Reformation Sunday

Written by Toni Anderson

The year was about 1975 or 1976… it seemed like any other Sunday, but when the service started we knew it would be different. This was Reformation Sunday celebrated in a very different way.

Reformation Day is an important liturgical festival that is celebrated especially by Lutherans. It commemorates Dr. Martin Luther’s posting of his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany on October 31, 1517. The posting was “The Good News” that one is saved by grace alone. This constituted a huge change from the Catholic religion whereby the church and the Pope are thought of as divine, and in the 16^th century issued salvation to sinners by asking for monetary penances.

Ok, knowing all that, imagine my shock when who should be delivering the sermon….the Priest from Mary Mother of the Catholic Church – Father Burns! Merv Thompson, our Senior Pastor, was delivering the sermon at the same moment at the Catholic Church.

This event had a definite influence on my Prince of Peace life. You see, I remember the day when my best friend could not enter my Lutheran Church…not even to play ping pong in the church basement! Now here in my grown up church, not only is there a Catholic, but he is a Priest and he is delivering the sermon.