St Margaret’s holds a Service for Parliament to mark the Centenary of the end of the First World War

Tuesday, 6th November 2018

St Margaret’s holds a Service for Parliament to mark the Centenary of the end of the First World War

A service for Parliament to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War was held at St Margaret's Church at 2:00pm on Tuesday 6th November 2018.

The service was conducted by the Rector of St Margaret's Church, the Reverend Jane Sinclair, who said in her Bidding:

One hundred years ago this week parliamentarians gathered in the House of Commons and the House of Lords to receive the formal announcement of the acceptance of the terms of the Armistice imposed on Germany by the Allies and the United States of America. On hearing the news, both Houses immediately left their chambers, and came here to St Margaret’s to give thanks to God for the cessation of hostilities after four years of unforgiving and traumatic warfare.
Today we commemorate a pivotal moment in the history of this nation, and of Europe and the wider world. We remember the sacrifices of those parliamentarians and parliamentary officers and staff who gave their lives during the First World War, or who were injured.

The service was attended by The Right Honourable Theresa May MP, Prime Minister; The Right Honourable Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the opposition, MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. The Prime Minister and Lead of the Opposition laid wreaths at the High Altar.

The Address was given by The Right Reverend Tim Thornton, Bishop at Lambeth and Bishop to the Forces.

The Right Honourable John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, read the words of the then Prime Minister, Mr Lloyd George, announcing the Armistice in Parliament on 11th November 1918.

The Right Honourable The Lord Fowler, Lord Speaker, read St Matthew 5: 1-16.

The Reverend Predendary Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons, lead the Act of Remembrance, during which Last Post and Reveille were sounded.

Prayers were led by the Reverend Jennifer Petersen, Minor Canon and Chaplain; and said by Ian Volkov, Jessica Minton, Dominic Jones, Oliver McCourty, and Shante Jackson, Members of the UK Youth Parliament; and the Speaker's Chaplain.

The service was sung by the Choir of St Margaret's conducted by Richard Pearce. The organ was played by James McVinnie.


Order of Service for A Service for Parliament to mark the Centenary of the end of the First World War (PDF, 425KB)