One quick note about All Hallows' - or All Saints' - since we don't really celebrate it at Cole. I don't know all that much about it as a tradition and how it's developed and how its Eve became such a crazy night of candy and debauchery [update - here is a link from a Catholic mom who likes Halloween]. But I like the concept of celebrating those saints who have come before. We at Cole here in Boise, and Christ's Body around the world, are indebted to many saints throughout history and around the world who have faithfully served God in their times and places. It is worth taking a day to remember those saints who are our ancestors, those who have contributed to your faith personally, and those whom you can't connect with in 6 or 16 degrees of separation. This is our great cloud of witnesses, which should encourage in us an attitude of gratefulness and should spur us on in faith. God has used His People in mighty ways, and He can and will continue to do so with us.
I'll end with a prayer from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer (1979):
Almighty God, who has knit together Your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Your Son, Christ our Lord: Give us grace so to follow Your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that You have prepared for those who unfeignedly love You; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with You and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
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