Reflection
Sharman Badgett-Young
Is Halloween a Religious Celebration?
Sharman
Badgett-Young
The short answer is “Yes, a pagan one.”
The long answer is “Yes, a pagan and Christian one.”
A Celtic religious festival called Samhain (pronounced sawin) may have been the origin of Halloween. Ancient Celtic peoples celebrated their new year at the end of the harvest around November 1st. As the winter’s cold set in, Samhain was seen as the day when the realms of the living and the dead were closest to one another, and the souls of the dead could return.
In the Christian Church, during the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV created All Saints (or Hallows) Day on May 13. In the 8th century Pope Gregory III moved All Saints Day to November 1st. Instead of replacing Samhain, the two celebrations blended. All Hallows Eve became Hallowe’en, when spirits of the dead make their appearance, while All Saints’ Day was the church celebration of all Christian saints, those known and unknown. In the 10th century, St. Odilio of Cluny, a monastic, added November 2nd as a day of prayer for those in purgatory, where baptized Christians were believed to be purified from their lesser sins after death. It became our All Souls’ Day where all the departed are celebrated, and the three days together were called the Christian triduum of Allhallowtide.
Wishing you and yours a blessed Allhallowtide this year!
Sunday Service
1 November 2026
All Saints’ Day
Holy Eucharist
10:30 am
Christ Church Sanctuary
1216 Seventh Street, Anacortes
The service is also available on YouTube.
Servers
Presider & Homilist: The Rev. Keith Axberg
Deacon: The Rev. Vicki Johnson
Eucharistic Minister: Melissa Simonsen
Altar Guild: Mary Gronholt
Bread Ministry: Jim Minton
Readers: Tom Young, Sharman Badgett-Young
Ushers: Diane Guinn, John Guinn
Organist: Lynne Berg/Tom Young
Eucharistic Visitor: June Cook
Coffee Hour Host: Myrna McIalwain
Readings
Revelation 7:9-17
Psalm 34:1-10, 22
1 John 3:1-3
Matthew 5:1-12
Readings may also be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.
Hymns
H 618 - Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones
LEVAS 14 - Soon and Very Soon
H 293 - I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
H 645 - The King of Love
H 287 - For All the Saints
Bulletin Link: November 1 Holy Eucharist
YouTube Sunday Service Link
2027 Pledge Card Ingathering & Blessing
Our annual pledge card Ingathering, and Blessing, will take place at the service.
Dedication of Memorial Plaques
The service will conclude in the Memorial Garden with the dedication of memorial plaques for Diane Canington, Valerie Long, Dee Roberts, and Creamy Wilkins-Manning.
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour follows the service. All are welcome.
Faith Formation
Scripture: Continuing the Conversation
12:15 - 1:15 pm
Facilitator: Emily Sander
Parish Hall Conference Room
Announcements
A Joyful Noise November 2026
Find all the November news at A Joyful Noise November 2026.
This Week at Christ Church…
All Souls’ Day Evening Prayer
Ed Barton
Ed Barton
Monday, November 2
4:00 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
Presider: Ed Barton
On All Saints’ Sunday, we celebrate the whole company of heaven. The next day, All Souls’ Day, we remember by name the people we love who have died. Join us for a spoken service of Evening Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, in the traditional Rite I language. Bring the names of those you want remembered, and we will pray for them by name. No music, about 30 minutes, and an early hour for anyone who would rather not drive after dark.
Please note: This is an extra service.
Wednesday Evening Prayer continues as usual.
Centering Prayer
Maggie
Collinge
Weekly on Wednesdays
1:15-1:45 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Maggie Collinge.
Meditation/Silent Prayer
Todd Fifield
Weekly on Wednesdays
5:00 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
Come dwell in silent prayer. This is a quiet, intentional time to be still in God’s presence–to pray, reflect, or simply rest. No experience is necessary; Todd will guide you through the time.
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Todd Fifield.
Evening Prayer
The Rev. Vicki
Johnson
Weekly on Wednesdays
6:00-6:30 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
November 4 Presider: The Rev. Vicki Johnson
All are welcome.
Men’s Group
Tom Young
Weekly on Fridays
9-10 am
Parish Hall Gathering Room
All are welcome.
Questions? Please contact Tom Young.
Fundraiser for Tino Bonilla
Thank you all for your generous donations for Tino Bonilla, brother of Christ Church’s faithful groundskeeper, Jose Bonilla. If you would like to help support Tino and his family while he is unable to work, please make your check out to Tino Bonilla and place in the collection plate or the mail drop.
Please note that your donations will not go through church accounting but will go directly to Tino. Thank you!
The Red Door Thrift Shop Update
Dawn Jex
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the end of October and the beginning of the big, dark season. The temperatures are certainly dropping and sunset is coming a little earlier each day. It's time to get out those little twinkly lights to help us focus on all of the holiday goodness that is on the horizon.
This is the last week of our normal weekly display changes. We have our Fall/Thanksgiving items out on display and all of the Halloween items are on discount so that they will exit the building. Next Week will begin our Holiday Bonanza!!! I will be in the shop over next weekend to figure out where we will be placing our tree and to get things lined up and prepped for the Monday crew.
Sales this week are:
All Halloween items half price
All shoes and boots half price
All games and puzzles half price
We have also started to notice the normal drop in donations that happens at this time of year. This is the best time for all of our volunteers to bring in items that they have been holding for The Red Door. Please and Thank you.
Debbie and I have decided to do a price drop on the bins of socks, underwear and bras. We have noticed that these items are not selling at our current price of $1 each so we will be dropping the normal price to 50 cents. I will be working on changing the buttons for those items on square as soon as I'm done with this email.
Grant applications are due by 10/31 so if you know anyone who usually applies - please remind them it's time.
Hugs to everyone,
Dawn
Christ Church’s Red Door Thrift Shop is located at 1019 Seventh Street in Anacortes.
Red Door Thrift Shop
360.202.9966
Red Door Shopping Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm
Red Door Donation Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 10am – 1pm
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm
Proceeds generated at the Red Door Thrift Shop fund Christ Church’s Community Support program.
Shoppers, Volunteers, & Donations are always welcome!
Day by Day
Day by Day daily devotions may be accessed at the following link:
Day by Day Daily Devotion.
Prayer List
Tino & family
Family & friends of Val, Dee, Diane, Sarah, and Creamy
Tony
Rev. Eric & Lynette
Charlene
John, brother of Lynne, & family
Diane
Myrna
Arra, aunt of Carol
Sandy
Dale
Zoanne
Tom
Leslie
John
Ken & Dana, Pete & Charlene & family, and Rachel, family & friends of Mary