Reformation & All Saints: the Great Two-Sunday Tandem
Other than Holy Week, my favorite two Sundays that go together in the church year are Reformation and All Saints, always celebrated at the end of October and the beginning of November. These are “Every Member Worship” occasions to give the highest priority to.
As Lutherans who have been around for a while will remember, it was on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany, protesting various practices in the Roman Catholic Church of his day. Basically, he challenged the authority of the pope, which the church claimed was equal to that of the Bible; the sale of Indulgences, or the purchase of pardoning sins; and the failure to emphasize God’s grace through faith in Jesus as the means to salvation. His idea was to reform the church from within; but instead it led to the formation of a new church, ultimately called “Protestant” or “Lutheran”. We will celebrate our 506th anniversary with one service at 10:00 on October 29. Wear RED!
November 1 is All Saints Day, celebrated on the first Sunday of the month. It is the most emotional Sunday of the church year, because we remember our loved ones who have passed away and now rest in the Lord. We recite their names and light candles in their memory, and include special candles on the altar for those from the congregation who have died since the previous All Saints Day. We also lift up our own call to “sainthood”, understanding that God has called and chosen each of us to be ambassadors for Christ in our corner of the world. Note that we change the clocks back to Standard Time on Nov. 5, so we’ll be well-rested for worship. The color of the day is WHITE. Also, this is the 81st anniversary of Alpine Lutheran Church.
PERSONAL NOTE: Yes, this is Pastor Rick Meier writing, retired but still active at Alpine. I will be filling in from now until we have an Interim Pastor on board, expected Dec. 1. I hope to see all my Alpine friends at worship at some point during these next few weeks. Thank you!