All Saints Day

For All the Saints

Read Matthew 5:1-12.

Today is a special day in the church.  It is “All Saints Day.”  Today we remember all those people who love God and who live as God’s people.  That includes you and me.  It also includes those people who love God, but no longer live on earth because they now live in heaven with God.  Everyone who is baptized becomes part of God’s family forever.  That means they are saints.  Martin Luther said we are all both saints and sinners at the very same time.  The communion of saints includes those people who still live on earth as well as those who have died in the faith and are now living in heaven.  Today we remember all God’s saints!

Watch this video together:

Read:

In the gospel for All Saints Day, we hear Jesus say, “People who feel hopeless are blessed because God will give them heaven.  Sad people are blessed because God will help them feel better.  People who don’t have many things are blessed because God will give them what they need.  People who want to follow God’s way are blessed because God will help them.  People who treat others with kindness are blessed because God will treat them with kindness.  People who know what is right in their hearts are blessed because God will be with them.”  Sometimes things are different than they might seem.  Jesus reminds us that no matter what happens to us, we belong to God.  No matter what happens, we are God’s saints.  God will be with us here on earth and God will be with us when we live with God in heaven.  God blesses us and God uses us to a blessing to others.

(Story adapted from The Spark Story Bible)

Discuss

• When was a time when you were sad?  How did God make you feel better?
• When was a time you treated someone with kindness?  When was a time someone treated you with kindness?
• How could God use you to be a blessing to others?

Song

I’ll Fly Away.  Go Fish Guys.

Activity

Use the “people” pattern to cut out people shapes (download it below).  Glue them onto a piece of paper.  Label it “For All the Saints” and label each person cut out with the name of someone, either living on earth or living in heaven with God, who has made a difference in your life.

Activity

Research on the internet the life stories of some of these famous Christians from times past.  Discuss them as a family.  Tell their stories to someone else.

Albert Schweitzer • Ambrose of Milan • Anthanasius of Alexandria • Augstine of Hippo • Boniface • Brother Andrew • Charles Wesley • David Livingstone • Dietrich Bonhoeffer • Francis of Assisi • Hudson Taylor • Ireneaus of Lyons • Johannes Flierl • John Calvin • John Newton • John Wesley • John Wycliffe • Jonathan Edwards • Martin Luther • Mother Theresa • Patrick of Ireland • William Tyndale

Say prayers of thanks for their faith and service for the sake of the gospel.

(Adapted from Taking Faith Home.  Go to www.milestonesministry.org)

Prayer

God, we thank you for all those people who make a difference in our lives.  We thank you that we are your people, whether we live here on earth or whether we are with you in heaven.  May our whole lives bring praise to you.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Pastor Dan Fugate, Assistant to the Bishop for Discipleship in the Indiana-Kentucky Synod, ELCA, put this lesson together for Sunday School @ Home.  There will be a new one for each Sunday while we are unable to gather together physically in our congregational buildings.  Contact him at dfugate@iksynod.org.