In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound concept of grace and the legacy of faith that we inherit and contribute to as believers. We began by acknowledging the community's ongoing efforts in serving others, particularly through initiatives like the Kitchen of Clay, which exemplifies our commitment to generosity and service. This spirit of giving is not just about financial contributions but also about the joy and fulfillment that comes from serving others, a lesson we encourage even our children to learn and experience.

As we transitioned into worship, we opened our hearts to God, recognizing that we all come with different needs—be they physical, spiritual, or emotional. We sought God's guidance to fill us and renew us, so we might leave with a deeper understanding of His love and a greater ability to share it with others. This theme of renewal and fresh starts was central to our discussion, as we explored the theological concept of grace—a gift from God that we do not deserve but receive nonetheless.

We delved into the life of the Apostle Paul, a figure who understood grace profoundly due to his dramatic transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a pivotal leader in the early church. Paul's story illustrates the power of grace to change lives and redirect passions for God's purposes. His journey was supported by Barnabas, a lesser-known but crucial figure who encouraged and vouched for Paul, demonstrating the importance of community and support in our faith journeys.

Reflecting on All Saints Sunday, we remembered those who have gone before us, acknowledging that we stand on their legacy. This day serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of the body of Christ and the impact we can have on future generations through our actions today. We are called to be encouragers and generous givers, like Barnabas, to help others experience God's grace and transform the church and the world.

As we partook in communion, we celebrated the unity and continuity of the Christian faith, joining with saints past and present in worship. This sacred act reminds us of the heavenly banquet we will one day share with God and all believers. As we leave, we are encouraged to carry this spirit of grace and encouragement into our daily lives, being light bringers in our communities.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **The Power of Community Service:** Our involvement in initiatives like the Kitchen of Clay highlights the importance of serving others as an expression of our faith. This service is not just about meeting physical needs but also about experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from giving of ourselves. It teaches us and our children the value of generosity and the impact it can have on our community. [18:50]

2. **Grace as a Fresh Start:** Grace is the theological concept of receiving God's love and mercy despite our unworthiness. It offers us a fresh start, a chance to be renewed and redirected in our lives. This gift is central to our faith, reminding us that we are loved by God and called to extend that love to others. [25:09]

3. **Paul's Transformation and the Role of Barnabas:** The Apostle Paul's dramatic conversion from persecutor to proponent of the faith illustrates the transformative power of grace. Barnabas, an encourager and supporter, played a crucial role in Paul's journey, showing us the importance of community and encouragement in our spiritual growth. [32:34]

4. **The Legacy of Faith:** On All Saints Sunday, we remember those who have gone before us, acknowledging the legacy of faith they have left behind. This day reminds us of our interconnectedness as the body of Christ and the impact we can have on future generations through our actions today. [41:11]

5. **Living as Encouragers and Givers:** We are called to be like Barnabas, encouraging and supporting others in their faith journeys. Whether through acts of generosity or words of encouragement, we can help others experience God's grace and contribute to the transformation of the church and the world. [39:37]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [18:50] - Community Service and Generosity
- [20:35] - Opening Prayer and Worship
- [21:48] - Introduction to All Saints Sunday
- [23:26] - Personal Reflection and Grace
- [24:22] - The Need for a Fresh Start
- [25:09] - Understanding Grace
- [26:12] - Experiencing God's Grace
- [27:29] - The Body of Faith
- [28:11] - Apostle Paul's Journey
- [30:10] - Paul's Transformation
- [32:34] - Barnabas' Role
- [33:42] - Barnabas' Influence
- [35:11] - Legacy of Barnabas
- [39:37] - Transforming Lives Through Grace
- [41:11] - Legacy of Faith and Communion
- [43:43] - Communion and Remembrance
- [49:35] - Invitation to Communion
- [51:17] - Closing Encouragement and Blessing

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Romans 3:23-24 (NIV): "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
2. Acts 9:26-27 (NIV): "When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus."
3. Acts 4:36-37 (NIV): "Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means 'son of encouragement'), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet."

