Today’s post is from Angela Storer, Pastor of Abiding Savior Lutheran Church in Alliance, Ohio.

allsaintscandles

Abiding Savior will still be lighting candles, but also celebrating homecoming.

For All Saints, Sunday, we are intentionally inviting anyone who has worshiped with us in the past ten years for Homecoming.  A former pastor is coming back as our preacher, and the current pastor is presiding.  With all of this in mind, we have added elements to our worship to our worship with a Homecoming theme in mind.

At the beginning of worship, we will have an extended welcome.  We give God thanks for all of the people who have been a part of our ministry.  The pastor lifts up each group of people and the congregation responds by giving thanks to God.  Our prayer of the day intentionally lifts up our ministry and all of those who have been a part of it throughout the years.  Following the Hymn of the Day, we will have the traditional lighting of candles in the remembrance of the saints who have gone before us.

 At the end of the service, we will recognize those who founded this church back in 1961.  We will then bless all of those who have traveled from their new church homes worship with us.  We will ask God to go with all who have gathered as they continue to spread the Good News throughout the world.