All Saints' Day

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is All Saints Day when we are reminded of our connection with faithful people who have died who are now in the communion of saints, faithful people in the future, and our connection with saints both past and future as we live in the here and now. This is a connection we share across time and space.

All Saints is a major feast day in the Episcopal Church. It is one of the four days appointed for baptisms, the other three being the Feast of our Lord’s Baptism, Easter Vigil, and Pentecost. We aren't doing baptisms right now because of the pandemic, but we look forward to the day when we will once again. It fills me with such joy and hopefulness to know that we have 3 adults and 12 children eagerly awaiting baptism! This Sunday, we will renew our baptismal covenant and be reminded of the solidarity we share through our faith.

In addition to our Sunday morning services. I hope you will join in the 4:00 on-line Evensong. Evensong is such a lovely part of our tradition. We will light candles as we remember those who have died during the past year while our choir envelops us in an awareness of God’s deep love for us.

I look forward to reflecting together on the significance of All Saints this Sunday and the hopefulness to which it calls us.

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Yours in Christ,

Shearon+