13 November 2012
A north London priest who was called to a fatal accident outside
her church is urging people to light a candle and say a prayer this
Sunday (18 November), the World Day of Remembrance for road traffic
victims, supported by the UN.
Charlotte Ballinger, assistant curate at Chipping Barnet (in St
Albans diocese) explains in a Church of England podcast
published today how the accident outside her church prompted
her to focus on those involved in safety on our roads and to
remember the victims and their families and friends.
Charlotte said a prayer over the body of the 66 year old
cyclist, who had been killed instantly. She later took her
funeral, which she said was a celebration of the victim's life but
also an immensely sad occasion with "laughter and tears in
equal measure".
Charlotte explains how churches are at the centre of community
for everybody and wherever they are situated can be a focus for
people in need.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is
organised by Roadpeace and supported by the UN; it takes place on
the third Sunday in November. In recent years many events have
taken place, including the march through the City of Bath to an
open-air gathering, the Critical Mass of cyclists through London to
the sites where people had been killed, or a Remembrance Concert
with many bands in Johannesburg. Schools hold special
assemblies, minutes of silence, or allow pupils to express their
thoughts or feelings in essays and various art forms. People are
encouraged to create acts of remembrance in their own way.
Ends
Notes
Resources for remembrance events including church services
can be found on the
Roadpeace website