Every year in May when we observe the Memorial Day Holiday, I end up defending both Memorial Day and All Saints Day in conversations with folks who want to conflate the two. Memorial Day is a national holiday to honor the sacrifices of those who have given their lives in the service of our national security. All Saints Day is technically a church holiday where we remember our loved ones who have passed away, along with the many "heroes of the faith" (who may be very ordinary folk), who have had profound influence on our spiritual lives. It also becomes a day when we remember with gratitude loved ones who have died, whether or not they had a role in our faith development. At least, that's how I see these two important holidays/observances.
This Sunday, November 4, 2012, I will be focusing attention at our traditional worship services (Ft. Collins First United Methodist) on being grateful for those loved ones who have gone before us and who have had a profound effect on us on any of a number of levels - all of life being a reflection of the "spiritual life". Something important to me in all of this is not to distort the personalities of those we honor, but to allow them to live among us OR in our memories in all their humanity, which is a necessary combination of "vice and virtue" - all of which is offered to God as worship or as an opportunity for redemption. The Scripture passage I will be using is 2 Timothy 1:1-7 with reference to Hebrews 12:1-3.
Part of our worship will be the celebration of Jesus' last supper with His disciples, an act by which we continually remember Jesus' ongoing ministry of love, grace, and healing among us.
If you have any thoughts on this you'd like to share with me, I'd be happy to hear them. If you would like me NOT to refer to them in the sermon on Sunday, please say so. Otherwise, I will assume that I can incorporate into the sermon things I feel would add to our corporate worship - anonymously, of course.
God's blessings, All -
Steve
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