All Saints Day for Kids

Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18, Luke 6:20-31

Today is a special day in the church. Why do you think today is a special day? (allow kids to answer)

          Today we celebrate all of the saints that have come before us. Today is our church and school’s patronal feast, which is a fancy way of saying that it’s the day to celebrate who we are named for.

          And because today is so special our service is a little different. So far this fall the clergy have been wearing green vestments, but today we are wearing white to show that we are rejoicing. We are also rejoicing today because we have baptisms and people receiving communion for the first time.

          When we celebrate baptisms we are adding new members to our Christian family. Most of you were baptized when you were little babies too, so it’s hard to remember your own baptism; when we baptize these children in a few minutes make sure to pay close attention so that you get the full experience.

          Now that we know what we are celebrating and how we are celebrating, let’s look a little deeper into what it means to be a saint.

          So, what is a saint?  I wonder if it is a person’s words that makes him or her a saint or is it their actions in the world or is it the way they lived their lives?  I wonder are saints only those who have lived and died or do they walk among us?

What do you think, what is a saint? (allow a few kids to answer)

          There aren’t exact answers to each these questions. Some religions have official ways that someone becomes a saint and others believe that saints are people who we should try to be like. Around church we hear about specific saints often. Some of whom were saints because they taught others about their faith, some because they took care of others, and still others because they died for their faith.

          In the Episcopal Church we celebrate a specific saint almost everyday, but today we celebrate all saints, those known by name or deed and those unknown, those who have come before us, or who live among us.

          Yes you heard me right, saints are not just great figures that lived long ago, there are saints that have been and continue to be a part of our community here at All Saints.

          I want each of you to take a second and think of a specific saint that you have heard about in church or learned about in Sunday School. Once you have that saint in mind, give me a big smile so I know you’ve got someone in mind. Now that you have your saint in mind, I’ve got some homework for you this week, but don’t worry, you don’t have to hand anything in. This week I want you to look and see if you can find qualities of your saint in those around you. For example, if you thought of St. Francis, try to notice when those around you are bringing peace to a stressful situation or when someone shares with someone else without being asked to. And if you feel up to it, give that person a compliment by telling them what saint they remind you of. I bet it won’t take you very long before you start seeing saintly actions all around!