#### Observation Questions
1. What role did Barnabas play in the early church, particularly in relation to Paul? [33:42]
2. How does the sermon describe the concept of grace, and why is it considered a fresh start for believers? [25:09]
3. What are some examples of community service mentioned in the sermon, and how do they reflect the church's commitment to generosity? [18:50]
4. How does the sermon connect the celebration of All Saints Sunday with the legacy of faith? [21:48]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does Paul's transformation from a persecutor to a proponent of the faith illustrate the power of grace? What does this say about the potential for change in our own lives? [30:10]
2. In what ways does Barnabas' encouragement and support of Paul highlight the importance of community in our spiritual journeys? [33:42]
3. How does the sermon suggest that acts of generosity and encouragement can transform the church and the world? [39:37]
4. What does the sermon imply about the interconnectedness of the body of Christ and the impact of our actions on future generations? [41:11]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you experienced a fresh start through grace. How did it change your perspective or actions? [25:09]
2. How can you be an encourager like Barnabas in your community or church? Identify one person you can support this week. [33:42]
3. What practical steps can you take to serve others in your community, similar to the initiatives mentioned in the sermon? [18:50]
4. How can you contribute to the legacy of faith for future generations? What actions can you take today to make a lasting impact? [41:11]
5. Consider the role of community in your faith journey. How can you strengthen your connections with others in your church or small group? [39:37]
6. How does the concept of grace challenge you to extend love and mercy to others, even when they may not deserve it? [26:12]
7. As you reflect on All Saints Sunday, who are the individuals in your life that have shaped your faith journey? How can you honor their legacy? [21:48]

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: The Joy of Serving Others

Description: Community service is a powerful expression of faith, as it allows individuals to embody the teachings of generosity and compassion. Initiatives like the Kitchen of Clay serve as a testament to the commitment of believers to serve others, not just by meeting physical needs but by experiencing the joy and fulfillment that comes from giving of oneself. This spirit of service is something that can be passed down to future generations, teaching children the value of generosity and the profound impact it can have on a community. [18:50]

Bible Passage: "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." (Hebrews 13:16, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can serve someone in your community this week. How can you involve your family or friends in this act of service to multiply its impact?


Day 2: Embracing Grace as a New Beginning

Description: Grace is a central theological concept that offers believers a fresh start, a chance to be renewed and redirected in their lives. It is the unmerited love and mercy of God, given freely despite human unworthiness. This gift of grace is a reminder of God's boundless love and a call to extend that love to others. Embracing grace means allowing oneself to be transformed and to live a life that reflects God's love and mercy. [25:09]

Bible Passage: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you need a fresh start. How can you invite God's grace into this area and allow it to transform you?


Day 3: The Transformative Power of Community

Description: The story of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas highlights the transformative power of grace and the importance of community in spiritual growth. Paul's dramatic conversion from a persecutor to a proponent of the faith illustrates how grace can change lives. Barnabas, as an encourager and supporter, played a crucial role in Paul's journey, demonstrating the significance of having a supportive community. This relationship shows that encouragement and support from others are vital in one's faith journey. [32:34]

Bible Passage: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life has been a Barnabas to you, encouraging and supporting you in your faith journey? How can you be a Barnabas to someone else this week?


Day 4: Building a Legacy of Faith

Description: All Saints Sunday is a time to remember those who have gone before us, acknowledging the legacy of faith they have left behind. This day serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of the body of Christ and the impact that one's actions can have on future generations. Believers are called to be encouragers and generous givers, like Barnabas, to help others experience God's grace and contribute to the transformation of the church and the world. [41:11]

Bible Passage: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on the legacy of faith you are building. What actions can you take today to ensure that your legacy positively impacts future generations?


Day 5: Living as Encouragers and Givers

Description: Believers are called to live as encouragers and givers, following the example of Barnabas. Whether through acts of generosity or words of encouragement, individuals can help others experience God's grace and contribute to the transformation of the church and the world. This calling is not just about financial giving but about being a light in the community and supporting others in their faith journeys. [39:37]

Bible Passage: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Reflection: Consider one person in your life who could use encouragement or support. What specific action can you take today to be a source of encouragement and grace for them?

