On October 30, the eve of All Saints Day, in 1517, Martin Luther, a young professor of theology in Wittenberg, tacked to the local church door an open invitation to debate the issue of Christian penance and forgiveness. He posted 95 "theses" for consideration. It was the first act in what was to become the Protestant Reformation—a protest against various religious assumptions of that day and an attempt to reform certain teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic Churches.
As United Methodists we are heirs of a renewal movement influenced by Luther's initiative and shaped by John Wesley and others looking toward reform in the late 18th century Church of England.
The annual Reformation Sunday, the last Sunday of October, is a time to remember, to praise the courage of men and women who have dared to raise their voices and exert the energy of their faith to gain clearer understandings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Reformation Sunday is also a time to confess the fractures within the church as the Body of Christ in the world. It is a time to thank God for the ecumenical spirit that in recent decades has brought many Protestant denominations closer together and also begun to bridge divides between Protestant and Roman Catholic.
All Saint's Sunday is next Sunday, November 1. We will acknowledge members of NUMC who have passed away in the past year with the sounding of the bell.
We will also provide an opportunity to acknowledge friends and loved ones who are no longer with us by inviting members to place a flower (in remembrance of those loved ones) on the altar in a communal vase.
Please note the name(s) you would like to recognize and honor on the back of your attendance slip.
If you choose to submit a name(s), please bring flowers with you on Sunday, Nov. 1 to add to the vase during worship.