All Saints Sunday (November 3) is the transition to the season that leads us through the time of Advent to Christmas. All Saints is about small people who stand against massive threats – including death itself – and in God’s light and life, conquer. What do we face? Anxiety about this election, certainly – struggles in our society and personal lives. So let this church season be not just a busy time, but about finding hope together.
Find hope at worship. It’s All Saints, then November 10, Commitment Sunday for pledges, when we’ll hear about a widow who shows unshakable faith. November 24 is the festival of Christ the King, when we remember that whatever the state of worldly politics, the true Lord reigns in love and truth.
On December 1, Advent begins. We’ll be hearing from Luke’s gospel. The backdrop of the story is empire, armies, conquest and falling temples. In the foreground: God’s promises of deliverance, liberation, lasting peace – and ordinary people who see these promises come to life. Scared moms, uncertain dads, the elderly, skeptics, prophets and the poor experience hope in laughter, silence, childbirth, wonder, song, in community and at the river.
We’ll hear about Mary, the mother of Jesus. I know being into Mary seems like a Catholic or Orthodox thing. But when Mary sings “all generations shall call me blessed” (Luke 1:48) I think she meant, “even Lutherans.” I invite you to join me in discussing Martin Luther’s classic commentary on Mary and her song – the Magnificat – which Luther wrote to help peasants and a politician know the blessings and power of God. I also invite you to join the Sunday, 9am slow read of Luke’s song-filled first few pages, which tell Mary’s story along with that of the first Christmas. And I invite you to sing! Consider taking part in choir as they lead us in joyful, seasonal music.
Main events this season include the Lucia Festival– another saint’s day with its theme of light in darkness – on December 15, with rehearsals for kids beginning in November. On Christmas Eve, December 24, we’ll have a family service with pageant at 5pm and festival service with choir and string quartet at 8pm.
But as the church this season, what we have to offer doesn’t come down to any particular event, opportunity or program. It’s about God’s promises alive in us. We embody hope for each other, with patience and generosity, especially in anxious times.
