All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, is a Christian holiday that is observed on November 1st in Western Christianity. All Saints’ Day is a Christian memorial day celebrating the honor of all church saints, whether known or unknown. It is a day set aside to honor all the saints who have lived righteous and holy lives in accordance with Christian teachings. All Saints’ Day is part of a broader tradition that includes All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) on October 31st and All Souls’ Day on November 2nd.

Who are the Saints? Sainthood isn’t limited to those recognized by a group of religious leaders. It’s granted by God Himself to any common, salt-of-the-earth person who simply trusts Christ (1 Corinthians 1:2). Words matter. And sowing confusion about good, biblical words like “saint” is not from God.

“To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours” (1 Cor. 1:2)

The gospel message is that God the Son came to earth, lived a perfectly obedient life, died on the cross to pay for our sins (Romans 5:1), and rose again, proving His atoning work was complete (Romans 4:22-25). Scripture says that the person of faith actually becomes the very righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21)

How do we celebrate All Saints Day?  The Bible doesn’t tell us to pray to the saints (Matt. 6:6) or through the saints (1 Tim. 2:5). Instead, we think of our connectedness to past saints and find inspiration in their stories of God’s faithfulness. Hebrews 11 gives many examples of the great cloud of witnesses whose lives tell of God’s unfailing love and grace. These saints speak from the past and are whispering at this moment…

God is faithful.”
“The Lord is good. Trust Him.”
“His grace was sufficient for me in my trials and is sufficient for you today.”

There’s a hymn that’s traditionally sung around this holiday called “For All the Saints.” It encourages believers to look back through the years of Christian history and think of the millions now enjoying rest and salvation in the presence of God. It’s also meant to encourage believers here and now to press on, looking forward to the glorious day…(source: christianity.com) Alex Crain, Pastor

“How did Halloween come about? Hallow, in Old English, means “holy” or “sacred.” Therefore, “Hallows’ Eve,” or “Halloween,” simply means “the evening of holy persons” and refers to the evening before All Saints Day, which is this day, November 1, on both Anglican and Catholic calendars. Halloween is a mixture of Celtic religious ideas and Christian martyrology.  By the ninth century, Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted older pagan rites. In 1000 A.D. the church designated November 2 as All Souls’ Day, a time for honoring the dead. Celebrations in England resembled Celtic commemorations of Samhain, complete with bonfires and masquerades. 

Poor people would visit the houses of wealthier families and receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for a promise to pray for the souls of the homeowners’ dead relatives. Known as “souling,” the practice was later taken up by children, who would go from door to door asking for gifts such as food, money and ale.

In Scotland and Ireland, young people took part in a tradition called guising, dressing up in costume and accepting offerings from various households. Rather than pledging to pray for the dead, they would sing a song, recite a poem, tell a joke or perform another sort of “trick” before collecting their treat, which typically consisted of fruit, nuts or coins.

(source: history.com) 

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This week children around the globe will enjoy “Trick or Treating”, an activity that was part of my childhood until the age of 12. My neighborhood had about 60 kids in one city block who filled dark sidewalks illuminated only by streetlights, porch lights, and jack-o-lanterns. There were no yard decorations like we see today. Those of us who carved a jack-o-lantern placed them on our porch and at least one or two houses took time to play spooky music wafting through the open door when handing out candy. Halloween has taken on many looks since my childhood in the 50s and 60s, but more importantly, I wanted to draw attention to a day on the church calendar that may be losing its place of significance. I’m speaking of “All Saints Day” which is observed on November 1. Rather than attempt to write a book report style article on this sacred day, I looked at two sources to describe this tradition and how it relates to October 31 and all its trappings we now simply call “Halloween”. 

The church I grew up in observed All Saints Day without fail. At the close of service, our pastor read each deceased person’s name which was followed by the ringing of one bell in the tower. Depending on how many folks we lost from January to November, the list could be short or lengthy. Listening to each name, hearing each bell, which broke somber silence was special and acknowledged losses for loved ones gathered in the pews. My home church, St. John’s Lutheran, was a congregation established by German speaking immigrants in the mid 1800s. For over 150 years the church thrived in Downtown Saginaw. Several years ago, the church closed its doors for Sunday worship. Membership dwindled to well below 100 people. The building still stands. Other agencies now use parts of the building for community services. Although diminished activity inside her brick walls still takes place on weekdays, the bells have been silent. 

There’s no call for their ringing, no names to prelude their beautiful chime. Hundreds of dearly departed souls over the span of the church’s life have each had designated recognition with each passing year. My mother’s bell rang in 1999 and dad’s came in 2012. When I recall hearing their name and the bell’s chime, I smile. They are now part of the “great cloud of witnesses” as described by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 12: 1-2.