Between Sundays Logo

Between Sundays for Week of November 7, 2022

The Sadduccees don’t believe in the resurrection, but that didn’t stop them from trying to trap Jesus about how relationships work in the afterlife.  As Pastor Amy reminds us, God and only God defines our existence in the life to come. Not our relationships.  Not our accomplishments or lack thereof.  Not our goodness or lack thereof. God is a God of the living.  We live in the hope that eternity with God is our inheritance.
On Sunday, we remembered the saints – those who live among us and those who have gone before us – and gave thanks to God for their lives and witness to this hope. We gave thanks that we are gathered into one communion of saints, that our connection with those who have gone before is not and cannot be severed by death.  We gave thanks for the love of God that does not end.

Take the image of these lights – and all the saints they represent – with you in the coming week.  You are not alone.  God is with you. God is for you. And you are held dear by the whole communion of saints who walks with you, because love never ends.

The Word Logo

Faced with the pain of death, it’s easy to distance ourselves from our grief. When challenged to encounter the dilemma of death, Jesus takes the opportunity to proclaim the God of life! This week the church provides us the opportunity to remember and name the saints who have shaped our faith, taught us the good news of Jesus, and now live in the light of eternity.  As we recall their names and the impact they’ve had on us, we also remember that we are also saints called to make Christ’s love known in the world.

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Ponderings

The stanzas of the hymn “For All the Saints” describe the common life of all the saints: the credit due to Jesus Christ for drawing us all to Him, the strength and guidance we continue to draw from Him, our joint communion in Christ, the continuing struggle against evil, and the coming day when the dead shall rise and we shall all worship together before God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No matter what path each of us travels, we all will enjoy the same glorious eternal life.