Dear Trinity Family & Friends,

Have you ever been stopped by a memory that still warms your heart? Maybe it was a voice you can still hear, a smile you can still picture, or a moment of grace you will never forget. I believe that is what happens when love lingers. The people who shaped our faith, prayed for us, and showed us what it means to live with compassion and courage never truly leave us. Their light keeps shining.

This Sunday, we will celebrate All Saints Sunday with a message entitled “Held in the Light,” based on Matthew 5:14–16 and Revelation 7:9-10, 13–17. Jesus reminds us that we are “the light of the world,” and Revelation gives us a glimpse of that great multitude—people of every nation and story—gathered in the presence of God. Together, these scriptures assure us that the saints we remember are not lost to us. Their light has returned to its Source, and their lives are now held forever in the love of Christ.

Some of the names we will read this Sunday belong to people who were deeply involved in the life of the church; others walked quieter paths of faith. But each life mattered deeply to God. Each one reflected something of Christ’s light in the world. And now, through the mystery of grace, they are gathered and whole.

As we come to the Lord’s Table, we will do so surrounded by “a great cloud of witnesses.” In that moment, heaven and earth touch and the church militant and the church triumphant joined as one. This is the hope of All Saints: that nothing, not even death, can separate us from the light and love of God.

Small Group Discussion Questions:

1. Jesus calls us the “light of the world.” Who in your life reflected that light in a way that shaped your faith?
2. Revelation 7 describes a great multitude from every nation gathered before God’s throne. What does that image of unity and diversity teach us about God’s kingdom?
3. How do you see the light of the saints continuing to shine through your life or in our church community?
4. How can remembering those who have gone before us deepen our gratitude and strengthen our faith today?
5. What are some practical ways we can let our light shine, especially in honor of those who first helped light the way for us?

This Sunday will be a holy time of worship, Communion, and remembrance. I hope you will join us as we name the saints of Trinity, give thanks for the gift of their lives, and celebrate the unending light of Christ that holds us all.

Blessings,

Pastor Dedric