We are all in it together.

In this Sunday’s scripture, Paul uses the image of the body to describe us as the Beloved Community and says that God arranges the body so that “members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”

In other words … We are all in it together. The promises of “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish” are not just about marriage … they are about all of us as a community … together … always. We share the journey. We support each other. We challenge each other. We love each other.

We are all in it together.

I’m not sure there is anyone better to talk about this than our preacher this Sunday … Tracey Lind. Tracey is a brilliant priest and theologian, a longtime friend of All Saints and the former Dean of Cleveland’s Trinity Cathedral. On Nov. 8, 2016 (Election Day), Tracey was diagnosed with the early stages of a form of dementia called Frontotemporal Degeneration. Now she, with her wife Emily Ingalls, share the spiritual insights and lessons they are learning from being in this part of life together. Sunday, Tracey will be preaching at 9 and 11:15 … and she and Emily will lead the Rector’s Forum at 10:15 and share about their journey and together we will explore how we can all be in it together through the many challenges of aging, both planned and unexpected. Come and be inspired by their story, their witness and their courage.

I will preach at the 7:30 a.m. service and Antonio Gallardo will preach at the 1:00 p.m. Spanish service.

This Sunday is also Presentation Sunday, the day we affirm with our financial pledges that we are all in it together as All Saints Church. This year, we are doing something a little different … giving each person the opportunity literally to lay their gift on the altar as a sign of our gratitude and solidarity with God and each other. It is a celebration — not only of the generosity of this community, but of our commitment to give of ourselves so we can care in transformative ways not only for one another but for a hurting world.

If you haven’t pledged already for 2019, you can pledge online here and there will also be opportunities to pledge — and also to raise an existing pledge — on Sunday.

As always, if you can’t be with us in person, join our digital community via live-stream for the Rector’s Forum at 10:15 a.m. and the service at 11:15, and if you’re busy or away, we invite you to stay connected by visiting our website, or viewing sermons and Forums, past and present, whenever you like on our YouTube channel. Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself, there is a place for you here at All Saints Church. Join us!