Bishops of the Diocese of North Carolina Give Thanks for the Life of Queen Elizabeth II
Today we join our siblings in Christ throughout the Anglican Communion in grieving the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth was the embodiment of service and duty. She was not born to be queen, but fulfilled the role when circumstances beyond her control put her on a path to ascend the throne. For more than seventy years, she served The Church of England, her country and its citizens with strength, grace, dignity and steadfastness, providing constancy that spanned generations. Her faith was always at the center of her service and leadership, and her recent letter to the bishops gathered at the Lambeth Conference conveyed her deeply held belief: “Throughout my life, the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them I find hope.”
Hers was an example we can all follow, understanding there is no higher aspiration than serving others.
We give thanks for the extraordinary person and life of Queen Elizabeth. We pray for her, her family and all those who mourn tonight.
Almighty God, with whom still live the spirits of those who die in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful are in joy and felicity: We give you heartfelt thanks for the good example of your servant, Elizabeth, who having finished her course in faith, now finds rest and refreshment. May she have perfect fulfillment and bliss in your eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 503)
