For All Saints Day, we will be remembering the saints of Crawford that we have lost. As we move into the final three weeks of Faith in an Age of Monsters, we will also take this week to look at not just saints, but heroes—those who fend off life’s monsters on our behalf or inspire us to become heroes ourselves.

The subject of heroes is more complex than you might think. To better explore the nuance, I have invited Sal Caraviello to join me in conversation on the topic instead of a traditional sermon. While Sal and I have talked through some general questions, the conversation during worship will be unscripted in the hopes of helping us all find some better questions rather than definitive answers.

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Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a Mexican holiday that mirrors the Christian celebrations of All Saints and All Souls on Nov. 1 and 2. I use the word “mirror” intentionally, because Día de los Muertos encourages us to look at the same thing (remembering those who have died) from a different angle. While our remembrances are typically serious and somber, the Mexican tradition is joyful and fun. Death is the ultimate monster. What can we learn from this celebration by our southern neighbors? Speaking of neighbors, the music that precedes this sermon was written and performed by one of our neighbors, Randall Kromm. You can hear more of Randall’s music on his website,https://www.randallkromm.com

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Legend has it that Alexander the Great constructed gates at the border of his empire to keep the “monster races” out. How do people of faith deal with the monsters created by society through racism, xenophobia, ableism, and other kinds of difference?

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This week’s monsters are real—that is, they are (or were) real creatures. What they have in common is their tendency to kill, and often eat, human beings. They are the apex predators of our world. Many are already extinct, and more are critically endangered. Can we learn to share a planet with creatures who see humans as prey? What happens if we don’t? What does the Bible have to say about it?

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