Sunday, November 1, 2008

All Saints Day. It is a Christian holiday, coming the day after Halloween. It always comes on the first day of November. Halloween was a pagan holiday which was borrowed by early Christians. The suggestion was that on the day before All Saints Day all the ghosts, goblins and demonic creatures were let loose knowing they would be shut up all the next day when the saints were being honored. The demonic forces tried to do all the damage they could on the evening before they would be supernaturally prevented. Thus, the night before, the evening before the hallowed day, Halloween, was their day. They engaged people with all the mischief they could muster.

Modern Halloween celebration came about particularly after World War II as an effort to make it a day for the kids to celebrate and have fun. It was an effort to curb vandalism which had become associated with the evening.

At McFarlin we celebrate the departed souls who have been members here in the past. We make banners honoring friends and family. And on those banners we place our departed one's name and certain symbols signifying their life, their hobbies and their employment. We either place or carry those banners before the congregation so we can remember them. We look at the different names, surprised at some we may not have remembered as having been members here, and noting some whom we remember with fondness. A husband or a wife. A parent. A child perhaps. Or simply a loved friend who left all too early. We swallow hard and a tear creeps down our cheek as we remember a loved one gone on. But, for that moment we remember. It is a good thing.

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This Sunday, 11/1/2009, Charlotte Kessinger will be leading our class in a discussion of Mark, chapter 9. We will discuss the Transfiguration and then will continue on with the healing ministry of Jesus as recorded by Mark.

Please make plans to attend and enjoy the day with fellowship and study of God's word.