Why an All Saints Sunday?

 

(c) Deborah Evans

When you think of church, or the church, do you think of a building? A multi-location campus with many buildings seating hundreds of people? A Gothic type historical structure in a central business district? A school gym? A small or large neighborhood building that hosts food distribution, back-to-school rallies for the neighborhood children, and Vacation Bible School during the summer?

All Saints Day, or All Saints Sunday, is a time to remember the true church can't be defined by a building's location or a physical address. What do we remember on All Saints Day?

Throughout all time and in all places, God has called people into fellowship and discipleship. No single church organization or denomination can truthfully say they are "the only church" :because no human person completely knows the full mind, full heart, and total actions of God. God has always called people, and has done this independent of human action. Remember the story of Abram's call to leave his home in the Old Testament or the calling of Paul the Apostle in the New Testament? God spoke directly to these people, and they followed.

Choose any place you can imagine: ancient North America, medieval Africa, modern Asia, prehistoric Europe or Australia, islands in all parts of the world. In all of these places God called people into discipleship and to worship. God continues to call people into discipleship and to worship.. It doesn't matter if we know the names of these people. It doesn't matter if these people were not affiliated with the traditional church organizations many of us know. Those who were called, who answered and followed are a part of the church, a part of the communion of saints (true believers).

Remember the true and original meaning of the word "church": ekklesia, or assembly. The assembly of God's followers is intact and unlimited by time or place..

Although we are called to live authentic lives of faith and share our beliefs and hopes. God's ability to call followers is not limited by what we do. We are called to share the option of holy, happy, redeemed, and secure living through Jesus Christ. When we do this in honor of God, God is pleased.  Because God is all powerful, a failure to act on our part will not stop God from calling humanity into a loving relationship of discipleship. Our failure to act will not render the Gospel useless. Our failure to act does not diminish God's power. The power of God is greater than human disobedience.

You are not alone. If you are following Jesus Christ, you can never be alone. God is always with you. You are always a part of a large eternal family of believers from all of history. In this knowledge and in this spirit, be grateful, obedient, and secure. On All Saints Sunday, remind yourself of who you are, how you are connected to God's eternal purpose, and how you are a permanent member of a large, eternal family called and brought into a loving relationship with God.