---

1. "The Kitchen of Clay is a collaboration of many churches here in our county where we serve hot meals and sandwiches and other things to people right here. And we take one Saturday every month to do that. And I want to thank you because it is not only time that is given, but it's also financial resources because the people who go out to do that take their own resources to prepare meals of soup and things like that. But it is such a joy to hear the stories of those who've done so." ([00:18:58] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

2. "So today's message in this series of Overflow is about the fact that, friends, we all need a fresh start. Has anyone felt that in their life before? Maybe you woke up and you felt like you needed to just go back to bed and sleep again and start over. We got an extra hour of sleep. Does anyone feel like you got an extra hour of sleep? I don't." ([00:24:04] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

3. "But when we think about this, the fresh start, in our theological perspective as Christians, that fresh start is what we define as grace. And I love this word so much because it is, we've talked about it in the previous series, what we mean as being Methodists. Grace is everything. It is what it means. It means to be loved by God." ([00:24:47] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

4. "Because friends, the thing is, is that grace is only given when a person who has more power and authority and everything that we can't have, but yet gives that mercy to someone who is less than. Could we describe God any other way? Who is someone who has more power and authority and more than we could ever be, and yet he gives love and mercy to us." ([00:25:44] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

5. "So as we think about this, as we think about this idea of grace and mercy and this concept of having a fresh start, I just wonder how many of us, how many of you have memory in your life of when God gave you your fresh start? Can you remember that? Do you remember what it was like the very first time you experienced it?" ([00:26:32] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

6. "See, this is the strange thing about the body of faith. We're sitting in this room, if you're watching online, and you're sitting with someone, the person may or may not next to you know anything about your life and your story. This is the joke I always tell people. When they find out I'm a pastor, they seem to think that I was, like, born with a clerical collar." ([00:27:51] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

7. "The generosity and encouragement of Barnabas made a way for a person who had experienced God's grace to help others experience God's grace and transform the church. Forever I'll think about that one for a second." ([00:36:55] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

8. "But friends, what we do together as the body of Christ shares the grace of God so that as we have had our lives transformed, we can transform the lives of others. If that makes you excited to think about transforming lives, then I hope you'll consider joining us in ministry because that's what the church is about. We want to transform lives." ([00:39:45] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

9. "So whatever you need to do to add a little love and grace to someone, I hope you'll think of it to share that this week. So hear this blessing as you go. Father God, help us to be people who bring encouragement, so we may be Barnabas's in our world." ([01:01:20] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

10. "So give us moments to love and to lift up and to be people of peace so that when we come back next week, we can do what we always do, which is worship you and just continue to be the light bringers in our world and share your joy with those we interact with." ([01:02:52] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


)

**Christ, my living hope. But you are my living hope. But you are my living hope.**

As y'all are having a seat, I just want to take a moment and invite any of our elementary friends that are in the room. Y'all can go ahead and head to kids or preteens or stay in here this morning. All right. A couple more minutes there. Y'all have fun today.

All right. I just want to take a moment today, and I want to continue to think. I try each week to share what are some of the things that you as a church do to give, not only with your continuous generosity, but also with your time.

And we have been, I think, almost two years. Is it two years, Eddie, that we've been serving the Kitchen of Clay? Longer than two.

The Kitchen of Clay is a collaboration of many churches here in our county where we serve hot meals and sandwiches and other things to people right here. And we take one Saturday every month to do that.

And I want to thank you because it is not only time that is given, but it's also financial resources because the people who go out to do that take their own resources to prepare meals of soup and things like that. But it is such a joy to hear the stories of those who've done so.

So if you haven't done so, in our EMAG this past week, I shared one of those stories with pictures and how many meals we've served. But thank you for two and a half years of serving meals to our community. Can you all just give God a hand of praise for that community collaboration?

I just also want to share that if you have not done so, please go to the kitchen and serve because this is very rewarding. Our older children are allowed to go as well, as you'll see in the picture. I think if you're at least the age of 12, you can go. We do give that to parents' discretion. If you have an 11-year-old, it's very mature. They're not going to, like, check your child's birth certificate. But we do believe it's important for our children to get the joy of serving others.

So thank you for that. If you would like to give to the church today, we do that at the time of communion. We don't pass the plate. But if you have questions on how to do that, you can talk to me or to Ms. Val, who will be back in the room at the end of service. And we thank her for talking to our people that are online right now.

If you're worshiping online, we're so glad that you're with us today. I'm going to take a moment now to pray for this transition in our service. If you would join me as we lift our hearts to God.

Almighty Father, I ask that you receive us in this moment exactly as we are. Some of us come with full hearts, and some of us come with less. Some of us come with physical needs, and some of us come with spiritual and emotional needs. But we all come needing something from you.

