If you know my family at all, you know that they are history buffs, especially Pam and Rebecca.  While most families would celebrate October 31st as Halloween, our family commemorates Reformation Day.  In fact, earlier this week, Rebecca posted as her status on Facebook a line to Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”  Typically, I usually lead the congregation in that great hymn on the Sunday before Reformation Sunday, but I missed it completely and almost missed putting it in the order of worship this week.

The question is, why even commemorate the Reformation?  We aren’t Lutheran.  I will point to the fact that the Reformation is part of church history.  It was a correction point.  You’ve heard it said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  History is important in our lives and it is important in the life of the church.  The history classes that I took (Wesleyan Church History and General Church History) were among my favorite classes at FLAME.  The Church (big c, holy, catholic (little c-meaning universal), apostolic)has been around for a long time.  As Wesleyans, we’ve only been around a short time, but we share a common history with the saints who have gone on before.  (One of tomorrow’s posts will touch on that.)  Blessings….