It is truly right and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks to you, O Lord. You are the creator of the universe, and the God of all the ages. We praise you for all the martyrs and saints of every time and place, who in life and death have witnessed to your truth and love.
Whether in big cities or tiny villages, in crumbling cement meeting houses or grand cathedrals, you have gathered them into your kingdom.
God of the Good News, you have shown them the path of life and filled them with the joy of your presence. We give thanks that their faithfulness has paved the way for our lives to follow.
In our own lives, we sit at tables where there are vacant seats, people we love and miss who no longer stop by for dinner or visit for the holidays. Around the world, war, violence, illness and disaster create more empty chairs than our breaking hearts can bear.
We grieve for those empty chairs, but know that in Christ, our separation is only temporary. Therefore, we praise you, joining our voices with angels, prophets, and martyrs, and with that great multitude of the faithful of every time and place, who rejoice in your name.
Unite us at the table of our Lord with the saints of our own fellowship who have passed into your eternal care. We remember their witness:
Don Asher
Annemarie Bales
Barbara Balsley
Dr. Gilbert Bowen
Robert Brandon
Julien (Jerry) Collins
Tanya Dietrich
Bernie Dobroski
Nancy Dorrer
Bruce Gooden
Elizabeth Greene
John Hales
Howard Hayes
Paula Keatinge
John Kemper
Andrew Kerr, Jr.
Robert Kolar
Jens Milling
Genevieve Phelps
John Puth
Reginald Rabjohns
Susie Rammelt
Christie Savage
Sarah Scott
David R. Seibel
Raymond Weber
Joan Zabel
Bless the memories of your saints, God. They left their mark on the earth for you, for us, for our children to come.
Spirit, move in us, that we might know we too are counted among the saints, God’s beloved children, vessels of God’s grace. May we learn how to walk wisely in your ways with the guidance of those who came before.
Now we lift our prayer to you, joining our voices to those that echo throughout the generations, using the words that Jesus taught us: Our Father…. Amen.