So we ask in this moment as we come into worship today that you take whatever it is we need from you, and you fill us in this moment. And renew us, and rejuvenate us, and guide us, and direct us, and disciple us. That we may leave this space with a better understanding of who you are, that you guide our children as they study your word and as we dive into your word as well.

Direct us so that we may be people who understand your love in our life a little more and share that love with others. We thank you for the continued generosity within our congregation and the desire to serve others that we may do so in our own lives. We pray this in your holy name.

I didn't take a moment to introduce myself. I apologize. I try to do that each week. We always have people joining online and in the room that I may not have had the chance to meet. So I am Faith Perry, the pastor here at Fleming Island United Methodist, and it is my joy to worship with you, whether you are live with us or you might be watching this later.

And today, I'm going to be talking about the Holy Spirit. Today is a very special Sunday, which we're going to get to at the end, but it's All Saints Sunday. And at United Methodist Church, we celebrate this as the first Sunday in November every year to remember that we stand on the legacy of all of those who have gone before us and are now with God in glory.

And it's a little heavier for some of us in our hearts on a Sunday. And I just want to make a confession to you as I prepare to give this message because it is a little bit of a heavier on my heart Sunday for me. And I'm going to try to be my very best for you, but I need a little extra grace. Can y'all give that to me? Thank you.

And those who are friends with me on Facebook, you know that I lost a colleague this week. You may not be friends, so you may not know, but a very dear pastoral colleague of mine went on to glory right before All Saints. So this is a very fresh Sunday for me. So I am a little, I'll just admit, friends, I'm a little distracted.

And I need to say that to you because I want you to know my very best. I don't feel I'm going to be my best for you. And I love you all. Y'all know that, right? And because I love you, I want you to know if I am not my best for you, why? But at the same time, we are the community of faith. Amen? And God takes us at our best and he takes us when we're not our best, right? Okay.

And I did not believe it would be my best for you if I did not share that distraction. But I also want you to know that I believe when we come to the table in just a moment that God is going to bring healing for us as a congregation and a community of faith. But I also believe in the message that I'm about to share because it is talking about the community of faith that we stand upon. And I know my colleague would have felt this appropriate to share this word with you today.

So this is where I'm coming from. And I feel it is all the honor of who we are as the believers. So today's message in this series of Overflow is about the fact that, friends, we all need a fresh start.

Has anyone felt that in their life before? Maybe you woke up and you felt like you needed to just go back to bed and sleep again and start over. We got an extra hour of sleep. Does anyone feel like you got an extra hour of sleep? I don't. No, I felt like it was the opposite side of time change that I don't feel better rested.

We talked about that as a team this morning when some of us didn't even realize we got an extra hour. And we're going to be out of whack all week, aren't we? That extra hour is going to throw all of life off. I just wonder how many times we wake up and think, man, God, can we just get a redo today?

But when we think about this, the fresh start, in our theological perspective as Christians, that fresh start is what we define as grace. And I love this word so much because it is, we've talked about it in the previous series, what we mean as being Methodists. Grace is everything. It is what it means. It means to be loved by God.

In the previous series, when we were talking about what it means to be United Methodist, one of the questions our young preteens asked me when I went back after each sermon to have them ask me questions, one of them asked me, why is grace such a big deal? Y'all got to love the young people, don't you? They can ask a question that just stops you.

And I had to think for a second on how do I explain this to a 10 and 11-year-old? And I just looked at him and said, well, we don't deserve it, but yet it just keeps on coming. Because friends, the thing is, is that grace is only given when a person who has more power and authority and everything that we can't have, but yet gives that mercy to someone who is less than.

Could we describe God any other way? Who is someone who has more power and authority and more than we could ever be, and yet he gives love and mercy to us. And we never deserve it. We never get enough work to need it from him, meaning that we can never show enough gratitude to him for what we've received. That is grace.

And no matter how much I contemplate the concept of it, I can never wrap my head around the fact that God continues to give it to me. So as we think about this, as we think about this idea of grace and mercy and this concept of having a fresh start, I just wonder how many of us, how many of you have memory in your life of when God gave you your fresh start? Can you remember that?

Do you remember what it was like the very first time you experienced it? When God first or maybe second or third time really wrapped you into his loving grace? For some of us that lived in the church our whole life, and I know there's many of you in this room, that have lived the church in your whole life, you may have had multiple moments where you have been re-wrapped in God's grace.

