All Saints’ Day, observed on November 1st, is dedicated to celebrating the saints and the deceased faithful. In the Catholic tradition, it commemorates canonized Saints—those exceptional Christians who exemplified remarkable faith. Protestants, on the other hand, recognize all followers of Christ as “saints.” Thus, All Saints’ Day celebrates this inclusive “communion of saints,” referenced as the “cloud of witnesses” from Hebrews 12, who stand in solidarity and support with us as we seek to follow the way of Christ.
All Saints’ Day honors not just biblical figures—like Abraham, Deborah, Thomas, and Junia—but also beloved family members. And don’t forget the Dolly Partons and Nelson Mandelas of our time can all be considered and represented on All Saints’ Day.
All Saints’ Day Youth Resource
Considering celebrating with your youth group? Our All Saints’ Day Youth Resource is here to help. It offers:
- An All Saints’ Day introduction
- Insights into historical and modern-day saints
- The significance of ancestors
- Reflection on grief, loss, and All Saints’ Day
- A guided spiritual meditation
- A take-home page for families
This All Saints’ Day Youth Resource is adaptable for various group sizes and settings, be it Sunday morning or evening gatherings.
On All Saints’ Day, it’s also crucial to address the grief stemming from the death of loved ones. Understand that grief isn’t linear and doesn’t abide by time. Before delving into such topics, be aware of any youths who’ve recently experienced loss, and possibly inform their families in advance. As a leader, it may also be helpful for you to examine your relationship to your ancestors, your understanding of the saints, and your experiences with grief.
Whether All Saints’ Day is a novel or familiar tradition for you, we trust our All Saints’ Day Youth Resource will enrich your experience.
If you work with children, we also have more information on how you can experience All Saints’ Day with younger ages here: 3 Wondrous Ways to Celebrate All Saints’ Day with Kids.
merlyn says
Signed on as requested. no email received from you, not the link to the resource on ALL Saints .
Adam Walker Cleaveland says
You are more than welcome to email us at hello at illustratedministry.com and we will make sure you receive the PDF. According to our records, the resource was emailed to you, but sometimes those emails can go into the junk/spam folders or your Promotions folder in Gmail.