Dear First Pres,
   500 year anniversaries don't come around very often, but that's what we get to celebrate this Sunday. It was 500 years ago this Halloween that Martin Luther posted his invitation for dialogue and debate in Wittenberg, Germany. His post contained 95 theses (you can read them here).  Originally, they were written in Latin and intended for an academic conversation. But they were translated into German and distributed broadly sparking a great movement of reform in the Church. It started in Germany, but soon this movement of reform, what we now call the Reformation, expanded all over Europe. The Presbyterian Church, as we know it, finds its roots primarily in the Scottish & English Reformation and a fiery Scottish preacher named John Knox.  No matter what the heritage, every Protestant church owes some bit of gratitude for Luther's courageous stand for his biblical conviction.
   That's why we're taking the opportunity to celebrate this Sunday. Please join your whole church family for one worship service on Sunday at 9:00am.Even if you normally don't come until 11:00am, I think you'll find it worthwhile to come early this week. After our worship service there are some great offerings for the Education Hour (kids & adults). If you're not normally here for the Education Hour, I hope you'll try it this week (look at the offerings below). And then we'll eat ... what else would we do for a celebration?!? There's going to be some amazing tri-tip offered to supplement your awesome potluck dishes. The meal is simply a chance for us to encourage one another in fellowship.
   So, in review, Worship starts at 9. (Nursery & Preschool care provided & K-2nd grade depart part-way into the service for Kids Alive.) Education Hour starts at 10:30. The potluck starts at 11:30.
   Please come and celebrate this important anniversary.

Blessings,
Jeremy

P.S. Since our Reformation roots are Scottish, I encourage you to wear some tartan (or the closest thing you have to it). We wouldn't want the bagpiper to feel awkwardly alone!