Pastor Susan's Letter
All the Saints
On November 1st we will observe All Saints Day. This is a special day in the church year when we remember all those loved ones who have gone before us into the heavenly kingdom. It’s a day for us to especially celebrate those who did good things in our lives and in the world to make life better for others. Our All Saints Sunday celebration has always been one of my favorite worship services of the year. This year, however, I approach it with a feeling of deep personal sadness and a bit of anxiety.
As you know, I lost my husband, Doug in June. A sudden heart attack took him from us very quickly – one moment he was here in this world and the next moment he was in heaven. It was such a tragic shock and it has dramatically changed everything in my life since then. For over thirty years, I have been a pastor to people in times of crisis and loss and grief. But now, I fully understand that experience. I can’t say whether it has made me a better pastor yet – but I hope it will one day. Right now, I’m still working on healing my own heart. And every day I have to remind myself that grief is a process.
It helps my heart to know that Doug is in a better place than this world. I’m happy for him. Just imagine – he is actually getting to talk with Jesus face to face in heaven! And he’s seeing all his family and friends that got there before him. I have to admit, I’m a little jealous. But I tell myself I’ll see him again one day and it will feel like only a moment had passed in-between.
There are a lot of us who know just what I am talking about. Loss is a universal experience. It is one of the things that connects our hearts to one another. We know – we know. We don’t have to dwell on it or stay stuck in grief – but we do have to process it. And most of that process must be done in private – but let me say that I am grateful beyond words that this church community is surrounding me with love and support as I make this journey on my own.
That’s why our observance of All Saints Day is important for us. It gives us the opportunity to publicly acknowledge that we are all in that process – at one point or another on a journey that calls us to be gentle with ourselves and one another. Together we honor our loved ones as we hold one another in love and prayer.
When I think of all the saints who have gone before us – I would put Doug near the top of the list. He was too modest to let me put him at the very top (but I would) – he was one of the nicest people I ever knew. So, in his honor (and in honor of all those we have had to let go ahead of us), I want to share with you this lovely eulogy poem – Lift up your heart one more time for the ones who lived so well. Let stories flow like finest wine, and tales of triumph tell. For good hearts don’t break, they say – they simply overflow – with love that lasts beyond the day when loved ones had to go. So take time to share your memories sweet and laugh through misty eyes, for somewhere down some golden street – your love for them never dies.
All my Love, Pastor Susan
About Our Pastor
This is our pastor, Reverend Susan Hanson,
She was ordained in the United Church of Christ at her home church, St. John's UCC in Lansdale, PA on January 9th, 1994, during a winter weather event of snow and ice. That storm didn't stop their celebration that day, and she hasn't stopped serving in the ministry since then—no matter what. We appreciate that about her, and you will too when you get to know her.
Pastor Susan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development from Florida State University, a Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary, and a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Counseling from Moravian Theological Seminary.
She also completed her certification as a Reiki Master in 2013—the same year she came to our church, St. Vincent United Church of Christ. Additionally, she has participated in specialized training through the United Church of Christ to serve as an intentional interim minister, assisting churches during transitions from one settled pastor to the next.
In her early thirty-year career as an ordained minister, it became her calling to support churches during these transitional times, taking her to twelve different settings in local churches and chaplaincy positions in nursing home facilities. She'll tell you that she “has seen it all, heard it all, been through it all” with the people she's met—and even so, she still loves working with them in ministry settings.
That love is what brought her to St. Vincent United Church of Christ—her “lucky number 13” setting, as she likes to call it. When she arrived, it was to serve as a temporary supply pastor during our transition. However, we liked each other so much that we decided to continue together on a permanent basis. In April 2018, Rev. Hanson was installed as our settled pastor.
Our pastor believes that ministry is something we all do when we strive to be like Jesus and follow his ways. Her role, as she sees it, is to help all of us be the heart, hands, and voice of Jesus in our own time and place, to do good, make a positive difference, and leave the world a better place for having been here. She says, “That's the way real ministry happens—one gracious thought, one good word, one act of kindness—one moment at a time.”
Susan lives in Chester Springs. She has three grown children—daughter Laurabeth and son Eric live in the local area, while their daughter Lindsay and her husband Charlie reside in Alabama, where they are raising two grandchildren of whom Pastor Susan will be happy to show you pictures and share how wonderful they are—just like any proud grandparent.
Come, join us at St. Vincent United Church of Christ and meet our pastor. If you are looking for a worship experience that makes you feel good for having been here, then come and connect with us. We worship together every Sunday to share the spirit, the light, and the love of Jesus, creating a little heaven on earth and empowering us to take that love back out into the world we live in, where our ministry truly matters.