As a new calendar year dawned there was another national Day of Intercession. Florence Vansittart Neale helped with the recruitment of worshippers in Bisham.
2 January 1916
Special day for Intercessions & celebrations. Had been round to people & asked them to come, so had quite good congregations. Special psalms & lessons & hymns. National Anthem, & chain of prayer from 8 o’clock.
The call was reported in detail in the Winkfield magazine:
MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHBISHOPS
The following notice is issued by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York:
The first Sunday of this year (January 3rd, 1915) was observed as a special Day of Intercession in connection with the war. It is proposed that the opening of the coming year shall in all our parishes be marked in a similar way, Sunday, January 2nd 1916, being set apart in our Churches and Cathedrals for solemn intercession to Almighty God and for thankful recognition of the devotion that has been forthcoming in the manhood and womanhood of our country. With a view to really thoughtful use of so solemn an occasion we propose that wherever possible the observance should begin on the two preceding days; that Friday, December 31st, the closing day of the year, should be kept as a day of self-denial and of penitence for the manifold sins and shortcomings whereof we are conscious as people; and that on Saturday (New Year’s Day), at such times as may be most convenient, Services should be held and opportunity given for quiet in preparation for the Holy Communion and other Services of the Sunday thus specially appointed.
We are permitted to state that this proposed observance of the opening Sunday of the New Year meets with the entire approbation and endorsement of his Majesty the King.
We have already communicated to the authorities of other religious denominations in England the proposal we are making for the observation in this way of the opening days of the coming year, and it is our hope that the whole nation may thus be moved at a solemn hour to turn to Him Who is our Hope and Strength.
RANDALL CANTUAR.
COSMO EBOR.
In Wargrave, the parish magazine advertised the events:
The Red Cross
All the Collections on Sunday, January 2nd, the Day of National Intercession, will be given to the British Red Cross Society.
Three Solemn Days
The last day of the year, Friday, December 31st, will be observed as a day of humble confession of penitence and intercession in regard to the War. Saturday, January 1st, may be observed as a day of special preparation for the Communion on Sunday. Sunday, January 2nd, will be observed as a Day of National Intercession.
The Services on Sunday, January 2nd, will be as follows- Holy Communion 8 a.m., preceded by Litany 7.45 a.m. and 12 o’clock. Mattins and Sermon at 11a.m. Children’s Service at 2.30 p.m. Evensong 6.30. The Sermons will be preached by the Rev, A. H, Austen-Leigh. A special character will be given to all the services.
It is hoped that no one will neglect to do his part in the work of Prayer, it is a help which all can give but of a power which none can measure.
The next issue reported:
British Red Cross Society
The Church Collections on the Day of National Intercession amounted to £22 13s. 3d. and were given to the Joint Committee of the British Red Cross Society and the British Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
In Reading, St John’s parish magazine also announced the day:
THE DAY OF INTERCESSION
Again we are called by the Archbishop and Bishops to make the first Sunday of the year, i.e. January 2nd, a day of prayer and intercession for our nation. We are called also to observe the last day of the Old Year as one of penitence, and the intervening day as one of preparation, in so far as shall be possible for us.
Diary of Florence Vansittart Neale (D/EX73/3/17/8); Winkfield section of Winkfield District Magazine, December 1915 (D/P151/28A/7/12); Wargrave parish magazines, January and February 1916 (D/P145/28A/31); Reading St. John parish magazine, January 1916 (D/P172/28A/24)
Berkshire at War 