Sun. Nov. 4 (Sandy Hung)

Sandy Hung, a resident at the Menno Simons Centre spoke on the Saints and martyrdom for All Saints Day. The beginning of remembrance of the saints was founded in communion, often gathering at the tombs of the faithful to remember and to join their ancestors in Jesus Christ. It’s not often thought of as a joyful time, but it is, and doubly so when you recall that other Christians in other churches are also celebrating this ritual at the same time as you are. Stories abound of people martyred, often in the darkest moments of their faith life, and this begs the question was God with them, or did God abandon them? Sandra hopes that we can be living sacrifices, rather than dead ones, though she recognizes that the cost is a diminishment of self or ego. Sacrifice, Sandra says, is a renewing of the mind, and one should not expect congruence between your wants and God’s will. Nor is sacrifice strictly about obedience. Jesus’ model of sacrifice is to be ours, to glorify God, not ourselves or our needs. [AP] Listen to the sermon audio MP3 recording from Sunday Oct. 28th using your browser's preferred media player.