At the end of October each year, many church traditions celebrate "All Saints Day", or "Feast of All Saints." For those of us in the Protestant tradition, this is a celebration in honor of all the saints - all the people of faith - known and unknown. The celebration stems from a belief that three is a powerful spiritual bond between those in heaven and the living.
At Amherst Community Church, we typically celebrate All Saints Day by naming the name and lighting a candle for each member of the congregation who has died during the previous year, along with a single chime from our organ. It is a special way to not only acknowledge the deaths of some beloved people, but it is also a way for all of us to give thanks for the life they lived among us.
This year, we will celebrate All Saints Day on Sunday, October 28th, though the actual date for the holiday is Thursday, November 1st. Such a remembrance and celebration can evoke all kinds of emotions. Our ultimate hope is that comfort and peace will be experienced, and that we will all remember that every Sunday in worship we gather to celebrate Christ's ultimate victory over death.
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