Dear Brothers and Sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ,

One of the things we have in common as pastors of Trinity is that both our Dads died shortly before we came here.  As a result, All Saints' Day, which we will celebrate Sunday November 7th this year, is an especially significant day for us.  In fact, it was All Saints' Day, November 1, 2000, that our Lord carried John R. Loughran through death to eternal life.   It was September 27, 1997 that our Lord sent His angels for James D. Mech, a couple of days before the church's celebration of St. Michael and All Angels.

Our Dads modeled the Christian faith for us.  Sunday after Sunday they faithfully brought us to the Divine Service.  The importance that they placed on receiving the Lord's forgiveness, life, and peace through the Gospel was not lost on us.  They proclaimed the Gospel both in what they said and in what they did in faith toward God and in love toward others. It ultimately lead both of us into our life's work of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the life of the world.     

This All Saints' Day, as we remember our Dads and as all of us remember all our loved ones who have died in the faith, especially those who have died this past year, the promise of God through the prophet Isaiah is especially comforting, "Your dead shall live."  This promise is fulfilled in and through the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Our Lord's life that conquers death was made ours in the water and word of Holy Baptism.  It was there that the deadly dirt of our sin was washed away and it was there that we were clothed with the saintliness of Jesus Christ.  It was then that our names were written in the Lamb's book of life.  The Gospel that is proclaimed to us Sunday after Sunday continues to reconcile us with God and each other.  The Lord's Supper that we partake of each Sunday is celebrated not by us alone, but it is celebrated along with "angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven," including our loved ones who have died in the faith.  They're on the other side of the table.

As we distribute the Lord's Supper to those of you who have lost a father, mother, son, daughter or a friend, we know you're thinking of them, and missing them.  We can see it in your eyes.  We, like you, cannot help but remember them and with you look forward to a blessed face-to-face reunion in heaven.  But for now, we give thanks for the faith and love that they have passed on to others.  It's what a day like All Saints' Day is all about.  We also are comforted by the knowledge that they are near because our Lord is near.  Our Lord Himself has promised that wherever two or three are gathered in His name He is