32. 01 Nov - All Saints Day

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VERSION: 8 May 2002

ALL SAINTS, YEARS A, B, C

(1 November)

If this festival is not used on the actual day, some or all of the propers and prayers for this festival may be used on the Sunday following.

ALL SAINTS DAY

'The custom of commemorating all of the martyrs of the church on a single day goes back at least to the third century. In modern practice, All Saints' Day commemorates not only all the martyrs but all the people of God, living and dead, who form the mystical body of Christ. The feast is, in effect, a feast of the church.'

(Contemporary Worship 6: The Church Year, Calendar and Lectionary, 1973)

LITURGY

SENTENCE

See the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Sentence', in the 'General and seasonal' folder for suggestions on using a Sentence.

God has made Christ the head over all things for the church,

which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

(Eph 1:22b,23 NRSV)

PRAYER OF THE DAY (COLLECT)

Traditional

O Lord,

the crown and reward of all your saints:

Grant us grace that,

as we follow their steps,

we may walk in your ways

and live with you in eternal joy;

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, modernised traditional

Lord, you are the crown and reward

of all your saints.

Lead us to follow their steps

and live as your people,

and bring us to eternal joy with you.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, alternative

Almighty God,

you bring your people together

in one holy church,

the body of our Lord.

Lead us to follow your saints

and to know the inexpressible joys

that you have prepared

for those who love you.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

YEAR A:

FIRST READING

Revelation 7:9-17 Saints around the throne of God

PSALM

Psalm 34:1-10,22

Antiphon:

O magnify the Lord with me. (Ps 34:3a NRSV)

OR

O taste and see that the Lord is good. (Ps 34:8a NRSV)

SECOND READING

1 John 3:1-3 We are God's children

ALLELUIA VERSE (Matt 5:10 NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Matthew 5:1-12 The beatitudes

YEAR B:

FIRST READING

Isaiah 25:6-9 God prepares a banquet for the peoples

PSALM

Psalm 24

Antiphon:

They will receive blessing from the Lord, the God of their salvation. (Ps 24:5 NRSV)

SECOND READING

Revelation 21:1-6a The new heaven and the new earth

ALLELUIA VERSE (John 11:25a,26a NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

(Jesus said:) 'I am the resurrection and the life.

Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.'

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

John 11:32-44 Jesus raises Lazarus to life

YEAR C:

FIRST READING

Daniel 7:1-3,15-18 Daniel's vision of the holy ones of the Most High

PSALM

Psalm 149

Antiphon:

The Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. (Ps 149:4 NIV)

SECOND READING

Ephesians 1:11-23 God's blessings through Christ for his people

(If using NIV, begin: 'In Christ we . . .')

ALLELUIA VERSE (Luke 6:20b NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia.

(Jesus said:) Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God.

Alleluia.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:20-31 Blessed are the poor and the persecuted

(If using NRSV or NIV, put 'Jesus' instead of 'he' in v 20)

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

Consider using selected verses of the song 'God of Abraham' (ATO 403) for the prayers. Extra petitions may be made up to the same tune.

OR

God has raised Jesus Christ to sit at his right hand. Let us therefore pray to our Father in heaven through his Son for all the world and all the saints.

The regular response, OR:

God of all saints,

lead us to your kingdom.

Suggested intercessions

God of life, we give thanks for the love you have shown to the world through all your saints, and we celebrate our continuing communion with them in love and prayer. Hear the prayers of all your saints for the sake our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

OR, use the following prayer. Change the names of the saints as suits the local situation.

We remember, O God, those through whom you have acted, in the world, in the church, and in our own experience. As you stood by them and made them clear witnesses to your gospel, stand by us and by all the people of your church, so that we may remain faithful and receive the crown of eternal life.

God of Zechariah and Elizabeth,

God of Mary and Joseph,

God of John the Baptist,

God of the angels Gabriel and Michael,

God of Peter and Paul,

God of James and John,

God of all the holy apostles and evangelists,

stand beside us.

God of Lawrence and Justin Martyr,

God of Polycarp and Perpetua,

God of Clement and Irenaeus,

God of Athanasius and Basil,

God of Leo and Gregory,

God of Ambrose and Augustine,

God of Cyril and John Chrysostom,

God of all holy martyrs, bishops and theologians:

stand beside us.

God of Benedict and Scholastica,

God of Hildegaard von Bingen and Bernard of Clairvaux,

God of Thomas Aquinas and Thomas ‡ Kempis,

God of Francis and Clare,

God of Dominic and John of the Cross,

God of Catherine and Theresa,

God of all holy men and women:

stand beside us.

God of Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon,

God of Martin Chemnitz and Jacob Andreae,

God of Nicholai Grundtvig and Wilhelm Lˆhe,

God of August Kavel and Gotthard Daniel Fritzsche,

God of Gustav Aulen and Nathan Sˆderblom,

God of all Lutheran pastors and confessors:

stand beside us.

