St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church - Montreal
All-Saints Sunday Memorial

Rite of Remembrance

(All Saints Sunday, November 3, 2002)

Jesus, thy boundless love to me
No thought can reach, no tongue declare;
Unite my thankful heart to thee,
And reign without arrival there!
Thine wholly, thine alone, I am;
Be thou alone my constant flame.

In suffering be thy love my peace,
In weakness be thy love my power;
And when the storms of life shall cease,
O Jesus, in that final hour,
Be thou my rod and staff and guide
And draw me safely to thy side!

Liturgy

On this mountain the Lord of Hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food... And God will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all peoples; he will swallow up death forever. (Isaiah 25: 6-7)

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection that begins now in our daily life as your saints, and with confidence on the One who called us his children, we remember before you the following:

(A bell is rung after each name. After each set of names, a three-bell chorus is played and a candle is lit.)

We believe in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. You who clothe the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, remember now these your people:

Come to me all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy, and I will give you rest, says Jesus. Bend your necks to my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble-hearted, and you will find rest with me. Lord, hear now our prayers for these your gentle servants:

We know that there is nothing in death or life, in the realm of spirits or superhuman powers, in the world as it is or the world as it shall be, in the forces of the universe, in heights or depths - nothing in all creation that can separate us from your love, O God our sustainer. Sustain us again as we pray for these your people:

Peace is my gift to you, said Jesus, not peace as the world gives, but my peace. Set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish your fears. You, our Lord of peace, who healed with your hands, with the look of your eye, with your word, as you took children on your knees to show us your Kingdom of God, remember again these your children:

O Lord, by the resurrection of Jesus you have named these we remember, together with us, as your blessed saints. Where there is sin, bring pardon, where there is hurt, healing, and where there is sadness, always, we ask, bring great joy to our lives. Into your hands, we commend ALL for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (AMEN) (This is followed by a pealing of all three bells )