All Saints Day 2020

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Greetings! 
It is wonderful to be able to begin welcoming a few more people back to worship, even though at 20 participants we still cannot all be together at the same time. So welcome to those who are gathered here this morning and those who are still quietly joining in parish life from home.

Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints, that begins a series of four Sundays leading up to the end of the church year and new beginnings in Advent. What do we think of when we consider saints? Only the extremely pious and holy? Those who managed amazing feats through the strength of their faith and God’s working through their lives? There are many shining and well known examples, of course, but one of the reasons for All Saints is to be mindful also of the many we know so little about, who are often unsung, but still have played an amazing part in the life of the church and as followers of Christ. Saints include many ‘ordinary’ folk too.

The writer in ‘The Living Word’ this week writes about baptism as the beginning of the Christian and therefore a gift of calling also to be saints. Paul in his letters often addresses them to the saints in the community to whom he is writing. As the ‘Living Word’ states “For most people it is living out love in family life, in the everyday relationships of looking after children, loving one’s husband or wife and having time and care for ageing and elderly parents God’s call is always a call to go beyond ourselves in love.” It is about walking by faith and being led by the light of Christ and being such a light in the life of the world. It is about remembering past lives godly lived and also recognising how we can make a difference. It is seeking to live in the rhythm of life that God has given and calls us out to do so faithfully and practically in our lives.

May you journey well with Christ this week.

Fr Ian