All Saints Sunday in November
by Bobby Hawley, Vice President, Christian Church Foundation
 All Saints Sunday, the first Sunday of November, provides pastors and congregations a wonderful opportunity to recall individuals who have made a lasting faith witness to the generations that have followed them.
All Saints Day/Sunday started as a way to remember Christian martyrs. Through the centuries it has been adapted to also include church members who died in the previous year.
It is important we remember! It is important we remember what they stood for, the sacrifices they made and their efforts to nurture the Christian faith in others.
All Saints Sunday also provides a tremendous opportunity to recognize those individuals who, while alive, have made the decision to include the church in their end-of-life giving plans. These planned gifts will provide resources to nurture future generations of Christians. Honoring everyone who has put plans in place while alive also provides a great witness - and encouragement - to others who also could do likewise.
Many Disciples congregations are creating recognition societies - often called Legacy Societies - to recognize individuals who have committed to putting gift plans in place. These societies exist to express appreciation to those whose have made gift intentions while also encouraging other church members to do likewise. Members who love the church and have been faithful can extend their giving beyond their lifetime by including the church in their legacy gift planning.
To help congregations hold meaningful All Saints Sunday worship services, the Christian Church Foundation has developed a free resource titled Celebrating All Saints Day.The resource can be downloaded here
For additional information on how you can include your congregation or other ministry in your end-of-life giving, contact the Foundation at (800) 668-8016 or visit www.christianchurchfoundation.org.
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Mental Health Awareness Sunday
by Rev. Mary Alice Do, NBA Mental Health and Congregational Care Affinity Group Research and Design Team
Because one in five people will have a mental illness during any given year, many people and their families are affected in our congregations. And yet, no one talks about it. Sadly, many are left feeling alone in their struggle. However, congregations can be places where people can receive good support.
It is important that church leaders speak up about mental illness and recovery so people know it is okay to talk about it and ask for help when they have problems. Some churches have a Mental Health Sunday. I have planned our services and preached at First Christian Church in Tucson, AZ. Having a mental illness myself and having worked in the mental health field, I am passionate about talking about mental health recovery.
I have used resources on the UCC's Mental Health Network website, including litanies, prayers, hymns, sermon starters, and other resources. During worship planning, I included a number of voices from the congregation. It is important for church leaders to be open about their own struggles if we want to fight stigma and enable members to share. I shared how God had been present with me through church members when I was hospitalized several years ago because I was suicidal. I spoke about what mental illness is and how recovery is possible.
After worship, person after person came up to me and said things like, "You'll never know what I've been through"; "A friend of mine died by suicide, and I didn't know what to do"; or "My child has bipolar disorder." Evidently many in the congregation have been touched in some way by mental illness. Perhaps your congregation may find these resources helpful in planning a Mental Health Sunday. Read full story
Mental Health Sunday Resources:
Rev. Mary Alice Do serves on the NBA Mental Health and Congregational Care Affinity Group Research and Design Team, a shared effort with Disciples Home Missions (DHM) and in response to the passing of GA-1523 Becoming A People of Welcome and Support to People with Mental Illness and/or Mental Health Issues by the 2015 General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). For more information, please email mkilpatrick@nbacares.org.
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Resources and continuing ed
- Lexington Theological Seminary homecoming activities, Oct. 22-24
- Soul Repair: Pathways to Hope, Oct. 28-31 , Kansas City
- 2016 Disciples Development Conference, Jan. 20-22, Jacksonville, FL
- Winter Talk, Jan. 25-27, Tulsa, OK
- Black Ministers Retreat, March 8-10, Jackson, MS
- Center for Faith and Giving's Stepping into Stewardship conference in partnership with the United Church of Christ, March 30-April 1, 2016
- Hispanic Assembly, July14-16, 2016, Coral Gables, FL
- Association of Disciple Musicians 55th Anniversary Conference, July 17-22, 2016, Evansville, IN
- National Convocation Biennial Session, July 21-24, Overland Park, KS (Kansas City area)
- National Youth Event with United Church of Christ, July 26-30, Buena Vista, FL
- NAPAD Convocation, Aug. 3-6, Oakland, CA
For more events, see the calendar hosted by Chalice Press.
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