VE Day

What’s that all about?

It’s about the beginning of the end of World War II. “Victory in Europe Day.” On 7th May 1945, the War of the World on the European front came to an end. On 8th May, the next day, 75 years ago, a vast portion of the world celebrated the conclusion of that horrific War.

Rushden, a town roughly between Oxford and Cambridge, celebrated with the rest of the UK on VE day. Famous for its shoe factories, this town turned its talents in wartime to making boots for British forces being shipped off to battle. As a reward, Rushden received significant strategic bombing from the Allies’ enemies.

In that town lived my wife’s mother and grandmother. Just a few blocks away was the remains of the junior school that had been the victim of a misdirected bombing aimed at the shoe factory.

This is a photograph of my wife’s mother as a little girl at five years of age, standing in front of her home at 9 Spencer Road, Rushden, waving her Union Jack in celebration of VE Day. As a part of the celebration, strong young men who had survived the war rolled Granny’s upright piano out of her house and all the way down the street. Every time the young men took a break from their heavy task, someone popped up and played a war-time song on the piano.

Neighbors set up tables right down the middle of Spencer Road for a street party. Everyone brought out special dishes to share for the “celebration meal.” Some of Granny’s relatives from Canada had sent her a “care package” with packets of jello and custard powder, rare commodities due to wartime rationing. My wife’s mother can still remember the luscious taste of the special English trifle her Granny made!
(If you’ve never tasted English trifle, it’s worth a trip to the UK).

War and Peace. The twentieth century has been called “the century of war.”
Where do these wars arise? The question reminds of a puzzling query once posed by the Times newspaper: “What’s wrong with the world today?” G. K. Chesterton responded rather succinctly, “I am.”

Jesus gives his own answer to these probing questions by action as well as by word. Jesus gave his life to provide cleansing and forgiveness for all who come to him.

Jesus the Christ, the one and only Son of God still provides the way of peace and reconciliation for warring nations and individuals. He with his big heart has given his life as a ransom for as many as will come to him. He invites you today to come and celebrate his peace.