Happy Reformation! - What a Terrific Way to Begin this Festive Year - Sunday, 30 October

It was a happy Reformation Sunday at The American Church in Paris, the beginning of a year-long celebration of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther nailing his 95 theses on the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, on October 31, 1517.

The America Church is a 200-year-old non-denominational protestant congregation that is the most racially diverse of any I've seen anywhere since it attracts people living in and visiting Paris from all across the globe for whom English is a first or second language. It's very lively and warm and welcoming - it is my favorite Sunday haunt. And the number 63 bus, which runs on Sundays, stops right outside their door!

We sang "Ein feste Burg," of course, there was a very sweet baptism of one Paris Ekuwa Ansah (the infant daughter of one of their long-time, obviously-beloved parishioners who came back from her missionary work in Ghana for the baptism), the choir sang Richard Farrant's anthem "Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake" just beautifully, and their pastor Scott Herr preached a terrific sermon about grace and about Luther's teaching on passive righteousness & works righteousness.

The anthem:
Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake, 
lay not our sins to our charge,
but forgive that is past 
and give us grace to amend our sinful lives;
to decline from sin and incline to virtue, 
that we may walk in a perfect heart 
before thee now and evermore.  

Pastor Herr also pointed out the ecumenical nature of some images in the stained glass windows of this church (built in 1931) - saints Francis, Genevieve, Catherine of Siena and Christopher in one set of panels, and reformers Luther, Zwingli, Calvin and (oops...I've forgotten...if you can tell from the photo, let me know!) in another set.

And he announced that they would be having a communion and prayer service on November 8. election night, remembering all of us in the U.S.! "While politics tend to divide, there is a meal that can bring us together." How thoughtful and appropriate!

The after-service coffee was as strong and tasty as ever! And I even found a swell cookbook for a mere 5€ at their book table! Since they have parishioners from all over the world, it contains recipes from Asia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, England, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, and USA. The illustrations are by the children of the church. So cool.

Check out the church when you're in Paris! You will be warmly welcomed. And besides, most stores are closed on Sundays, so what else are you going to do with your morning?!? Here's their website: http://acparis.org/