This year, as the autumn light softens and the trees shed their final leaves, we gather to celebrate one of the Church’s most radiant feasts: All Saints’. On Sunday, November 2, we come together in worship, to remember and rejoice in the great communion of saints, those whose lives have reflected the light of Christ, and those dear to us who now rest in that light.
All Saints’ is not only about the canonized heroes of faith whose names we know, Francis, Julian, Teresa, Augustine, but also about the quiet saints whose names are written upon our hearts. It's about mothers and fathers, friends and mentors, neighbors and companions who have gone before us. In them we see, as Scripture says, “a great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1) surrounding us still, cheering us onward in faith, hope, and love.
We will offer special prayers for the departed, naming aloud those we have loved and lost. If you would like names included in our prayers, please submit them to the parish office before the service. Each name matters, for in Christ, no one is lost, and love endures beyond the veil of death. As Jesus promised, “I am the resurrection and the life; those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.” (John 11:25).
You are also invited to bring framed photos of loved ones or small flower arrangements to adorn the worship space. These faces and flowers, placed among candles, will remind us that resurrection is not merely a doctrine but a living reality, the ongoing story of God’s redeeming love. Together we will remember not only what was lost but what is promised: the renewal of all things, when every tear shall be wiped away and life will be whole again.
Come, then, with your memories, your gratitude, and your hope. Come to rejoice in the mystery of the communion of saints, that wondrous fellowship where heaven and earth meet and love never ends.
Celebrant: Fr. Richard Graves
Lector: Laurie DeMeyer
Musician: Sharon Morrical
Coffee Hour: Mike and Joyce Bayne
