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Good morning.

Wednesday June the 18th says my diary, although I must confess that nowadays most of the important dates in my life I find recorded on my phone - often in the form of undeleted text messages from the recent past: April 8th 2014 – Baby girl born at 3.55am. No name yet. May 15th 4.14am – Robert has just died – Robert aged 36 that is.

Other undeleted messages include those referring to the near future, reminders from my dentist to make an appointment or from my garage to arrange a service for the car.

Among those listening right now will be some for whom Wednesday June 18th will come to have great significance in the future because of a family wedding or a new arrival an interview, a hospital appointment or something as yet unknown which at this stage they couldn’t possibly imagine but which will now cause this date to be indelible in their memories evermore.

It will never hit the headlines in the wider world which today might remember Waterloo but for each one it will have become special forever more. And so at its beginning we bring before that God, the one who is at the centre of all our religion and all of our prayers, the needs of those people as they face this coming day no matter what it is that now lies before them.

Into your hands O gracious God we place the needs of all your children, whom we bring before you now. That in all thing they may be conscious of your living presence and know your peace within no matter what the future holds. Amen.