First United Methodist Church of Schenectady
Worship for All Saints Day

November 1, 2020

Photo by Alice Nash

Getting Centered

It may help to center yourself into worship by lighting a candle, as a symbol of God’s presence with you during the time of worship. You may also want to pay attention to lighting, the position of your body, and the availability of distractions.

Breath Prayer

“For all the saints / we give you thanks.”
Breath prayers involve breathing in the first phrase, and breathing out the second.
You may wish to simply pray for a moment before starting, or you may wish to pray while listening to the prelude.

Prelude

“Sine Nomine” by John Weaver

Call to Worship (by Rev. Vicki Flippin)

One: For all the saints who poured love and wisdom and hot chocolate into our lives,
Many: For all the saints whose smiles and touch we miss the most,
One: For all the saints who helped us find our voice,
Many: For all the saints whom we cannot bear to live without,
One: For all the saints whom we have begun to forgive,
Many: For all the saints who forgave us more often than we deserved,
One: For all the saints whose lives continue in ours,
Many: We honor you this day.
One: We hold your sacred life up to God.
Many: We bear witness to the future we have shaped out of your existence

Hymn #711: For All the Saints

Connecting in Prayer

Shared Prayer

Holy God,
God of Life and Death,
While this holy day is set aside to give thanks for the saints,
we experience it as bittersweet.
Often, the loss of our saints still weigh us down.
This year some of our saints haven’t had their lives celebrated yet.
Yet we seek to live, and to live lives worthy of theirs.
Help us today,
to give thanks,
to stay present,
to be inspired,
and to be honest about loss and gratitude.
Amen

Silent Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

You are welcome to read this out-loud or silently.

Holy God,
God of Life and Death,
We know of course, that there is no life without death,
and no death without life,
but death still takes us by surprise,
sends us into tailspins
and jolts us to our cores.
This year the world has seen tragic death
more time than our minds can comprehend.
This year we have lost dearly beloved members of our church family,
and we haven’t even been able to stay goodbye.
This year has been lived with the threatening veil of death
– for ourselves and our loved ones –
looming over us.
It feels almost mean to call you the God of life AND death,
and yet you are.
Your power and love are larger than even life itself.
You are the one who can bring meaning out of even death.
Today we turn to you,
with gratitude for lives well lived,
and with consternation at lives lost.
Guide us Holy One, on this,
Your Holy Day.
Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Word and Reflection

Choir Anthem

Come to Me by Dan Forrest

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

Mission Moment – Jan Huston

Day of the Dead – Dia de los Muertos
While we are celebrating All Saints’ Day, people with Mexican heritage are celebrating Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos). The Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico and in other Latin American countries. It is rooted in
ancient Aztec traditions but was moved from summer to November to coordinate with Catholic celebrations of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. This year it is being celebrated Nov. 1 and 2.

Celebrations include setting up altars to remember those who have died. Special foods are prepared. Some are traditional on that day; chocolate and sugar skulls might be put on the altars. A sweet bread, Pan de Muertos, is one
of the traditions. It is baked to resemble a pile of bones. The bones are placed in a cross to symbolize the 4 paths of the universe in pre-Columbian mythology. Other foods might be favorites of the persons who are being remembered.
Marigolds are the most recognizable flower associated with this day. The flowers are placed on graves with the idea that the vibrant colors and powerful scents will lure souls back to the land of the living. They also symbolize the
fragility of life since they bloom in early summer and die with the first frost. The bright color of marigolds is associated with the sun. Some families have picnics in the cemeteries near the graves of their loved ones.

There are many other traditions associated with this festival. Some can be seen in the Disney movie Coco. Some people wear masks or colorful costumes, in some places there are parades, there is humor and poetry. It is a celebration! There are many websites with more information. One of the best ones I found is dayofthedead.holiday. It includes recipes, coloring sheets for adults and children, mask patterns, history, and many traditions.

Children’s Time: God’s Paintbrush Part 2

Passing of the Peace

If you are worshiping with others, please pass the Peace of Christ.
Whether you are alone or with others, please take a moment to find God’s peace within, and then to share it with the world. You may want to reach out to speak peace to another during this week.

Photo by Barbara Armstrong

Hymn #708: Rejoice in God’s Saints

Scripture Reading: Matthew 23:1-12

Sermon – “For All the Saints” – Rev. Sara E. Baron

All Saints Celebration

Church Members* and Friends who have recently departed

Robert MacKeown*	Mary Ann Balmer	Matt Zwoboda
Charles Chilberg*	Cindy Amell	Bonnie Bailey
Shirley Rivest*	George Michel	Nicole Bryant
Alma Polsinelle*	Carol Brumbaugh	Bishop John Yambasu*
Marylois Tupper*	Louise Lichorat	Christopher
C. Joseph Waring*	Chris Kleinienst	Jim Cronin
Joan Townsend*	Kevin Van Dunk	Malcolm Boggs
Claire Racicot*	Ann Stamm	Bob Bailey
Nancy Walden*	Melinda Shepard	John Drexel
Jan Guzior*	Lori Acquatta	Michael Micklas

Saints whose departure we are still grieving include:

Leon Adkins. Jr.*

Robert Earl Berry

Pete Huston*

Responding

Offering

Photo by Alice Nash
If you wish, you are welcome to use this time to make a donation to the church online, or to put a check in the mail.
The time of offering is not only about our financial gifts to the church, it is about offering our lives to God and the building of the kindom. This is a time for reflection: What is being asked of us? What is being given to us? What are we able to offer? What do we need?

Offertory Anthem

“Hark I Hear the Harps Resounding” – Craig Carnahan

Prayer of Presentation

Holy God of Life and Death,
May our gift to this church,
and to your world
bring life in abundance.
May our gifts also make space
for the learning of the wisdom of death.
Amen

Hymn #433: Hymn of Promise

Benediction

May God grant you grace,
that in pain you may find comfort,
in sorrow hope,
in death resurrection. Amen
– From United Methodist Book of Worship, Service of Death and Resurrection, pg. 142

Postlude

“Power of Life” by Mons Leidvin Takle