How glad we are for people who follow their dreams,
people of courage and caring.
Bubbles of joy burst in our hearts
for women who can now live their lives to the full -
engineers, bus drivers, doctors, athletes, politicians,
mothers, gardeners, singers and writers,
ministers, priests …
we salute you and give thanks.
Thanks be to God.
Thanks be to pioneers and pilgrims
And those who dare to be,
Thanks be to women and men who show us the way.
We think of ourselves and our friends,
all of us together in this hall,
of our hopes, our dreams for our lives.
What would we like to help happen?
How can we live for ourselves and others,
in peace and full of thanks?
How can we help others in this country
and in the rest of the world?
There are women and girls, boys and men ,
in other parts of the world, in this country,
who have not yet freedom, education, food, shelter and clothing -
we do not forget you, we will not forget.
You are in our hearts and in our dreams
for all of us together in our world.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Written by Reverend Anne McClelland