Reformation Festival

On Reformation Sunday after worship members of Gloria Dei Lutheran joined their friends at Christ Our Savior Lutheran for a Reformation festival. The congregations have been involved in joint confirmation programs for several years and this year decided to also join together in the reformation festival. We started the celebration by singing the Reformation Polka by Robert Gebel (http://www.oldlutheran.com/page.php?page=humor&id=12) and then broke into games for the younger set and games for the confirmation/high school youth.


The younger ones started with a “Fishers of Men” fishing pond recalling that we are all called to be fishers of men. Then it was on to a “Diet of Worms” gummy worm eating contest to remember Martin Luther taking a stand at the council, or Diet in the town of Worms. This was soon followed by a “Knock the Devil” off his perch ball toss reminiscent of Luther’s throwing the ink well at the adoration of Satan in the Wartburg tower. Then there was a “throw the indulgences in the trash” three legged race with the reminder that you can’t buy your way into heaven. Next it was on to “Pin the 95 thesis on the door” while trying not to pin it on Martin Luther while you are blindfolded, and finally a “Remember your baptism” apple air dunk.

Meanwhile the confirmation and high school youth gathered for “A Mighty Fortress” “can”struction with all the cans going to the Lutheran Social Services Thanksgiving Blessing program. Next up was “Simul lustus et Peccator” or the “Saint & Sinner” TP wrap and then they all went outside for a longer “Throw the indulgences in the trash” three legged race. The outdoor festivities ended with the “Stinky Nun Run” where contestants had to take off running with their clean garbage can on wheels and go half way around the church where they picked up their partner who hopped into the garbage can and was hauled the rest the way around the building. They started the event with the story of Katie Luther along with several other nuns escaping from the convent at Grimma in empty pickled herring barrels. The winners of the Stinky Nun Run received a jar of pickled herring as their prize. Each of the events provided an opportunity to tell some of the stories of the Reformation combined with lots of laughter and fun.


More pictures can be found at: www.coslcphotos.blogspot.com