I’ve just learned that November is NaBloPoMo: National Blog Posting Month. The idea is to post something on my blog every day for the entire month of November. As one who struggles to get something posted every week or two, that seems like a daunting task. But perhaps taking on this challenge will make a weekly post seem easier. So I’m going to try.
Today is November 1. It is also All Saints Sunday, a day when many congregations remember those who have died during the past year. This is one of my favorite Sundays in the church year. We read each name, and then an acolyte lights a candle. As a community, we pause to thank God for the lives of those who have been part of our community and are now held safely in God’s care. Memories run deep on this day, as we hear name after name and remember the rich ways that God has blessed our congregation with their presence over the years.
But the part of this day that truly makes it my favorite is what happens next. We move to another list, the names of those who have joined the Communion of Saints through baptism. Again, we read each name, and an acolyte lights a candle. We join in thanking God for the new lives through which God continues to bless our congregation. So hope runs deep, right along side the memories, on this day.
As we steep in that rich broth of memories and hope, we experience the reality of our connection to God’s children of all times and places. And that makes a difference in how we live in this time and place.
An Explosion of Color and Texture 