Dear St. Lukers,
A few months ago as the clergy were planning worship for the rest of 2020, we made some decisions. First, we decided we needed this year to end as soon as possible – which, lucky for us as Christians, we can use the Christian calendar, and that means the year ends on November 22 (Christ the King Sunday)! Woo-hoo – score for liturgical calendar!
Then we made the next decision: to tell the story of how love wins, reminding us that no matter what may be going on, the end of the story does promise us…
“These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. This is the reason they are before God’s throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. They won’t hunger or thirst anymore. …He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” –Revelation 7:14-17
In the end, God’s love not only matters more, but wins over all the earth; in the meantime, Love Wins through Hope, Faith, Gratitude, and Jesus. Welcome to the final sermon series of the 2020 Christian year!
This week, as we celebrate All Saints Sunday, we concentrate on how Love Wins in HOPE. We will celebrate the lives of 19 saints in our membership who have passed on, as well as offering space for you to name virtually, or in person at 11:15 a.m., those saints you may have lost. We will focus on Scriptures from Revelation 7:9-17 and 1 John 3: 1-3. You can register for on-campus worship on Sunday, November 1 by clicking here.
But we also realized we needed to create a space for those needing hope while grieving not just loved ones lost, but other things we have lost in 2020: jobs, security, a sense of identity, dreams, and a sense of normalcy, and to begin to claim and find Hope proclaiming that Love Wins.
This Sunday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., we will host an interactive Lament to Hope Walk-Through Experience on campus. Walk through prayer stations, light candles, write wishes, offer written prayers, and offer your prayers in a quiet Sanctuary where saints have gathered before you to claim that WE are Hope together. We ask everyone who comes to please adhere to all of our safety protocols, including wearing masks, social distancing, and filling out the Health Declaration Form. Come anytime between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 1 to spend time in prayer and reflection, remembering Hope helps God’s love matter more, and that love will win out not just in the end, but right now.
Grace and peace,
Jenn.