On Sunday, Oct. 30th, our church will have ONE Worship at 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary. It will be a fantastic day filled with love and purpose. We will welcome new members, baptize and praise our Lord is worthy of every praise. In addition, we will also rededicate the Parlor (The space between our Sanctuary and the Gathering Place) as a place of thanksgiving and reflection of those who have prayed and worked to further the kingdom of God before us.
We are taking this Sunday to do the rededication because of Reformation Sunday, which is celebrated on the last Sunday of October of every year. If you want to read more about Reformation Sunday, click here.
Why does reformation Sunday matters… On this Sunday, we have a chance to reflect and tell our story. Everybody has a family tale about how they arrived at this time in history. Stories about our parents, grandparents, and the events that over the years have molded our families. On Reformation Sunday, we recall and retell the origin tales of our faith. Tales of the men and women who lived before us and passed on their religious teachings to us. Stories of those who sacrificed everything so that we may assemble and worship as we do.
Reformation Sunday serves as a reminder of the essential things. In church, we preach on a wide range of topics throughout the year. Relating to our daily actions, decisions, and religious practices. On Reformation Sunday, we are reminded of what is most significant—the reason Luther and others risked their lives. We go back to the foundation of our faith on Reformation Sunday: God loved us first and still shows us grace and mercy.
Reformation Sunday (exhorts us to improve ) challenges us to do better by recounting our story and returning to the foundation of our faith. Because God was kind and gracious to us, we are called to be more loving and grace-filled. We are obligated to make amends for any instances in which we put up obstacles that prevented others from hearing the gospel. We are urged never to forget that everything around us is a gift from God.
There is a beautiful painting in the Wittenberg church where Martin Luther gave his sermons. The audience is seated on the left, and Luther sits in the right pulpit. Christ on the cross is situated between the audience and the preacher. The only thing standing between our faith and this group of people we refer to as "church" is keeping what matters most in the center of the image. The grace and mercy that were extended to us in Jesus Christ serve as the cornerstone of our faith, as Reformation Sunday serves as a reminder.
On Sunday, in the Gathering Place, we will have a display that will show you pictures and information about our Sanctuary's history and the people who made it possible. We pray that you consider taking the time to read and see the display and give thanks in prayer for the effort and generosity of the ones who came first. Let us do it for the Glory of God!
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