoted, “red poppies are for remembrance….and remembrance is not enough.” Now no matter what you may think of this group’s idea concerning the white poppy they raise an important point that today and on Friday “remembrance is not enough”.

This is not to deny the importance of remembering; in fact it is a gift. To remember the sacrifice, the pain and the loss that is the result of war, to remember the comradeship, the closeness. The hope and fears, the evil that destroyed so many lives- the victory that came.

To remember these things helps us know ourselves. It tells us who we were and who we are now as Canadians. It is this collective memory of our nation that guides us in current place and time. Remembering is important but should it not lead to some decision on our part. For it is in the act of choosing where our biblical text differs from Remembrance Day.

As Joshua, an old man about to die, called the people of Israel together to remember and to decide, so we are called here together to remember and to decide.
- to remember the pain, loss and sacrifice of war but also to remember something more.
- to remember God’s presence with us and to decide whom we will serve.

In our scripture reading Joshua told the story of God’s presence with his people, Israel.
Beginning with the call of Abraham, Joshua then moves to Isaac and Jacob and Esau.
Moses and Aaron are next with the story of the exodus from Egypt and then finally the conquering of the land that God had promised to his people.

Joshua tells their story; he remembers those root experiences that have shaped them as a people. Last Sunday, when I shared with you the story of Martin Luther, it is the same story with a new chapter-a root experience that has shaped us as a people. But in our text Joshua does not end with simply the act of remembrance. Joshua wants the people to understand that this is their story, this story of God’s presence with them. And he then calls for a decision on their part.
“then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,

The people respond to Joshua with their own act of remembering. They remember how God set them free from slavery. They remember how God journeyed with them through the various nations until they came to their destination. It is from this point of remembering that they act, they decide, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods.”
And so we gather today, God’s people in a new time and place. Gathered to hear and remember our national story, but also to remember and to decide-to remember that we are God’s people and to choose. For Joshua’s question comes to us as well, “then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” Not yesterday or tomorrow but today. Choose whom you will serve.

Certainly there are numerous “gods” from which to choose. They may not be idols of wood and stone but they demand our ultimate loyalty all the same. Each of these “gods” wants our worship, our service, and our loyalty. Now the fact that you are here this morning would indicate that through the grace of God you have made a choice today- to serve God. But in fact it is a choice that lies before us each and everyday of our lives.

It is a choice that comes with heavy responsibility. To follow God wherever God may lead. To tell the story to our children and the generations that come after us. To stand and witness for life in a world that is so often a kingdom of death. To give witness to Christ, the Prince of Peace, who poured himself out for the sake of the world.  It is not an easy choice to make. And I can tell you that as “cultural Christianity” continues to wane in this country the choice will grow ever more difficult.

But we are not left alone in our remembering or our choosing. God is present with us just as he was present with Joshua and the people so long ago. In a few moments we will gather at the table of the Lord. He will invite us share in the bread and the cup. To do this in remembrance of him. To remember, to choose and to be strengthened through grace and the presence of Christ who is for us the Prince of Peace. THANKS BE TO GOD, AMEN.