Today, Saturday the 11th June 2005, a Memorial Service was held in All Souls Church to commemorate the burial of babies who could not be identified but have been involved with the organ retention issues in Liverpool.

Introduction: Reverend Ian Lovett

Hymn: All Things Bright and Beautiful

All things bright and beautiful,
All Creatures great and small.
All things bright and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings.
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.

(chorus)

The purple headed mountains,
The river running by.
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky.

(chorus)

The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun.
The ripe fruit in the garden,
He made them every one.

(chorus)

The tall trees in the greenwood,
The meadows where we play,
The rushes by the water,
To gather ever day.

(chorus)

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell,
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.

(chorus)

Welcome: Alice Procter (PITY II Chair)

Reading: For It Was You Who Created My Being

For it Was you who created my being
Knit me together in my Mother's womb
I thank you for the wonder of all your creation
Already you know my soul
My body held no secret from you
When I was being fashioned in secret
And moulded in the depths of the earth
Your eyes saw all my actions
They were all of them written in your book
Every one of my days was decreed
Before one of them came into being
To me, how mysterious your thoughts
The sum of them not to be numbered
If I count them, they are more than the sand
To finish, I must be eternal like you.

Reflections: Reverend Ian Lovett

Last year my colleagues and I buried over one thousand babies in the cemetery across the road where there is now the PITY II Memorial Garden.

Through the late summer and autumn and then on into the winter months we stood together with the PITY II family and with dignity and reverence we laid the babies to rest. Our Thursday mornings took on a familiar pattern and it really was as if we were a large family gathered together.

Two streams of thought and emotion flowed in and out of my mind as we went about our task on those Thursday mornings.

The first was a stream of sadness caused by the badness which had gone on through the years and continued to impact upon us and had brought us to this place.

As new people joined our funeral services the sadness was tangible and the conversations were all too painful. “I think that you are burying my baby here. He was born in 1960…but we’ll never know for certain”. “I don’t know where my babies are … but I knew that I just had to come here and be part of this … because maybe, just maybe …”.

The badness of those past years was characterised by arrogance, high-handedness, gross abuse of privileged positions, sheer negligence and deceit, and criminally inhumane behaviour.

It was this that brought PITY II into existence to take on the structures that allowed it all to happen. The emotional outcome of which lives with so many of you who are here this afternoon. You have lived through meeting after meeting, enquiry upon enquiry and heartbreak upon heartbreak. In fact it’s hardly a stream, which brings all of that emotion to this time and place; it is a raging torrent.

A torrent, which has changed the landscape just as we know powerful flows of water can and do. In that new landscape people have been held to account, laws have been changed, structures and cultures altered and mindsets given the freedom to think afresh.

And here is the second stream, which flowed into our gatherings on those Thursday mornings; this a more gentle flow but certainly no less thorough and no less rigorous.

It is a stream of goodness and some gladness. A stream of more creativity and a sense of forward looking, which, around the rallying cry of Professor Liam Donaldson’s “Never Again” has helped people to move on.

The goodness of the second stream is characterised by love, a desire for justice, and just a commitment to simple humanity. It energised people to bring about Reviews, Government Commissions and Public meetings.

New teams were established with a clear open-ness of spirit, Members of Parliament were lobbied; reports and letters written to the Dept. of Health, and Pity II took on a national profile as well as the task on Merseyside. There was much else besides and people here this afternoon put their goodness to the task of alleviating the sadness.

Many, many people have played their part and made their contribution and if you will forgive me drawing from the scriptures which encourage and support my life, will have their activities known to God and for their labours they will receive His blessing.

I saw that stream of goodness flowing in and amongst us as we met together last year. I noticed it as we so often do in the small things of our bigger task. I would think of Dr.Tim’s team who undertook to prepare each of the babies for their coffin. Each baby had its own ‘blanket of love’, which PITY II had especially made.

I saw that care and sensitivity in our Karl who would arrive with a flask of coffee and biscuits to share, particularly welcome on a cold misty morning in Allerton cemetery.

I saw that goodness and sensitivity in Charles’ team as they carried each tiny coffin to the graves. I saw that sense of reverence and goodness of heart in Dave and his gravedigger colleagues as they covered the graves in the rich soil. You will see more of their team’s work shortly when we visit the Garden.

I use the word with some caution, but I was so aware of a ‘holiness’ that prevailed in the work that was done on those Thursday mornings.

Earlier this year I had a conversation with Alice as she and PITY II were deliberating on what words would appear on the Memorial stone that our good friend Michael Redfern will unveil later.