There's others of us who have come to God as adults and experienced that grace in very dramatic moments. And God has changed you in stories that the person sitting next to you may not have any way of knowing.

See, this is the strange thing about the body of faith. We're sitting in this room, if you're watching online, and you're sitting with someone, the person may or may not next to you know anything about your life and your story. This is the joke I always tell people. When they find out I'm a pastor, they seem to think that I was, like, born with a clerical collar. You know, I just, I came from my mother's womb reciting John 1:1. My first word was, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

It's like they don't imagine that any of us, that this is what we do, could ever have a struggle in our life. And I think many people think that about Christians. Because once we've started to get our lives together, who's happier? Life is better now than it was? Amen? They start to see our life get better, and they don't imagine it ever was a mess.

See, when you have had your life be a mess, that's why you're thankful for grace. Now, there's somebody in the Bible who understands this better than anyone else, and that's the Apostle Paul. Paul speaks about grace more than any other biblical writer because he experienced grace to an extreme more than anyone else. He mentions this word more than a hundred times in his letters.

And if you don't know about Paul, he made a really dramatic change in his life. But I just want to read some examples of how he talks about grace in his letters. The first is from the book of Romans, or the letter he wrote to the people in Rome. And this is, like, his theological dissertation on grace and salvation. And he writes here in chapter 3, "For everyone has sinned, and we fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins."

That's the definition of grace right there. We don't deserve it, but God gave it to us. And if we look at another letter in the book of Galatians, no, that would be the book after 2 Corinthians. And the book of 2 Corinthians, at the very end of the letter, he writes in chapter 12, "See, friends, Paul understood grace better than anyone. Anyone. Anyone."

Because he was changed so dramatically. And if you've never heard his story, before he was Paul and he was Saul, he was the one that was putting the fear of God, literally, the fear of God into the Christians. He believed it was his righteous duty to stomp out the people of the way, the people following the radical, heretical teachings of Jesus. And as a good Jew, he was going to make sure all of those people of the way were gone.

And we read in the book of Acts, in chapter 8, Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Friends, this is the first person who was killed on behalf of Jesus, the first martyr, Stephen. And Paul agreed. He condoned it. He was there and believed it was right. If we jump down to verse 3, but Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

He was equal in men and women. I mean, I don't know if that should make us feel better, but he was on a mission to make sure that there were no witnesses, no believers, nobody to pass these teachings of Jesus on when God got a hold of Saul and said, "Nope, you're in the wrong here," and turned Saul into Paul.

Only a person who has been transformed in such radical ways and knew in their heart that they had done such harm can understand to such an extreme what grace is. His passions for God were misdirected, so God said, "Let me redirect you to the right way. Your passion is great; I created you to be a person of passion, but we got to get you on the right path."

And he became one of the most influential people for the early church. He became one of the people that spread the gospel throughout the world because he was sent to the non-Jews. And he did so because he realized what he was unworthy of was given to him.

But this is the reason I'm bringing this up in the series. Paul could not have done it himself. He needed someone else. Another believer helped him, and that was someone named Barnabas.

Now, the book of Acts, which is the account of the early church, talks about after Paul was converted that he gets to Jerusalem. We're going to read this in chapter 9. When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers. He tried to meet with the believers. He tried to meet with the believers. He tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. Would y'all be afraid? A little bit, right? I would be.

I mean, if I had been hearing that Saul was out there killing us, and he was trying to come have a church meeting, and he wanted all of our committees to gather together to talk to us, I would decline that meeting in a heartbeat, okay? Not hold it at all. So I'm with them there.

Saul arrived and tried to meet with the believers. They did not believe he had truly become a believer. Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

Barnabas must be pretty important to convince the Christians in Jerusalem to listen to Paul. Have y'all heard of Barnabas? I mean, his name sounds a little familiar, right? He's not one of the 12 apostles. We actually don't really know a lot about Barnabas. He's only mentioned a handful of times.

But yet here in chapter 10, he convinces all the Christians in Jerusalem to trust the man who was sent to persecute, imprison, and kill the followers of Jesus. He's got some type of sway, right? He's got some power and voice. But yet he wasn't an apostle of Jesus. He was a believer.

So the question is, who is this Barnabas? Well, the only other mention of Barnabas in the book of Acts was a little earlier in chapter 5. No, 4. 4? Yeah, 4. Okay. I told y'all, I need a little grace.

