Oh God, whom we live and move and have our being,
Gather us in as we worship together on this day to remember the Saints.

This, All Saints Day, is full of memories,
Memories that comfort us, memories that inspire us,
and perhaps memories that still hurt a little bit.

With gratitude and awe, we remember today Saints of the Church
who are here in this great cloud of witnesses.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola,
Saint Francis of Assisi,
Saint Mother Teresa,
Saint Oscar Romero
Saint Martin Luther King Jr.,

And what about our Baptist saints,
Thomas Helwys and John Smyth,
Roger Williams,
Lottie Moon and Annie Armstrong,
Will Campbell.

Today, we remember and give thanks to you for these saints.
We also remember today the saints in our lives who have gone before us.
These folks who loved us and were dearly loved by many,
These folks who shared their lives with us, and left impressions of love that we remember and honor today.

We celebrate them as we miss them.

Oh God, whom we live and move and have our being.
Dwell with us in this community,
We ask for comfort especially as we miss our loved ones,
But also for comfort during hard days when our bodies are weary,
when our backs ache, and hands are blistered.
May we give each other salve and a good chair to sit in.

As we dwell in you, O God,
we give thanks for this church community of folks who bear each others joys, burdens and pains.

We give thanks for pastors who hands work with love and persistence.
We give thanks for the faithfulness of members of this community,
who give of themselves around this table.

Oh God, whom we live and move and have our being,
thank you for this communion of saints today and for this
communion of faithful and loving folks who gather today to remember those saints.

Amen.