Grace to you and peace ~
I’m writing this newsletter article during the week between Reformation Sunday and All Saints’ Sunday. For some reason that feels poignant.
A pastor friend of mine posted some thoughts about Reformation on his social media account last week. He began by referencing Luther’s nailing of the 95 theses on the door of Wittenburg castle in 1517…Things Luther thought needed to be changed (re-formed) about the church of the day, to make sure that the story of God’s love wasn’t held captive. Then Luther went on stating that the church ought always to be reforming to ensure that it makes God’s story available and accessible for all. Then, my friend posed the question: “What would you re-form about the church today?” In the face of a world that is constantly changing, how would you re-form the way the church tells the story of God’s never-changing-freely given love for ALL? In a world that is exclusionary, how can we tell the story of God’s inclusive love? And how can you be part of the telling? Because each one of us (even you!) is uniquely gifted to embody the story of God’s love. But you/we aren’t meant to do it alone. The beauty of the church is that, when we live and love like Jesus together (adding your unique embodiment to mine and all the others), we make a bigger impact for good. Saints are the ones who model for us that
no-matter-what love. And we all have those people in our lives. And, whether or not you realize it, you are counted among them. You are among those who model no-matter-what love. You may have learned it from someone dear who has entered the Church Triumphant, and on All Saints’ Day, we remember particularly those people. But also (on All Saints’ Day), we claim our own “Saintly-ness.” Don’t believe you are a saint? Go back and watch the recording of the confirmands’ sermons from last week. You did that…You created a reforming Church that welcomes questions and conversation, and you modelled for them love that shows up in serving all and striving for justice and peace. Well-done good and faithful servant saints.
But saints exist everywhere – even outside of the church.
Let’s covenant together to do this: Let’s keep an eye out for unseen saints in the world. Those who love like Jesus, right where they are – even in the smallest of ways. It’s easy to miss them – but they are everywhere. And as we see them, let’s pay attention and see if we can learn from them ways that we are called to live out our saintly-ness in every place and time, as we seek to form and re-form Christ’s resurrected body in the world.
Blessings and much love ~
+ Pr. Sara