When I was about twelve years old, my dad began experiencing some serious health problems. Growing up on a farm, there was always physical work that needed to be done, but his health increasingly limited what he could do. As the youngest of six children, with my older siblings already out of the house, much of that work became my responsibility.
Dad still wanted to be there, even when he could not physically do what he once had. As I worked, he would often tell me stories about his life. He talked about growing up, the things he had experienced, the decisions he had made, and the ways his life had unfolded. He was remarkably reflective, sharing not only the good things but also the disappointments and things that had not turned out as he had hoped.
Those conversations gave me a relationship with my father that was different from the relationships my siblings had with him. More than forty years later, I still find myself reflecting on what he shared.
As we approach All Saints Sunday, you may find yourself thinking about those conversations and the many people whose lives continue to influence us long after they are gone.
In the Episcopal Church, the communion of saints is not limited to extraordinary Christians whose names appear on church calendars or whose lives are remembered in history books. It includes all those who have died and those who continue living out their faith today. We are connected through God's love, across generations and beyond the limitations of our earthly lives.
In the First Letter of John, we hear, "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are." Our belonging begins with God's love, not with our accomplishments or our ability to live perfectly faithful lives.
On All Saints Sunday, we remember those who have died, but we also celebrate the community of faith that continues to connect us. Their stories, examples, generosity, and even their mistakes have helped shape who we are.
The same is true of Trinity Church.
Since 1839, generations of people have offered their time, abilities, financial resources, and commitment to make ministry possible in Muscatine. We have inherited much from their faithfulness, including a place to worship, resources to support ministry, and a community that continues to seek ways to make Christ known with love and compassion.
We have good reason to be grateful for what they have entrusted to us.
But gratitude should not lead us to believe that our responsibility is simply to preserve what previous generations created. The generosity of those who came before us was not intended to relieve us of the responsibility to participate in God's work today.
Their gifts created possibilities. Our responsibility is to recognize the possibilities before us now.
Sometimes that means continuing ministries that have served people faithfully for generations. At other times, it means having the courage to change, to try something different, or to respond to needs that previous generations could not have anticipated.
Faithfulness is not measured by how closely we preserve the past, but by how we respond to God's call in the present.
This is part of what stewardship means. It is not simply about managing financial resources, although those are important. It is about recognizing that our lives, relationships, abilities, time, and resources can become expressions of God's love and compassion.
I still carry the stories my father shared with me more than forty years ago. I doubt he could have imagined how those conversations would continue forming my understanding of life and faith.
We cannot know all the ways our lives will influence those who follow us. But we can choose how we respond to the opportunities before us.
The saints who came before us made room for possibilities they would never see. Now we have the opportunity to do the same.
What might God's love make possible through us, not only today, but for generations still to come?
Kevin+