Okay. Chapter 4, verse 36. Now, we talked about this chapter a couple weeks ago in one of the earlier messages in the series, where the believers had been selling their possessions to help take care of the Christian community. For instance, there was Joseph, one of the apostles nicknamed Barnabas, which means son of encouragement. He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

His name's not Barnabas, y'all. Did you see it? His name's Joseph. They nicknamed him Barnabas. Barnabas. So the man named Joseph, nicknamed Barnabas, was a part of the community. Was generous like everybody else. His name means son of encouragement. So he was an encourager and he was generous. That's all we know. That's the only other mention of Barnabas in the book of Acts.

But yet, he had enough impact on his community to convince all the Jews in Jerusalem that Paul was safe. The generosity and encouragement of Barnabas made a way for a person who had experienced God's grace to help others experience God's grace and transform the church forever.

I'll think about that one for a second. We have other mentions of Barnabas later in the New Testament. He travels with Paul and helps Paul build the church in the New Testament. Paul sends him to go preach. Paul travels with him, and he helps start other churches. But all we are told other than, "I'm sending Barnabas to you" from Paul is this right here.

That's a powerful statement to me that a Levite, which a tribe of Levi means that he was a tribe of priests, he didn't have much. The priests only had their land; that's all they had. They didn't have any other trade; they didn't do anything. All he had was this land that had been handed down from generation to generation to generation, and he sold the little he had for the community of the new church.

And then he did what he knew, which was to go tell people about God through the teachings of Jesus. This Levite became a church starter and made a way for the grace of God. Does that not just kind of bubble something into anybody, or is it just me?

When I think about the legacy of the people that we stand upon as Christians, I think about the fact that sometimes it doesn't take much to start chain reactions that we can't see. And as a congregation, friends, you have done so many things that we can see. You have been transforming a school in our community at Bannerman. You have been feeding the hungry at the kitchen. You have created specialized ministry to ensure every child feels loved, even if they don't fit the mold of society with our expanded children's ministries.

You have ensured that the children's home of the United Methodist Church, every child is taken care of. You have done things like UMCOR to reach out in disasters in our community. And I could keep going on and on and on. I can't list all of them. That's why we write them down so you can go read them.

But friends, what we do together as the body of Christ shares the grace of God so that as we have had our lives transformed, we can transform the lives of others. If that makes you excited to think about transforming lives, then I hope you'll consider joining us in ministry because that's what the church is about. We want to transform lives.

There's practical ways to do that. You can do that by being an encourager like Barnabas. You can do that by helping make practical steps in being a person of generosity. There are two simple things. We may not all be in a place to be a person of generosity, and that's okay, but we can all be a person of encouragement.

However that is for you, I encourage you to join us in sharing the grace of God. Would you pray with me?

Almighty God, we thank you for the fact that we stand here today upon the legacy of people who have made ways for us. And without everyone who's gone before us, we would not have this place. We would not have a place to worship. We would not have ministries to stand within, and we would not have abilities to be transformed. Someone has impacted our life today.

And we praise you for them. So now, Lord, as we come and take a moment to be united with this table, I ask that you heal our hearts and our souls and bring us into a place to worship you more. We pray this in your holy name. Amen.

Friends, one of the reasons that on All Saints Day we celebrate communion is because in the service of Christian celebration of life, we state that we will one day feast at Christ's heavenly banquet. And this table is an example of the heavenly banquet that we will one day be a part of.

So we believe that when we join in communion together here, it's a glimpse of what we will join with God in heaven. We also believe that as we celebrate worship here, it's a glimpse of the endless worship in heaven.

So on a day like today, when we remember all those who have joined God in glory before us, the saints of old, as Methodists, we call all persons in glory saints. Because they've joined God. They've stood on their work here. That we get to remember them celebrating in eternity at the heavenly banquet and eternal worship. And we join them in this moment. Christians all over the world join at their table, in their worship.

So today, as we celebrate this meal, it does not matter online if you're watching live, you're watching the recorded, if you grab something from your kitchen, we extend God's table to you. If you are in this room and you've never been a part of a service like this before, you can just watch, you can participate, you can partake of the table. It's your choice how you choose to be.

As I get towards the end of the liturgy, there's going to be a moment where we're going to invite you to call names, names of anyone you would like to remember. We'll have categories of those names so that you can honor people who have gone on to join our Lord. But I hope that you'll take this time to honor the people who have gone before us, to help us receive the love and grace of our Lord.

