In the spring of 2014, my paternal grandfather passed away. I had grown up living across the road from him. My Papa taught me many things. While he had not been one to attend church regularly, he understood faithfulness, commitment, perseverance, and caring for others in ways that I still find inspiring. Whenever my sister and I were out of school, we had lunch together with him and Granny. Those moments and years shared together were gifts. The Christmas after he passed, Granny came over to my parents’ house after the extended family gathering she had hosted. She brought with her a package, wrapped simply, and said that she had something for me: a quilt that she had made from his flannel shirts. Now, over a decade later, this quilt stays on my bedside table. I use it when needed, but more importantly, every time I see it, I remember. And I am thankful.
In The United Methodist Book of Worship, we find these words: “All Saints (November 1 or the first Sunday in November) is a day of remembrance for the saints, with the New Testament meaning of all Christian people of every time and place. We celebrate the communion of saints as we remember the dead, both of the Church universal and our local congregations.”1 As we consider this service in the life of The United Methodist Church, Steve Manskar writes:
“All Saints was one of John Wesley’s favorite holy days. I suspect one of the reasons Wesley held this day in such high esteem is that it is an annual reminder that Christian faith is a gift that is passed on from generation to generation. All Saints reminds us that we stand on the shoulders of all those faithful witnesses who have gone before us, the living and the dead. The feast of All Saints teaches that grace is relational. We know and experience God’s love through the people God gives us in this life. God is revealed and made real through people who love God enough to allow his [sic.] grace to flow through their lives for the world.”2
In each of our worship services on this All Saints Sunday, we will read the names of persons in our congregation who have died since this service last year. We will celebrate communion and have the opportunity to light candles for our loved ones who have passed. Each of these three is a relational act. As a church, we celebrate and grieve together. As a church, we remember and give thanks for those whom God used to form us, and those whom God continues to use to form us, regardless of how long it has been since they passed through the veil.
While not a normal feature of my writing to you, today I’m going to fall back on my background as a teacher and give you an assignment. It’s optional and ungraded, but I believe it is beneficial. Between now and this weekend, take time to remember those for whom you need to give thanks for the role they have played in your faith journey. This may be loved ones who have gone on before you, or it may be someone who will sit with you at the table or in worship this weekend. On Saturday, All Saints Day, set aside time to pause and reflect. Whether you do this individually or as a family, I believe that this intentional act will be a source of encouragement and renewal that will further prepare you for when we come together on All Saints Sunday. To help guide your All Saints practice, I offer you this prayer as a resource:
“Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of your son Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.”3
1“Acts of Worship for All Saints Day or Sunday,” in The United Methodist Book of Worship (Nashville, TN: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1992), 413.
2Steve Manskar, “All Saints Day & John Wesley,” Discipleship Ministries Blog, 1 November 2017, accessed 29 October 2025, https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/blog/all-saints-day-john-wesley.
3ibid., “All Saints Day ‘(a festival I dearly love)’,” Discipleship Ministries Blog, 1 November 2010, accessed 29 October 2025, https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/blog/all-saints-day-a-festival-i-dearly-love.
