All
Saint's Day | All Saint's Sunday
All
Saint's Day Collect
[Click here to submit names that
you would like to have listed in the bulletin on All Saint's Sunday.]
The History of All Saint's Day
Many scholars believe the
commemoration of All Saint's Day on the first of November began in
Ireland, spread to England, and then to the continent of Europe. This
belief is founded on a letter by Pope Gregory the Fourth in the ninth
century which decrees the observance of this festival throughout the Holy
Roman Empire.
However, the desire of Christians
to observe a day where we recognize the intercommunion of all Christians
past and present far predates the ninth century. The earliest observance
of a festival of all martyrs is mentioned in the writings of Gregory
Thaumaturgus before the year 270. One hundred years later, a deacon by the
name of Ephrem, mentions the observance of such a day in the city of
Edessa on May 13th. Finally, John Chrysostom noted the observance of All
Saint's was celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost in Constantinople
prior to 407.
All Saint's Day is an opportunity
for us to remember that death has been overcome. When we worship we
worship God with all of the saints, past, present and future. When we
receive communion we are receiving a foretaste of the heavenly banquet God
has prepared.
All
Saint's Day, Monday November 1, 2004
All Saint's Day combined service will be
at 7:00 p.m. on Monday November 1 at Zion Baptist Church..
The Rev. William D. Oldland of
St. Thomas' will be preaching the
sermon, and Pastor Patrick Cheston of Zion
Baptist will be the host pastor.
Special music for the service will
feature the combined choirs from Zion Baptist Church (directed by Ms. Rochelle
Tucker) and St. Thomas' (directed by Mr. David Zoernig).
All
Saint's Sunday, November 7, 2004
The All Saint's Sunday Holy
Eucharist Rite II service will be at 11:00 a.m. on November 7.
[Click here to submit names that
you would like to have listed in the bulletin on All Saint's Sunday.]
