All Saints’ Day

Not too long ago, I was reading a book with a parishioner.  I had a few extra copies, so I gave him one and kept the other.  We agreed to read on our own, then come back together to discuss. 

When I got home and opened the copy, a picture fell out—an old photograph of two young girls.  I studied it for a moment.  The face looked familiar.  Is that Joe? I wondered.  Then I turned to the inside cover, and there, in my grandmother’s handwriting, was the name—Joan Roper.

My grandmother died twenty-three years ago, and how I wish my family—my wife and children—could have known her.  She was a living and breathing Saint.  She showed me what it means to live an authentic life: one marked by kindness, generosity, and purpose in community.  She was loyal to her friends and faithful to her church.

Every All Saints’ Day, I think of her. The impact she made on me cannot be overstated. She was the truest example of servant leadership—the strongest woman I’ve ever known, and yet she carried herself with the gentlest spirit.  Her calm presence was her power.  She gently guided ministries all over Jackson, Mississippi.  She was a saint, and this saint was her grandson’s joy.

We each have our own saints—those whose faith and love have shaped us into who we are. Over my two years here, many of you have shared stories of Emmanuel saints: those whose vision, commitment, and faith built the church we now steward.  On All Saints’ Day, we remember them with gratitude, giving thanks for the ways we continue to enjoy the fruits of their labor. 

But All Saints’ also asks us to look forward.  The gratitude we feel for the saints of the past leads us to consider the legacy we ourselves are building.  How will we be remembered? How have we contributed to the building, sustaining, and thriving of this church?  How have we stewarded the ministry God has entrusted to us?  How are we taking the reins from those who came before us to strengthen Emmanuel for those yet to come?

As we conclude our stewardship season this All Saints’ Sunday, I invite you to reflect on the saints who have shaped your faith, and then consider how your own generosity might shape the faith of someone yet to come.  Each pledge is more than a financial commitment—it’s a way of saying thank you to those who came before us, and yes to God’s call to build something lasting for generations yet unknown.

This impact of our saints is no small thing—and neither is the call to follow in their path.  May we give with grateful hearts, that Emmanuel might continue to be a place where faith is formed, communities are served, hope is shared, and the light of Christ shines from Generation to Generation.