November 1, 2020 - Pentecost Season Devotion - All Saints Sunday
This Sunday, November 1, 2020 – All Saints’ Sunday
Join us for worship this Sunday, 9:30 a.m., "Signs of Love ... Set Apart!"
Below, follow the link to share names of loved ones to be remembered in worship this Sunday! A reminder to turn your clocks back one hour this Saturday night!
Thanks be to God for those who have given their time and leadership as we now worship again in our sanctuary!
You will find more details below, including, signing up for worship, signing up to volunteer, what to expect, and children's activity sheets. You can also access these details on our website and on our Facebook page!
Worship each Sunday will be a 30-minute service including live music by our worship leaders, a children's message and a message from Pastor Jamie. Holy Communion will be offered as the service ends. If you prefer, if your timing is better, from 10:15-10:30 a.m., you are invited to drive up to the curb of the sidewalk in front of the building, and receive Holy Communion in your vehicle.
Each Sunday we will make every attempt to live stream the service for you at 9:30 a.m.
We hope you join us for worship this Sunday! We look forward to seeing you soon!
You can access the bulletin for this Sunday, November 1, here.
You can access children's activity sheets for this Sunday here.
You can sign up to attend worship this Sunday here.
You can access details and what to expect as we share indoor worship here.
You can access the signupgenius and ways to assist our indoor service here.
“1
For all the saints,
Who from their labours rest;
who to the world by faith
Their Lord confessed,
your name, O Jesus,
Be for ever blessed:
Alleluia, alleluia!
2
You were their rock,
Their fortress, and their might;
You, Lord, their captain
In the well-fought fight,
And in the darkness
Their unfailing light.
Alleluia, alleluia!
3
So may your soldiers,
Faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints
Who nobly fought of old
And win with them
The victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, alleluia!
4
One holy people,
Fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle,
They in glory shine
In earth and heaven
The saints in praise combine:
Alleluia, alleluia!
5
And when the fight is fierce,
The warfare long,
Faintly we hear
The distant triumph-song;
And hearts are brave again,
And arms are strong.
Alleluia, alleluia!
6
The golden evening
Brightens in the west:
Soon, soon to faithful
Warriors comes their rest,
The peaceful calm
Of paradise the blessed.
Alleluia, alleluia!
7
But look!
There breaks a yet
More glorious day;
Saints all-triumphant
Rise in bright array
The king of glory
Passes on his way!
Alleluia, alleluia!
8
From earth’s wide bounds,
From ocean’s farthest shore
Through gates of pearl,
Ascending, they adore
The Father, Son
And Spirit evermore:
Alleluia, alleluia!”
“I didn’t know today would be our last
Or that I’d have to say goodbye to you so fast
I’m so numb, I can’t feel anymore
Prayin’ you’d just walk back through that door
And tell me that I was only dreamin’
You’re not really gone as long as I believe
There will be another angel
Around the throne tonight
Your love lives on inside of me
And I will hold on tight
It’s not my place to question
Only God knows why
I’m just jealous of the angels
Around the throne tonight
You always made my troubles feel so small
And you were always there to catch me when I’d fall
In a world where heroes come and go
Well God just took the only one I know
So I’ll hold you as close as I can
Longing for the day, when I see your face again
But until then
God must need another angel
Around the throne tonight
Your love lives on inside of me
And I will hold on tight
It’s not my place to question
Only God knows why
I’m just jealous of the angels
Around the throne tonight
Singin’ hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
I’m just jealous of the angels
Around the throne tonight”
“When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Have you ever gone looking for one thing, and you find something else instead?
Maybe you went to the store, looking for that product or brand you always get; suddenly you see something different, set apart, and it proves to be even better. Maybe you are moving, one community to another, or changing careers; hoping to find one thing or to re-establish another; it turns out different, better than you had hoped for.
In our faith journey, we often go looking for Jesus in specific ways, and He often finds us in different and better ways than we thought possible.
Long ago, people went looking for a savior. Jesus was set apart to be different from what people were hoping to find.
As we celebrate All Saints' Sunday this weekend, as we read The Beatitudes from Matthew, we see again, Jesus and Jesus' teaching are set apart to set apart Jesus, to be different than the people expected! In Jesus, we, too, are set apart! Each of us and our faith are set apart to be so different than even we expect.
As we give thanks for all the saints, we trust anew, there awaits, and breaks forth, a yet more glorious day! As we believe anew in the midst of emotions that can come out of nowhere, we hold fast to the comfort and truth that our loved ones are around the throne each night, and for now, we are jealous of the angels!
As we remember our loved ones, a small twist on a saying goes this way: Our loved ones are always with us, for you see, heaven is just not that far away!
Trust, be comforted, hope anew, celebrate! Jesus, God’s Perfect Sign Of Love, sets us apart in grace, sets our loved ones apart for all eternity, as signs of love with all the saints!
Let us pray: Loving God, today with all the saints, we thank you and praise you, for your abundant signs of love. By your Holy Spirit, you set us apart, we are so different, and you bless us with your grace and so much more. Increase our faith, to believe anew how great Thou art, to live anew in forgiveness, to boldly make known salvation and eternal life, to hold fast to each glorious day here and now to the hope and joy we have in you alone. As we take time to honor and to remember our loved ones, we are so jealous of the angels, and yet, we forever believe, our loved ones are always with us, for heaven is not that far away. With all the saints, in Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.
Special All Saints’ Sunday Prayers Remembering Our Loved Ones
Pastor:
Almighty God, in Jesus we know the resurrection and the life.
In you, even though we die, we will live, forever.
In you, even though we weep and our hearts are troubled, you give us faith to believe again.
In you, we have a dwelling place prepared by you just for us.
In you, we have the assurance our Savior will come again and bring us home.
In you, we have a Good Shepherd who watches over us and helps us lie down in green pastures and to once again walk by still waters.
In you, we have a rod and a staff which will comfort us in the midst of our darkest valleys in whatever life and death bring our way.
In you, we fear no evil, our cup overflows and we live with you our whole life long, we live in the house of The Lord, now and forever.
In you, we live a new life in The One who forever calls our name.
In you, we share our assurance, our conviction, our joy by telling others.
God of all goodness and every comfort, today as your people, together with all the saints who are set apart and called by name, we give thanks for those who have touched and filled and impacted our lives. We also gather to support one another through your Holy Spirit, as we remember the emptiness and the sorrow and the loss we feel because those we love have died.
Today we remember those servants already commended into your care, those lambs of your own flock received in mercy, those saints resting in light. Today we especially remember:(names read)
Lord, today we take a moment of silence to share with you others who we remember in our hearts at this time. (silence) Into your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ; thanking you for blessing us through the lives of others, for blessing us with the gift of life, strengthening us as the people of God, with the life giving treasurers of hope, peace and community; trusting anew you are forever with us as our lives continue.
All: Amen.