Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

This Sunday, we invite you to bring pictures of past saints—loved ones whose lives reflected God's grace—and place them in the liturgical area. In worship, we join Christians around the world to celebrate All Saints' Day, honoring those who have gone before us and the "holy ones" living among us now.

The history of All Saints' Day is rooted in honoring the countless faithful and in highlighting the spiritual unity we share with all believers—the "communion of saints." In the Reformed tradition, a saint isn't just someone who has been canonized; a saint is any baptized believer in Jesus Christ, and here at Talmadge Hill, we extend that definition to all members of our human family. This day is a profound reminder that we are surrounded by a "cloud of witnesses" (Hebrews 12:1), from the historically influential to the ordinary family members who nurtured our own faith. You are a saint, set apart by God's grace!

During our worship service, you will have a special opportunity to participate in our celebration. We will provide index cards for you to write the names of the saints in your life—siblings who have joined the great cloud of witnesses and the ones living among us. The names you submit will be read aloud during our All Saints' Communion, binding us together in prayer as a testament to God’s enduring grace.

Our scripture focus, John 11:32-44, tells the powerful story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, and my meditation, "Resurrection in the Present Tense," will explore how the power that raised Lazarus is not just a historical event but a life-giving force actively at work in our lives today. It's the power of God's grace mending our brokenness and calling us to wholeness.

In preparation for worship, I invite you to meditate on the words of Brother Roger of Taizé, "We are not myths of the past, nor are we saints of the future; we are just people of today, and we are called to be the saints of today."

See you in worship!

Mooi Loop,

Dries