All Souls Day or the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.

All Souls Day follows All Saints Day (Nov 1) and the vigil of All Saints (Halloween). Like many parishes, St. Simon’s will remember All Saints Day at our weekend services following Nov 1st, and we are guilty of mashing together All Saints and All Souls. For me, following the New Testament understanding that all those who have died in Christ are saints, but also recognizing those who have a special remembrance in our calendar of Lesser Feasts is a juggling act worth the juggle. We will name in church all those we have lost since the previous All Saints Day as well as allowing time for people to name their loved ones who are part of the Faithful Departed. We celebrate their lives and sing for ALL the saints who from their labors rest.

Today begins our Craft Fair at St. Simon’s, come shop if you are in the area! Over 100 booths of homemade crafts, great Christmas shopping opportunities along with our world famous Cajun Pickles!

Then tonight we are joining with a multitude of faith groups in a prayer vigil for those lost in the mass murders at the synagogue in Pittsburg, to pray and remind each other of the way of love in the midst of a world that seems to has lost that way at times. We will be at the Landing in Ft. Walton Beach at 5pm,

For to your faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended; and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens.