Memorial Day asks us to remember those who have died in service to our nation. For many who give their lives, the sacrifice is not only for the nation we know but also for the nation we strive to become. This service will take up the timeless call for peace, will remember the dead and will honor those who pledge their loyalty to their country despite America’s unrealized promises to all of its citizens. The service will also conclude with a wreath-hanging ceremony at the World War I statue at Main Street and Mystic Valley Parkway.

This Sunday, we share our gifts with Beyond the 11th, an organization founded by two Boston-area women who lost their husbands on September 11th that supports Afghan widows through literacy and job skills training.