Celebrating All Saints!

Dear Friends in Christ:

Our church-year calendar designates November 2nd as “All Saints’ Sunday”. (All Saints’ Day is always on November 1st.)

Although this day is filled with sorrow because we miss those loved ones who have gone before us, we bring to our worship songs and prayers of thanksgiving for those who have made an everlasting impact on our lives.

At our worship services this Sunday, candles will be lit and prayers will be offered for specific people in our lives who have nurtured our faith, stood by us, and helped us in our life-journey. Who are those “saints” in your life?

In our creeds, we confess belief in “the communion of saints”. We are united with all the faithful departed. This communion of saints includes both the living baptized people of God as well as those who have entered life everlasting. We are united in this eternal fellowship now and forever.

I often use a beautiful quote from the late Dr. Peter Marshall at funeral services: “Those we love are with the Lord, and the Lord has promised to be with us. So, if they are with the Lord, and the Lord is with us, they cannot be very far away.”

On this All Saints’ Day, as I remember and give thanks for the saints in my life, I will pray that just as they have inspired me, I ask the Holy Spirit to use me to bless and inspire others. We are the “living saints”. Saints are forgiven sinners. And we are called to “ignite the light” by these words of our risen Lord Jesus Christ: “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Let us pray:
Almighty God, you have knit your people together in one communion in the mystical body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant us grace to follow your blessed saints in lives of faith and commitment, and to know the inexpressible joys you have prepared for those who love you, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

— Pastor David Fetter

“Lutheran Homecoming Sunday”-- YOU ARE INVITED! October 26, 2008

Dear Friends in Christ:

The Lutheran family has a great heritage to celebrate. On our church-year calendar, we designate the last Sunday in October as “Reformation Day”. October 31st, the eve before All Saints’ Day is the actual day when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the Castle Church Door at Wittenburg, Germany in 1517.

On this day we celebrate the heart of our faith: the gospel of Jesus Christ—the good news— that makes us free! Though we give thanks for the events of the sixteenth century Reformation that brought renewal to the church of that time, we pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to unite the church today in its proclamation and witness to the world. In the waters of baptism we are made one body; we pray for the day that all Christians will also be at the Lord’s table.

Our Lutheran heritage gives us a firm foundation on which to stand—SCRIPTURE alone + GRACE alone + FAITH alone! “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast”. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

If you are a Lutheran, either life-long or new, Sunday, October 26th is your day to COME HOME. For those of you who have not been coming regularly to worship for one reason or another, this is your day to COME HOME.

Sometimes people get out of the habit of regular attendance at worship. Sometimes people get distracted. Sometimes people get hurt. Whatever the reason for your absence, Reformation Sunday is the time to COME BACK. We’ve missed you, and we want you to COME HOME on Sunday, October 26th, 8:30 or 11:00 a.m., at YOUR CHURCH—Abiding Love Lutheran.

We hope to see you at HOMECOMING!

Let us gather and sing with Martin Luther: “God’s Word forever shall abide, no thanks to foes, who fear it; for God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit. Were they to take our house, goods, honor, child, or spouse, though life be wrenched away, they cannot win the day. The kingdom’s ours forever!” (“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”)

— Pastor David Fetter

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What LOVE Means

Dear Friends in Christ:

As you have heard many times, I conclude my children’s messages on Sundays by telling the children: “Jesus loves you. I love you. We all love you, very much!”

What do our children think that word “love” means? Some professional educators recently posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds. Be blessed as you read some of their answers to the question “What does love mean to you?”

♥ “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis, too. That’s love.” — Rebecca - age 8

♥ “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” — Billy - age 4

♥ “Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.” — Chrissy - age 6

♥ “Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.” — Danny - age 7

♥ “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” — Bobby - age 7

♥ “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a frriend who you hate.” — Nikka - age 6

♥ “Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.” — Noelle - age 7

♥ “Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” — Tommy - age 6

♥ “I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” — Lauren - age 4

♥ “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” — Jessica - age 8

♥ Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry”.

“We love because God first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Jesus said: “Abide in my love.” (John 15:9)

IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE!

— Pastor David Fetter

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