November 2, 2003; All Saints’ Sunday Readings: Ecclesiasticus 44:1-10, 13-14; Revelation 7:2-4, 9-17; Matthew 5:1-12; Psalm 149.   The Rev. Dr. Hilary B. Smith Transcending Time and Space All Saints’ Day, November 1st, is a major feast day in the Church calendar. We celebrate the day on the Sunday following November 1st. All Saints’ Day is a day to remember all those who have gone before us in the faith. There are the saints of history who are known by all, and there are the saints of our lives. All Saints’ is a time to remember that we are connected. We are forever connected to those whom we have loved because love never ends. We are eternally connected because God is Lord of relationships. You and I are connected to the past, the present, and the future through God. God holds it all together in a loving embrace. All Saints’ Day reminds us that nothing gets lost with God. Nothing gets lost; no one gets lost. God holds it all together. "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from? These are they who have come out of the out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The Book of Revelation is full of symbolism that relates to the first Christians, and tells of the persecution that they suffered from the Roman Empire. As scripture is God’s living and active word, it continues to speak to us in our time. "Who are these robed in white, and where have they come from?" When I hear these words, I imagine those whom I have loved. They have left behind the struggle that life can sometimes be, and now they are before the throne of God. They are now clothed in the righteousness of God. Sheltered by God, they are no longer subject to the scorching heat. They hunger and thirst no more—neither for food nor for justice. They dwell in presence of the One who is love. God is with them in such an intimate way that any lingering tears are wiped from their eyes. God is so close to them. God is also close to us. This is what we mean by "the communion of saints." We will always be connected to those who have died. Holy places and holy rituals help us to experience that closeness. Some of our holy places are places that hold personal memories. When I walk around the dirt roads of Vermont and look at the mountains, I feel close to my maternal grandparents. While holy places and holy rituals are not limited to the church and the sacraments, they certainly include the church and sacraments. We join with all the company of heaven when we worship God. When we receive communion, we often hear the words, "The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven." In the Eucharistic feast, we are being nourished with God’s very being that transcends time and space. In the moment of communion, heaven and earth are not so distant. We are still connected to those whom we love but see no longer. All Saints’ day is one of the days designated for baptisms for good reason. Baptism brings one into the body of Christ, and thereby into communion with the saints. Baptism brings us into a distinctive covenant relationship with God and each other. When it is All Saints’ Sunday and there is no one to be baptized, as is our situation today, it is recommended that we renew our own baptismal covenant. The baptismal covenant contains the Apostles’ Creed in question and answer form, and it asks us questions. These questions address our personal relationship with God and our relationships with each other and the world. We are in a covenant relationship with God. God has made promises to us and we have made promises to God. God is better at keeping promises than we are, and that is why when we promise to be in this covenant relationship, we acknowledge that we will need God’s help to do so. We promise to continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. We promise to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ. We promise to seek and serve Christ in all persons. These promises that we make are part of our covenant relationship with God. It is appropriate that today we also make our financial pledge. The pledges that we make will enable us as a church to keep our promises. Our covenant relationship to each other as members of the Christian community is acknowledged by our pledge. We touch the past and the future in our action today. We remember those who pledged themselves in the past to the church’s mission—people such as Bishop Baden. We are also making a promise to those who will come to this church in the future. We touch that future today. Making a pledge is a holy act that acknowledges our covenant relationship with God and with all the saints—of the past and of the future. We are part of something much greater than our time and ourselves. Amen.