The earliest Christian writers (including St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians, a focus text for the Gathering this year), calls Christians “saints” or “holy ones.” Rather than a description of pious people, these earliest Christians knew exactly what they were doing: testifying to God’s action in “setting apart” (a definition of “holy”) a people for God’s purposes.
I’m looking forward to being with the Saints from our neck of the woods, seeing some old Saints and meeting some new ones, locally grown and from around the country.