God of Albrecht D¸rer and Johann Sebastian Bach,

God of Paul Gerhardt and George Frederick Handel,

God of George Herbert and John Donne,

God of Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley,

God of all Christian artists and musicians:

stand beside us.

God of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Luther King,

God of GK Chesterton and CS Lewis,

God of Oscar Romero and Pope John the 23rd,

God of Desmond Tutu and Mother Theresa,

God of all Christians who have witnessed to your love in our time:

stand beside us.

Concluding prayer

God our Father, throughout the history of the church, you have stood by all your saints. Stay with us this day and every day, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified, dead, risen, ascended, living and reigning with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

PREFACE

Use the preface for the Sundays after Pentecost. If it is desired to use a special All Saints preface, then the following preface, with additions based on the preface for All Saints in the Lutheran Book of Worship may be used.

It is indeed right and good,

Lord God, holy Father,

that we should at all times and in all places

give thanks to you,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In your saints

you have given us a pledge of our inheritance

that, surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses,

we may run with perseverance the race that is set before us

and receive with them the unfading crown of glory.

And so, with angels and archangels,

and with all the company of heaven,

we adore and praise your glorious name:

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

See the service order for a standard post-communion prayer. Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows.

Almighty God,

you bring your people together

in one holy communion,

the body of our Lord.

Lead us to follow your saints

and to know the inexpressible joys

that you have prepared

for those who love you.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

HYMNS AND SONGS

FOR THE READINGS

Please note:        * =        Modernised version available

      G3, G4 . . . =        Guitar chords available in the Music Package 3, 4 . . .

      GS =        Guitar chords in the Supplement to LH

Year A

First reading: Revelation 7:9-17

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: 1 John 3:1-3

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12

LHS

AT

TIS

Year B

First reading: Isaiah 25:6-9

LHS

AT

TIS

Second reading: Revelation 21:1-6a

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: John 11:32-44

LHS

AT

TIS

Year C

First reading: Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18

LHS

AT

-

TIS

Second reading: Ephesians 1:11-23

LHS

AT

TIS

Gospel: Luke 6:20-31

LHS

AT

TIS

The following is a general list of hymns and songs suitable for All Saints Day.

From the Lutheran Hymnal and Supplement:

From the 'All Together' books

From Together in Song

See the listing for All Saints and All Souls on pages 1092-3 of the Harmony edition.

PSALM 34:1-10,22 (YEAR A)

Musical settings of Psalm 34:1-8(19-22) are in Music Package 6. Another setting of Psalm 34:1-8 is in TIS 22, I will bless the Lord at all times.

The following metrical version of Psalm 34:1-10,22 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Llanfair (LH 11, TIS 388) with alleluias, or to the tune Gott sei Dank (LH 221, TIS 450) without alleluias. If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

I will bless the Lord always;

his praise always fills my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in God;

let the humble hear with joy.

Glorify the Lord with me,

let us praise his name as one;

I cried out, he heard my voice.

He freed me from all my fears.

Faces bright will look to him.

Never will we be ashamed.

In my helplessness, I prayed;

he saved me in time of need.

See, the angel of the Lord

guards and saves his faithful ones.

Taste and see the Lord is good.

Blest are those who rest in him.

Fear the Lord, you saints of God.

Those who fear him have no want.

Many hunger though they're strong;

yet the saints of God are filled.

He will pay the ransom price

for the lives of all his saints.

All whose refuge is in him,

shall not ever be condemned.

PSALM 24 (YEAR B)

For musical settings of Psalm 24, see Music Package 6. Another setting is in TIS 13, The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, and TIS 12 is a version of Psalm 24:7-10.

PSALM 149 (YEAR C)

For musical settings of Psalm 149, see Music Packages 3 and 9. TIS 95, Sing a new song to the Lord, is a version of Psalm 149:1-5.

The following paraphrase of Psalm 149 by David Sch¸tz may be sung to the tune Alles ist an Gottes Segen (LH 283, TIS 556). If reproducing this version, please put 'Words (c) David Sch¸tz' at the beginning or the end of the psalm.

Alleluia! Sing a new song

to the Lord, our King and Maker,

with his people gathered here!

Let the children of Jerus'lem

praise his name with dance and music,

and with tambourine and lyre.

God takes pleasure in his people,

and the Lord adorns the humble

with the crown of victory.

Let the faithful rise in triumph,

sing for joy at night and always

praise our God continually.

So, with swords of prayer and praises,

bring God's justice to the nations,

bring his judgment on the world!

To bind kings in chains of iron,

and bring prisoners into freedom,

is our glory! Praise the Lord!

SONGS FROM THE IONA COMMUNITY

The songs 'For all the saints' (page 120 of Love from Below) and 'The strangest of saints' (page 122 of Heaven Shall Not Wait) are appropriate for All Saints Day.

ANOTHER HYMN

The hymn 'For all your saints, O Lord' (Tune: St Michael, LH 291, TIS 483) was written by Richard Mant (1776-1848) and has been modernised for inclusion here.

