We've started a wee tradition in our church. On the Sunday before rememberance Sunday, two lit 'glennies' - miners' lamps - are placed on our communion table (We don't do alters - it's a presbyterian thing -), and the congregation observe two minutes' silence for the three hundred and eighty six miners killed underground in our area between 1900 and 1981 (and seven opencast miners killed since then). We have a reflection by a retired miner, and a prayer for those who wish to join in. As a reader, and son, nephew, grandson and great grandson of a miner, I lead the prayer. Today, as posted earlier, we stood outside at the War memorial, which has 187 names on it. Death is death. Respect is respect.
