Donald Van Beek shares a service of remembrance and gratitude, appropriate for observing All Saints' or All Souls' Day. Includes song suggestions, responsive prayers and scripture
THE SERVICE
Preparing for Worship
Prelude
"The King Shall Come" Brownlie (Tune: MORNING SONG)
"Guide Me, O Thou" Williams (Tune: RHONDDA)
Silent Prayer
Opening
God's Greeting
Call to Worship
Hymn
"For All the Saints" How
stanzas 1, 2, 4, 5, 7: all
stanza 3: men and boys stanza 6: women and girls
stanza 6: women and girls
We Celebrate the Living Faith of the Departed Saints
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11—Litany with congregation
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith, Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. By faith Enoch was taken from this life so that he did not experience death.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith Noah, when warned about things not seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith, Moses chose to be mistreated along with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. By faith, the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry ground.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
By faith Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets conquered kingdoms, administered justice, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames. Others were tortured, imprisoned, stoned, put to death by the sword. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hymn
"Rejoice in God's Saints" Green [see text below]
Scripture Text: Hebrews 11:4
Sermon: "Dead, Yet Speaking"
Prayer of Application
We Celebrate God's Blessings Through Departed Saints We Have Known
Hymn
"What Shall I Render to the Lord" Psalm 116
Rocks are placed in memory of departed saints
[While names of departed members are read, two young people place rocks on a simple frame constructed to shape them into a mound of stones (see Josh. 4:1–9).]
Children's Message
Congregational Prayer
Offering
Offertory
"Shall We Gather at the River" Lowry
We Celebrate with the Saints in Heaven
Scripture: Revelation 21:1–5; Revelation 22:1–5
Choral Anthem
"No More Night" Sterling, Kirkland, Rhodes & Mauldin
Giving Testimony of our Faith
We long for that day
when our bodies are raised,
the Lord wipes away our tears,
and we dwell forever in the presence of God.
On that day
we will see our Savior face to face,
sacrificed Lamb and triumphant King,
just and gracious.
He will set all things right,
judge evil, and condemn the wicked.
We face that day without fear,
for the Judge is our Savior,
whose shed blood declares us righteous.
With the whole creation
we join the song:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
...
God will be all in all,
righteousness and peace will flourish,
everything will be made new,
and every eye will see at last
that our world belongs to God.
Hallelujah! Come, Lord Jesus!
—Our World Belongs to God, para 56–58, © 2008, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Grand Rapids MI. www.crcna.org. Used by permission.
Hymn
"By the Sea of Crystal" Kuipers
Closing
Parting Words of Encouragement: Hebrews 12:1, 2a
Final Blessing: Hebrew 13:20–21
Doxology
"Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" (st. 7) Wesley
Postlude
This All Saints Day service was prepared by the worship committee of Creston Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Members include Mary Worst and Kathy Verbrugge, who designed the banners, Helen Van Beek, and Donald Van Beek, pastor.
REJOICE IN GOD'S SAINTS
[sung to HANOVER]
Rejoice in God's saints today and all days
a world without saints forgets how to praise.
Their faith in acquiring the habit of prayer,
their depth of adoring, Lord, help us to share.
Some march with events to turn them God's way;
some need to withdraw, the better to pray.
Some cany the gospel through fire and through flood;
our world is their parish; their purpose is God.
Rejoice in those saints, unpraised and unknown,
who bear someone's cross or shoulder their own.
They shame our complaining, our comforts, our cares;
what patience in caring, what courage is theirs.
Rejoice in God's saints today and all days
a world without saints forgets how to praise.
In loving, in living, they prove it is true:
the way of self-giving, Lord, leads us to you.
Text: Fred Pratt Green, 1977 (c) 1973, 1980, Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
For permission to reproduce this text, use your CCLI or LicenSing license or contact the publisher, 1-800-323-1049.
