The church I visited on All Saints’ Sunday used this litany of remembrance to honor the saints in our lives, especially those who passed away during the current year. It seems appropriate to include it this month, as we ponder what death means to us, as Christians.
Pastor: Almighty God, we praise you today for the hope we have in Christ crucified, risen, ascended and returning. Thank You for blessing us with courage and faith even when the circumstances of life test our trust.
People: Fill us with hope, strengthen us for the journey, calm us in crisis, comfort us in weakness that we might “rejoice and be glad, for ours is the kingdom of God.
Pastor: We thank You this day for Your promise to work in our lives through, “the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the life everlasting.” Be present as a living hope with all who face sickness and suffering, sorrow and loss, conflict and problems, especially those persons named on our prayer list, and in our hearts.
People: We rejoice with those who rejoice, suffer with those who sorrow, and pray for those in need, trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Pastor: We also thank you this day for dearly loved relatives and spouses, grandparents and mothers, fathers and friends, sisters and brothers whose journey on earth ended during this past year, those whose memory lives in our hearts forever.
People: For all the saints who have influenced our lives for good, we thank You, O Lord.
Pastor: We thank You this day for all those who have gone before us this year, especially those we now name:
**At this time individuals who have died during the past year are remembered by name. As each name is read, a bell will be tolled as a sign of remembrance and of victory in Christ.
For more posts about saints see:
Lutheran Ladies Connection 