Police Remembrance Service
St Peter’s Anglican Church hosted the Police Remembrance Day Service on 29 September 2022.
Each year, the 29th September holds a special significance for Police throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Solomon Islands.
It is a day for police to pause to honour officers whose lives have been cut short while performing their duty as a police officer. This important day is also a time to remember police officers who have lost their lives through illness or other circumstances.
The service in the far west was co-ordinated by Police Chaplain Rev David Shrimpton.
The readings for the day were Psalm 72 and Romans 13:1-8.
1. Psalm 72 NLT
2. A psalm of Solomon.
1 Give your love of justice to the king, O God,
and righteousness to the king’s son.
2 Help him judge your people in the right way;
let the poor always be treated fairly.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for all,
and may the hills be fruitful.
4 Help him to defend the poor,
to rescue the children of the needy,
and to crush their oppressors.
12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him;
he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy,
and he will rescue them.
14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence,
for their lives are precious to him.
Romans 13:1-8 NLT
13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.
Anglican Priest, Reverend Helen Ferguson, read the homily prepared by NSW Police Chaplain Rev Andrew Nixon, to the police officers in Broken Hill.
God cares about justice, because he cares about people – especially those who are weak, vulnerable, in need. And he hates oppression and violence. Kings (like King Solomon spoken of in Psalm 72, or King Charles III), and all rulers and authorities are put there by God to enforce the rule of law, restrain evil and wrongdoing, and protect innocent people. Even a dodgy ruler is better than anarchy and lawlessness. Law enforcement is an ancient and noble calling, and the Bible speaks very positively of all those who take on such responsibility.
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, soldiers wore a sword. Today, sworn police wear appointments. A sword, a sidearm, these are not symbolic items – they have deadly force. Carrying a weapon is not something any of you take lightly - you hope and pray you will never need to use it – but some of you will. That is a terrible fact. And that sidearm you strap on each shift is a daily reminder of the seriousness of the oath you have taken to serve your community, and the seriousness of the job you do.
And today – National Police Remembrance Day – is an annual reminder – a reminder for our whole nation – of the potential consequences of the oath you – and all police – have taken, and the deadly seriousness of your duty to serve your community. And today we remember, and we honour, all those who have paid the ultimate price while performing that duty. And we remember all those who have served and are no longer with us in this life.
Romans chapter 13 is blunt: those who do evil should be afraid of punishment. But is quick to say that those who do what is right have nothing to fear – in fact, you will honour them. I think that is very true. You go work every day for their good. And at the end of the shift when you go home, you can do so knowing that you have made a real difference. Not just in the lives of those you have helped, protected, reassured, or encouraged; not just those whose life you may have saved! But you have also impacted the lives of the millions who have gone about their ordinary day in peace and security, and have not even given you a thought. You have honoured them all by doing your duty and today is also a day to honour every single one of you in return.
I have only been in my role a short time, but on numerous occasions now I have heard wiser and older cops give junior police this advice: treat everyone you interact with today the way you would want your mother, brother, nephew, daughter, to be treated if it was them. Maybe you have heard that advice yourself? Maybe you have given it?! That is basically Romans 13 verse 8. Our obligation to love one another – to love our neighbour as ourselves. It won’t be easy to do – never is! But it is the gold standard each shift isn’t it?
May God bless and strengthen each and every one of you to do the job you have been called to. And may He return you safe and well to your loved ones when the day is done. Amen.
