GREETINGS TO THE SAINTS IN THE MAKING,
All Saints Sunday is our time to remember those who have died and gone before us. Different from Ash Wednesday where we remember our own mortality, with the words, “remember you are dust and to dust you will return”, this is a time to reflect on death as a community experience as we live in the wake of those who have gone before us. As we age, we gradually come to know more and more that have joined the Communion of Saints and cheer us on while we remember and grieve and live with God who is with us.
For us who live now, in time, this mystery of death and resurrection stretches before us. It is a mystery what happens to us in death and resurrection. We know the mechanics of what happens to our physical bodies, but Jesus’ resurrection points us beyond the physical to life with God.
We know that Jesus is with us but not much more than that. We want to know more of this mystery, this promise. Living with “Jesus with us now” helps us to trust how God is with us also in our deaths and resurrected lives.
In our Adult Forum this past Sunday, we read of God’s call to Moses from the burning bush to go to Egypt and deliver God’s people out of slavery. Moses is very reluctant. He says, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? God said, “I will be with you.” and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain. (Exodus 3:10-12). Moses is not convinced, and the conversation continues and a journey of deliverance from slavery begins as does a trusting relationship between God and Moses.
God wants us to be so at home, so aware of his presence with us and has gone to great lengths to show us. God says, “I am with you.” And the sign that God is with us is our worship together. Worship helps us to remember that God is indeed with us. Moses was not convinced at first but the conversation continued and God faithfully showed Moses over and over again, “I am with you”. When you leave worship, I hope the conversation with God continues. I hope you will wonder and explore God’s presence within the lives of your loved ones who have died that we remember in community and in worship and in your life, and in your death to come. We do this together and that is God’s sign. The “I am with you” sign is made known to us in worship.
With us in water and bread and wine as our sacraments invite us to experience God with us. In worship, we experience God with us. In remembering those who have died; Dwain Jordt, Gerald Vraspier, Carl Lund, Ray Hegtvedt, Carole Hegtvedt, Linda Liedtke, Larry Perkins and Connie Baines. In remembering the newly baptized; Ingrid Lind, Liara Buns and Zelda Rod. In celebration with those affirming their baptism; Cooper Gray, Jena Frank and Daniella Buchholtz. God is with us in our baptism, confirmation, in our lives and in our deaths and in our resurrected lives. God is with us.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
