Yesterday I joined a lovely celebration at my church for All Saint’s Day. It was a marvelous hour of peace, with Holy Communion, a timely and thoughtful sermon, joined by fellow parishioners, held in our church’s grove.
Since the pandemic began, our Diocese, like others, put in-person gatherings on hold. Weather permitting, our church has held a few outdoor services; yesterday, about 30 people came together for this beautiful celebration. Most of us brought our chairs; everyone wore masks throughout (except for Communion).
A three-piece string ensemble played, with one choir member present to lead us in the Hymns. While I have attended the occasional service in our grove, this was a special day, at a particular time. Feeling the sun on my back, with the blue sky and trees above me, was magical. It was comforting, peaceful, and meaningful.
The closing hymn was titled: “I sing a song of the saints of God.” Even though we all wore masks, everyone raised their voice in song. In our church, the celebration of All Saints Day encompasses everyday people, not remote or distant Saints.
The last stanza of the hymn called out to me; we sang this: “You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea, in church, or in trains or in shops, or at tea, for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.”
In these troubled times, I can’t think of a more important goal.
Are we there yet? 