All Saints Day

A lady asked me tonight, "I thought only Catholics believed in saints?"

Well, we are a part of a catholic (universal / true) church, and our history is a full of stories of lives lived fully for God, often in service to those in need around them, even when it cost them everything. We sure do believe in them!

On the second most commercial holiday in America, one also filled with symbols of darkness, looking back and celebrating lives lived like that provides a refreshing altnerative.

Tonight we threw a Halloween - All Hallow's Eve - Party for the neighborhood around the church building. Just before sunset, many of the neighborhood kids were assembling, getting ready to head out to, as one teen put it, "Go to the rich neighborhoods, where the candy's at!" A group of them wandered over to the church. We had a scavenger hunt through the "Cemetery of Saints" outside and many games, crafts, and goodies inside. They admitted at first they just wanted to grab some candy and get going. But after engaging with the people and activities they were hooked. Many stayed for almost two hours!

This couldn't have happened if there weren't many saints helping to serve the neighborhood tonight. It cost them money, time, and effort to bless their neighbors. But what a blessing it was to see kids and families, who thought they had to go to someone else's neighborhood to find good things, be pleasantly surprised to find something good right on their block!

So thanks to all the saints, whose inspiring lives reflect the grace of God, our Master and Messiah, Jesus. May we never stop believing in or celebrating these lives!