Alice was anxious that “Never Again” would be too severe. That sense of doubt illustrated for me so powerfully just how much the culture and landscape around Retained Organs had changed.

If only there had been a greater sense of doubt, hesitation and desire to check things out all those years ago then we might imagine a different scene today.

And Alice and the folks of PITY II are right, it is a strident message but it challenges those who might be tempted to stray again across acceptable lines of behaviour.

For all our sakes … 'NEVER AGAIN'

Poem: Little Snowdrop

The world may never notice if a snowdrop doesn't bloom
Or even pause to wonder if the petals fall too soon
But every life that ever forms or even comes to be
Touches the world in some small way for all eternity

The little one we long for was swiftly here and gone
But the love that was then planted, is a light that still shines on
And though our arms are empty our hearts know what to do
Every beating of our hearts says that we love you

Hymn: Ever Remembered

Fleetingly known, yet ever remembered
These are your children, now and always
These whom we see not, we will forget not
Morning and evening all of our days.

Lives that touched our lives, tenderly briefly
Now in the one light living always
Named in our hearts now, safe from all harm now
We will remember all our days.

Safe in your peace God, hold these your children
Grace, light and laughter, grant them each day
Cherish and hold them, till we may know them
When, to your glory, we find our way.

Fleetingly known, yet ever remembered
These are your children, now and always
These whom we see not, we will forget not
Morning and evening all of our days.

Flowers are laid and candles lit in memory of the unidentifiable babies who have been laid to rest in Allerton Cemetry [Liverpool] during the past twelve months.

Hymn: Candles on the Water - the Irish Guards Choir

I'll be your candle on the water
My love for you will always burn
I know you're lost and drifting
But the clouds are lifting
Don't give up, you have somewhere to turn.

I'll be your candle on the water
Till every wave is warm and bright
My soul is there beside you
Let their candle guide you
Soon you'll see a golden stream of light

A cold and friendless tide has found you
Don't let the stormy darkness pull you down
I'll paint a ray of hope around you
Circling in the air, lighted by a prayer

I'll be your candle on the water
This flame inside of me will grow
Here's my hand so take it
Look for me reaching out to show
As sure as rivers flow
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go

Hymn: Do Not Be Afraid - Rebekah Hawkins

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

When you walk through the waters I'll be with you,
You will never sink beneath the waves.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

When the fire is burning all around you,
You will never be consumed by the flames.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

When the fear of loneliness is looming,
Then remember I am at your side.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

When you dwell in the exile of the stranger,
Remember you are precious in my eyes.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

You are mine, o my child, I Am your father,
And I love you with a perfect love.

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you,
I have called you by your name, you are mine.

Prayers: Led by the Multi Faith Community

Poem: Footprints

These are my footprints so perfect and so small
These tiny footprints never touched the ground at all.

Not one tiny footprint, for now I have my wings
These tiny footprints were meant for other things.

You will hear my tiny footprints, in the patter of the rain
Gentle drops like angel's tears, of joy and not from pain.

You will see my tiny footprints, in each butterfly's lazy dance
I'll let you know I'm with you, if you give me just a chance.

You will see my tiny footprints, in the rustle of the leaves
I will whisper names into the wind, and call each one that grieves.

Most of all these tiny footprints, are found in parents' hearts
Cause even though I'm gone now, we'll never truly part.

Blessing: {to be said by all}

On our hearts and on our lives - the blessing of God.
On our lives and on our believing - the blessing of God.
At our end and our new beginnings - the arms of God to
Welcome us and bring us home.
Amen.

Hymn: I Watch the Sunrise

I watch the sunrise lighting the sky,
casting its shadows near.
And on this morning bright though it be,
I feel those shadows near me.

But you are always close to me
Following all my ways
May I be always close to you
Following all your way, Lord.

I watch the sunrise shine through the clouds,
warming the earth below,
And at then mid-day, life seems to say:
"I feel your brightness near me".

But you are always close to me
Following all my ways
May I be always close to you
Following all your way, Lord.

I watch the sunset fading away,
lighting the clouds with sleep,
And as the evening closes its eyes,
I feel your presence near me.

But you are always close to me
Following all my ways
May I be always close to you
Following all your way, Lord.

I watch the moonlight guarding the night,
waiting till morning comes,
The air is silent, earth is at rest -
only your peace near me.

Yes, you are always close to me
Following all my ways
May I be always close to you
Following all your way, Lord.

Depart: The Service will continue at the Memorial Garden, Allerton Cemetry, Springwood, Liverpool. Click here to view