Sunday, November 1, 2009

All Saints Day

as julie & i settle in to our life here in phoenix, one of our goals is to find a church home. For the past few weeks, we've attended Dayspring United Methodist Church as part of that search.


we attended there this morning, and witnessed an interesting tradition that the methodist church carries on. all saints day. all saints day is the day after halloween, when churches celebrate the lives of those we have lost in the past year. dayspring commemorated this by reading off the names of those from their congregation who have passed on, one by one, while one of their loved ones stepped up to the front of the sanctuary and lit a candle in their honor.

i found that this moved me. it was a solemn reminder of how important our past is, and how important those who have gone before us are. it's those memories and traditions that shape individuals and cultures, and remind us of who we are deep inside. it also reminded me of my grandpa, who passed away this past february. i'm thankful for the role he played in my life, and the man he was. the way he would tell stories of his childhood growing up on a farm in mid-michigan with his 10 (yes, ten) siblings. the memories of him making oliebollen when my 3 siblings & i were kids and the 4 of us running around his yard playing tag. i remember he used to scare me when i was young when he would take out his dentures. i hadn't realized there was such a thing a fake teeth.

i'm grateful for the reminder that the tradition all saints day gives.

grandpa, this candle is for you.

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