For all your saints, O Lord,

who strove to live by faith,

who followed you, and kept your word,

receive our grateful praise.

For all your saints, O Lord,

who strove to die in grace,

who persevered for your reward,

receive our grateful thanks.

They all, in life and death,

with you, their Lord, in view,

learnt from your Holy Spirit's breath

to suffer and to do.

For this we bless your name,

and humbly pray that we

may live in holiness the same

and die in purity.

CANTICLE

The beatitudes are an appropriate canticle for this day. This canticle may best be sung as a response to the gospel, particularly in years A and C, when the gospel includes the beatitudes. For versions, see the document 'General notes and resources', under 'Canticles', in the 'General and seasonal' folder.

VISUAL

COLOUR

The colour for the day is white. White (and red) flowers could be displayed, perhaps arranged with tall stems (representing the saints).

VISUALS FOR THE READINGS

Pictures or visual symbols could be displayed on banners or the overhead screen during the readings. For instance, the gospel of year B could be illustrated by a picture like the one in the TEV Bible for John 11:43; and the second reading from Ephesians in year C could be illustrated by a picture like that in the TEV Bible for Ephesians 1:12.

SYMBOLS

A common symbol for All Saints is the crown of victory with a sheaf of wheat representing the final harvest. Other images, especially symbols of the church, may be used, such as the ark or the ship of the church.

CANDLE-LIGHTING

Set up a tray of sand near the font, provide a small box of candles, and light the paschal candle. During the service, members of the congregation may be given an opportunity to come forward and light individual candles from the paschal candle and then place the lighted candles in the tray of sand as a way of remembering those who have died in the faith. (This may be done as the names of those who have died are read out, perhaps during a memorial rite such as that given below). This tray could be left at the font throughout the year for people to light a memorial candle, especially on birthdays or deathdays (if this is not a day on which the paschal candle is lit, a single lighted candle may be placed in the tray before the service begins). A brief note of explanation and invitation may be included in the bulletin.

DRAMA

'MEGA DRAMA'

See a drama for the day in Mega Drama resources (Openbook Publishers), originally included in these worship resources when they were released on disks.

DRAMATISING THE READINGS

The readings can be read by more than one person to make the dramatic meaning of the text clearer. For instance, the second reading for year B could be read by two readers:  narrator, and voice from the throne; and the gospel for year B could be read by five or six readers: narrator (the pastor), Mary, Jesus, one or two of the people, and Martha.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS

MEMORIAL RITE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE DIED IN THE FAITH

A memorial rite is especially appropriate on All Saints Day. It may be helpful to indicate at funerals (eg on the service order) that the person who has died will be remembered on All Saints Day and also that a memorial hymn will be sung during a forthcoming Sunday service, if this is planned.

A few weeks before All Saints Day, contact the families of those who have been buried from the church (or by the pastor elsewhere) during the year, telling or reminding them that their loved one will be remembered during the service on that day (and a candle may be lit for them, etc).

The following memorial rite may be observed after the prayer of the church.

INTRODUCTION

The minister says:

Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

Friends in Christ: Today we remember members of this congregation (and our Christian friends and relatives)* whom our heavenly Father has called out of this life during the past year. We remember them and thank God for the gifts he has given us through them.

READING OF NAMES**

The names of those who have died in the past year are read out aloud.

WORD OF GOD

The minister says:

Our Lord Jesus Christ says:

Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.  (John 5:24 NRSV)

And the apostle John says:

These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. (Rev 7:14b, 15 NRSV)

OR

Our Lord Jesus Christ says:

Do not be worried and upset. Believe in God and believe also in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so.

(John 14:1,2 TEV)

And the apostle John says:

I heard a voice from heaven saying, 'Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord'. 'Yes', says the Spirit, 'they will enjoy rest from their labours, because the results of their service goes with them'.  (Rev 14:13 composite)

HYMN

A memorial hymn may be sung here or at the end of the rite.

PRAYER

Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, all who have died in Christ are in your presence.

We thank you for N, N and N (or: those whom we have named before you).

During the past year, they completed the race that was set before them,

and we thank you for sustaining their faith throughout their lives.

We thank you also for the blessings that flowed to us from their lives.

Be with all who mourn their passing.

Comfort them in their sorrow.

Remember us all in life and death and bring us at last into your eternal home.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

OR

Gracious heavenly Father, we praise you for the glorious company of the saints who have finished the course of their lives in faith, and now rest with you from all their work.

We thank you today for those who have departed from this life over the past year, and remember them in gratitude before you.

Sustain us in life and death, and let perpetual light shine on us and on all your faithful people.

Amen.

BLESSING

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

* A list of those who have belonged to the congregation is simple to make up ahead of time. However, some may wish friends, relatives and significant Christian members of the community to be remembered also, and so people may have to be invited to suggest these names before the service.

** There are several possible ways the reading of names could be highlighted ritually. Here are some suggestions:

A gong or a mellow-sounding bell may be rung after each name (or, if the church has a bell, toll the church bell once after each name).