Dear Friends,
You already know that THIS SUNDAY is the BEST day of the year: The Feast of All Saints!
All Saints (November 1) is a funny feast day in that it’s the day when we remember the official saints of the church, followed by the Feast of All Souls (November 2) when we remember “all the faithful departed.” Both are tied to “All Hallows’ Eve” (October 31). Together, they form a fall Triduum (three days) that balances the spring Triduum that culminates in Easter. So far, so good and all in accordance with church teaching and tradition.
But then things get kind of funky. For the wisdom of the people takes over, and we get a mash up of All Saints and All Souls as we remember ALL the dead, knowing that all people are saint and sinner simultaneously, knowing that ALL those we love deserve remembrance and celebration and honor. Here some pagan traditions twine with Christian ones, and we get the Day of the Dead and Halloween, costumes and candy, the acknowledgment and embrace of our mortality even as we also mock death and evil.
This is a time like no other in our year, and we know how to celebrate here at All Saints!
So, please come tonight to help hang the prayer flags with the names of our beloved departed on them. The mood will be joyful and somber as we hang flags with the names of our beloved dead from the lines strung across the sanctuary, share some pizza, and then pray over and tell stories about those we love but see no longer. We’ll be at church from 6:00pm until a bit after 8 pm, so stop by when you can; we’ll pause for prayer at 7:30pm-ish. You can also come by to make flags to be hung if you haven’t done that already.
Then, clear your calendar and plan to come to church at 8:00, 9:00, or 11:00am on Sunday! We’ll renew baptismal vows, pop champagne, and remember all who have gone ahead of us at all services. We’ll add a brass band at the 9:00 and 11:00 with a baptism at 9:00am.
See you in church!
Faithfully, Suzanne+