Reformation Revelry

I always enjoy the last Sunday of October - what with Reformation, and all.  This year we made it a "Super Sunday" by getting intentional with the families of our Pre-School and Kindergarten.  Knowing in this day and age, we'd probably never get them into a "regular" Sunday worship setting, we try to go the extra mile to make it a setting where they are more comfortable.  So ... out to the CLC (gym) and revamp the service to make it memorable and should I say palatable?  And we tied the event together with Oktoberfest.

So we decorated the gym for Reformation Worship/Octoberfest.  On each side of the "front" were three banners of the German flag - black, red and yellow.  And of course I forgot to take pictures - so they only showed up as 'background' to other pictures ...

Praise Team and Choir "A Mighty Fortress" both

traditional (v 1) and contemporary (vs 2,3,4)

The following pics show the "extra's" in the background, for instance ...

The 95 Theses posted on the wall -

and Patty and Mora

(two of)  The Three "Sola"s each framed with the Castle Church Door in Wittenburg

and Mac and Meryl and ? and Sue and Myrna

and then on to Octoberfest with the infamous "Chicken Dance'

led by none other than Jeff - Family Life Minister;

and you can see Luther's Seal on the altar ...

looks like I forgot to shut off the camera, huh?

Then the Oktoberfest with it's home-made ales, and h-m brats, and h-m potato salad and h-m 

everything else enjoyed by @150 attendees ...

looking the other direction ...

Karina and her mom, Dorothy, and still can't think of the gal next to Meryl!

All in all it was a memorable day!  I've posted the Worship on the website, but if you don't want to listen, you gotta see the following video of a puppet play that was the "children's Message" at the worship service - it's also part of the service on the website.

if this video is slow loading you can view it in streaming video here: ML Puppet Show

What a treat that was!  if you are intrigued by the music, you can find it at:  

banjo version  or guitar version

I missed the week prior to blog, but have a lot of concerns about a "new" program in the LC-MS called "Project Koinonia".  We had the 1st VP of the Synod out here for our Oregon pastor's conference and I am troubled that we must use "Rules for Engagement" to talk to each other as sisters and brothers in Christ.  VP Mueller(?) sees it as a wonderful tool for communication ... right now I see it as an insult to all the good things that happen at Winkels, Conferences and the like.  I was really upset when I came home from the conference ... if you have a better take on the "project" than I, I welcome your thoughts and observations!

Better bring this to a close ... it's ALSO Halloween and the kids'll be arriving in a couple hours.

That's it from the left coast.  Pray for our fellow citizens on the "right" coast (and inland).  My goodness, what a storm! I haven't heard if Clarence,  Kristi's friend, was in any danger in Maryland.   

God grant health and safety to us all.

Love ya.

Karina and Dan