Prayer for All Saints' Day -- 2023

 All Saints’ Day

            Lutheran worship is liturgical.  While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year.  The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc...  Today we observe a minor festival, All Saints’ Day, transferred from November 1.

            It is on this day that we recall all those in faith who have gone before us – most notably those who have died in the last year.  But rather than focusing on people, what they did, and how faithful they were, our focus remains on Christ, what he did, and how faithful he was to them.  No matter how much fondness we may have for one of the saints triumphant, they (and we) are only saints through Jesus Christ.

          Almighty God, today we recall with thanksgiving those saints who were taken from us in the Church Militant and carried by the angels to you and the Church Triumphant.  Especially, we give you praise for our departed family and friends who have gone before us in faith and all those who are in our hearts and minds this day:

          Earl Edwin Schroeder, father of Pastor Schroeder (April 18, 1936 - November 23, 2022)

          David Wanek, friend of Dan Rauchholz (died January 31, 2023)

          Robert LeFevre, father of Dan LeFevre (September 21, 1936 - February 9, 2023

          Joyce Rauchholz, aunt of Jean Nabozny and Dan Rauchholz (March 12, 1934 - March 13, 2023)

          Roland "Rolly" Edward Schneider, father of Dan Schneider (April 18, 1931 - May 17, 2023)

          Alex Bommarito, friend of Dan Rauchholz (died May 23, 2023)

          Arlene Helle, mother of Beverly Onder (April 16, 1937 - August 23, 2023)

          Sylvia Jeanette Campbell (January 18, 1934 – September 10, 2023)

          Ann Riegle, sister of Dan LeFevre (April 8, 1963 - April 3, 2023)

          To these, you have granted eternal rest this past year.  We thank you for giving them new life in Christ while on this earth and for sustaining them in true and saving faith throughout their life.  We praise you for finally giving them the fulfillment of your promises of salvation and eternal life.  Strengthen and sustain us in this saving faith so that we may also join with the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven in joyful praise, peace, and rest forever; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Cong: Amen.