So would you join me now as we go into this time of communion? I'll read the parts marked with the L. Lighter font, and you'll read the parts that are bold, marked with the P.

God, you send us saints.

**God, you send us saints.**

**Friends, hear the good news. Christ died for us. While we were yet sinners, that proves God's love for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.**

**Glory to God. Amen.**

**The Lord be with you. Lift up your hearts.**

**Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.**

**It is right in a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere, to give thanks to you, Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth, the God of Abraham and Sarah, the God of Miriam and Moses, the God of Joshua and Deborah, the God of Ruth and David, the God of the priests and the prophets, the God of Mary and Joseph, the God of the apostles and the martyrs, the God of our mothers and fathers, the God of our fathers, the God of our children and to all generations.**

**And so with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join in their unending hymn.**

**Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.**

**Holy are you and blessed is your son, Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from the slavery of sin and death, and made us a new covenant by water and the spirit.**

**On the night which Christ gave himself up for us, he took bread and he broke it and he gave it to his disciples and he said, "Take, eat. This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."**

**After the supper was over, he took the cup and he said, "This is the blood of the new covenant. Drink just as you eat in forgiveness of your sins and remembrance of me."**

**And so in the remembrance of these mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us. As we proclaim the mystery of faith, Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.**

**Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us here and on these gifts of bread and juice. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ redeemed by his blood. Renew our communion with all your saints, especially the saints that we will now name before us.**

As we go by each category, friends, you may name things, people aloud that you would like to recognize.

**Lord, we now lift up saints before you that were in our favor. Amen.**

**Lord, we now lift before you the saints that are our friends that are from our community. Chaplain Joseph Williams.**

**Lord, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, strengthen us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us. Looking to Jesus, the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith, by your spirit, make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world. Until God's name, amen.**

**So Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your son, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit and your holy church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.**

I'd like to invite those who are going to help me with communion to come forward. Just a word of instruction. This table is open to all people. We confessed our sins earlier, and that's the only requirement, but please do not feel pressure to receive communion if you do not wish to receive communion.

We do start in the back and come up down row by row to the front through the center. After I serve my helpers, we'll invite everyone forward. Our method of communion is to take a small piece of bread and dip it into the juice, and we have prepackaged and gluten-free communion here in the center. I'll invite everyone in just a moment.

And we go down in circles; we are in communion. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

We invite all those who wish to partake this morning to come forward. And if you'd like to be served in your seat, if you'll just flag one of our communion persons down, we'll be happy to take it to you. Come up the center, please.

**Great, how great is our God. What a great God, amen?**

Friends, I hope that if you have not thought about the people that have made a point to get you to church, the people who transform your life, that as we have made this circle back around this year to All Saints, that you'll take that time today.

Because it's such a wonderful habit every year as we come back around to this day in our church calendar that we have to think about how great is our God, and how great is our God, and how great is our God. To remember the people who helped form us and helped get us to where we are in our spiritual journey.

As you leave today, I hope maybe you'll have some good conversations over lunch, or maybe call somebody that you haven't seen in a while that helped you in that journey of yours. Because I imagine they would love to hear from you.

So as you head out today, I would love for you to find someone who could use a bit of encouragement. I heard someone say that they forget to encourage, so they set a reminder in their phone. I don't imagine the person who gets the encouragement thinks any less of it.

But for those of us who are type A task people, that's maybe a thing to add to the to-do list this week. To give a little word of encouragement. So whatever you need to do to add a little love and grace to someone, I hope you'll think of it to share that this week.

So hear this blessing as you go. Father God, help us to be people who bring encouragement, so we may be Barnabas's in our world. God, I also want to say a special prayer. It's going to be a stressful week in our society. No matter who we vote for, somebody is going to lose.

And I just pray, God, that we as your people continue to be people of love, grace, and encouragement. It's been stressful months, and it's continued to grow. But as I think about how Barnabas was known as an encourager, and I think about the fact that he lived in Rome, which was not politics-free, it reminds me that we as your people are first and foremost supposed to be known as your people who love, no matter the environment that we're in.

So give us moments to love and to lift up and to be people of peace so that when we come back next week, we can do what we always do, which is worship you and just continue to be the light bringers in our world and share your joy with those we interact with.

We pray this in your heavenly and powerful name of our Lord Jesus.