All Saints Day

Today we celebrated “All Saints Day” at church.  We paused to remember those who have gone before us; those who have influenced us in our Christian walk.  We started the worship service with the following litany:

With all the Saints, we come to worship God, who made us and knows us;

We come to celebrate God’s presence among us!

With all the Saints, we come to follow Jesus, who leads us to new life;

We come with joy, knowing in Christ we have eternal life!

With all The Saints, we enter worship knowing that the Spirit is alive among us!

During the service we remembered our loved ones, as we listened to God's word.  After reading A Litany of Praise for All the Saints we shared the names of those we personally wanted to remember.  I lifted up my grandparents, Paul G. and Eleanor Harris who belonged to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for many years; and for all the years of my life, they attended Central Christian Church in Jacksonville.  Their only son, my father, Paul D. Harris met my mother Betty Moore through the Youth Program of their churches.  She was living with her sister, brother-in-law, and their two girls and attended Riverside Avenue Christian Church, where I now attend.  My parents raised my two brothers and I in the church; while we did not always attend a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we did attend church.  It is thanks to them that I have the faith and Christian background and foundation that helped me to raise my own children.

Another way to honor our loved ones is through music.  Our choir, of which I am a member, shared a beautiful anthem, “The Question”, words and music by Joseph M. Martin.  The first part of the anthem questions God, “Lord, who am I?”

Lord, when I consider,

the wonders of the night,

the music of the stars,

Your dazzling dance of light;

Lord, when I consider

 the wonders of Your hand,

the birds that soar on high,

the oceans vast and wide;

When I survey the miracle of life,

I declare Your majesty.

I behold Your mystery.

Within my heart I cry;

Lord, who am I?

Lord, who am I?

In the words that follow, God answers our question in these beautiful words:

You are My treasure,

My precious one.

You are the reason

I sent my only Son.

You are My chosen,

My new creation,

My own beloved,

the apple of My eye.

You are My temple,

My dwelling place.

You are a vessel

for my amazing grace.

You are my candle,

Light of the world.

You are my silver,

My priceless pearl.

O how I love you.

O how I love you.

I am your Shepherd.

You are My lamb.

Your name is written

in the palm of My hand,

And I have set you as

a seal upon My arm.

Nothing can separate you

from my perfect love.

Nothing can take you

from My heart.

The anthem continues with the same beautiful words sung over and over sharing God’s wondrous love.  The choir members left the Sanctuary with a sigh that we were actually able to sing without tears falling down our faces.

Today I joined with others to celebrate God’s love and grace.  Today I remembered “all the saints” who raised me in this love that God offers.  Have you found this love; the love and grace offered by Him?  I pray you will find what you need in Him...