All Saints Sunday

Today (November 1) is All Saints Day, a fixed date on the calendar of festivals and commemorations when the church celebrates the deep and unbreakable connections between the living and the dead; the ways we are joined to each other in the waters of baptism into a single, endless life — an eternal life.As a congregation we transfer the celebration of All Saints Day to the following Sunday (All Saints Sunday), which will be this coming Sunday, November 6. On that day we will celebrate the baptisms of those who have joined that endless life through the sacrament of baptism and we will give thanks for the witness of the blessed dead whose course on Earth is done and who have been raised to “the church triumphant.”To assist with our worship celebrations we’re asking those will attend services this Sunday (at both 9am & 11am) to bring pictures (preferably framed so that we can stand them up on the dividing walls) of people in your family and circle of friends who have died or been baptized in the past 12 months. Together we will be lighting votive candles to surround them with light and reading their names surrounded by song.You’ll be able to share their names with us in the “Book of Life” (a specially designed 3-ring binder) on Sunday morning. However, if you’re not able to join us this weekend but would still like to share their names with us, you can do so online here.