Sacred Space – Small Group Resources

All Saints’ Day

1 John 3:1–3 NRSV

Gathering

Welcome

All Saints’ Day is observed as a time to remember disciples of old, people who contributed to Christian community and church members who lived in faithfulness and service. It is also a time to remember friends, family, and community members who have died during the year. In this way we honor those who have gone before us, and we reaffirm our belief in eternal life.

Prayer for Peace for All Saints Day

Ring a bell or chime three times slowly.

Light the peace candle

Ringer of the first bell, today we give thanks for all the saints who have come before us and who have gone ahead. We are in awe of those who followed Your example of servant leadership, working tirelessly for peace in places as far away as the other side of the globe and as close as their own homes. We remember the saints who came before, their sacrifices, and as always, you and your sacrifices made in the name of peace.

May we have the strength to pick up the candle of peace, to share its warmth with those in need so the Pursuit of Peace might continue into the next generation.

In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Dwelling in the Word

Today we are observing All Saints Day, which recognizes those who have come before us.

I will read the following scripture aloud. As you hear it, allow words, images, or phrases to come to your mind. Try not to focus on them. Let them rest in you. After a moment of silence, I will read the passage a second time. As you hear the words again, listen for how God’s Spirit is nudging you or catching your attention.

Read Hebrews 12:1–3 NRSV:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

Pause Read the passage a second time:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

Pause. Invite group members to share responses to these questions:

1. What words, phrases, or images came to mind?

2. How are you responding to God’s call to be fully alive in community with Christ?

1 John 3:1–3 NRSV

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

You aren’t a disciple for long before you begin to collect wise mentors and companions on the journey. All Saints’ Day is a time to reflect on those who have through the grace of God assisted us on our journey of faith. This is a day to think about those who have impacted our lives in meaningful ways and have thus changed the world for good.

All Saints’ is a day to look at the past, present, and future. First, we look at the past and those who have helped us in our formation and founding in the Body of Christ. We also reflect on the giants of Christian history and recognize that it is on their shoulders that we stand, allowing us to glimpse God’s kingdom.

We pause and consider the present and those who walk with us now, how they help us by their guidance and their willingness to allow us to guide them.

Finally, we look to the future with anticipation and hope for those whom we may guide into the community we enjoy so that they may experience the Blessings of Community.

Every family is dynamic, changing and moving through seasons. Some families in the post-modern world are not nurturing; they sometimes are places of distrust, disinterest, even abuse. John’s letter talks about family relationships based on mutuality, deep trust, and a love that comes from the source of all love.

The parenthood of God is universal, but the saints understand themselves as children of God, part of God’s loving community. It is in this community that disciples find purpose and develop gifts that have been hidden or overlooked by the negative voices of society. In community, disciples discover and follow ways to become the reflection of Jesus in everyday living.

In the Body of Christ, as part of God’s universal family, we are joined in the same mission as those saints who have gone before us and who have entrusted the mission of Christ to us.

Remembering the lives, ministry, and sacrifices of those who have gone before us can be humbling, revealing to us our own humanity and frailty, exposing to us that we, like those before, have struggles and challenges. Yet with faith we can continue to move into the future with God and our beloved family, reaching the place where God is waiting with new blessings and challenges.

Questions

1. Recall an individual who is an inspiration to you. Share how that person influenced and helped you on your spiritual journey?

2. Think about your faith community. Who in its sacred story has come to be thought of by you as a “Saint”?

Sending

Generosity Statement

Beloved Community of Christ, do not just speak and sing of Zion. Live, love, and share as Zion: those who strive to be visibly one in Christ, among whom there are no poor or oppressed.

Doctrine and Covenants 165:6a

The offering basket is available if you would like to support ongoing, small-group ministries as part of your generous response. This offering prayer is adapted from A Disciple’s Generous Response:

You have blessed generations before us and will bless generations yet to come. May we be a generous people in response to your boundless grace and unending love. Bless and magnify our offerings and our service to others. Let generosity become part of our nature, we pray. Amen.

Invitation to Next Meeting

Closing Hymn

Community of Christ Sings 331, “For All the Saints”

Closing Prayer

Optional Additions Depending on Group Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper Thoughts for Children

You will need:

• flowers (can be real cut flowers, fake flowers, or flowers made from pipe cleaners and tissue paper)

• construction paper cut into small rectangles with a hole punched in them

• string

• vase

• something to write with All Saints’ Day is a time to remember disciples of old, people who contributed to Christian community, and church members who lived in faithfulness and service. It also is a time to remember friends, family, and community members who have died during the year.

In this way we honor those who have gone before us, and we reaffirm our belief in eternal life. Those who have come before us have helped make the world a more beautiful and hopeful place. To remember them, we are going to create a bouquet of flowers that reminds us of that beauty and hope.

I am going to give you each a small piece of construction paper. On that paper, I want you to write the name of someone who came before you and helped make the world a more beautiful and hopeful place. Once you have written their name, use some string to tie the paper near the top of one of our flowers. Once you have done that, add your flower to the vase.

If you need help thinking of someone’s name to write, find an adult and ask for a name they would like to include.

Once each person has had a chance to write someone’s name, offer a prayer of gratitude for all the saints and a prayer of comfort for those they have left behind.

Description of All Saints Day taken from Sacred Space, Year C: All Saints’ Day, (https://www.heraldhouse.org/products/all-saints-day-worship-outlines-pdfdownload?_pos=1&_sid=09af4025c&_ss=r)