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A Brief "Luther" History Lesson and Special Reformation Invitation
On an October morning in Germany, a monk made his way across the town square toward the door of the church. He pulled out some paper and began nailing it to the door.

The date was October 31, 1517 - the monk was Martin Luther, and the 95 Theses, or arguments, he nailed to the door marked the beginning of the protestant reformation.

The church of Luther's day taught that human beings had to play a role in their own salvation, by achieving the standards and requirements that a righteous God demanded. But Luther found something else when he read scripture: That we are put right with God, not through our own efforts, but through God's grace through the death of Jesus. For Luther, life was no longer about measuring up; he was no longer haunted by his failures; his worry whether he could ever be good enough was replaced by the assurance that Jesus is good enough and all we need do is trust that truth.

Making use of a brand-new invention - the printing press (The Facebook of his day!) - Luther wrote and published his views that were quickly taken up by other reformers. Luther was named Number 3 in LIFE Magazine's list of the 100 most-influential people of the millennium. Christ Lutheran Church will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation on Sunday, October 29 - and they'd love for you to join them.
Christ Lutheran Church 259-0200

Giving Thanks and Finding Joy
by Steve Peralta
Sometimes it is hard to be thankful. Life is filled with adversity - and we can find it difficult to express gratitude when we are in the grips of our pain, our despair, our anger and our grief. In these dark moments, nobody really wants to look on the "bright side" or find the "silver lining."

Yet the Bible challenges us to give thanks in every circumstance. The author of these words knew that when life is good, offering thanks is easy. However, when life isn't great, we struggle to express gratitude and thanks. In these moments, we focus on what we don't have.

The holidays provide us opportunity to think about our year and remember the good times as well as reflect on the tough times. In these moments, make sure that you can express gratitude in each moment. Write it down in a journal, share it with your loved ones or offer up a prayer. Weave thankfulness into your holidays and discover the joy God has for you. Life is never about what we don't have or what we have lost; it's about all that we have.
Steve Peralta is pastor at Valencia United Methodist Church.
255-1301

DON'T MISS THESE FESTIVE EVENTS!
Saturday | October 21
Christ Lutheran Church Presents "CLC Harvest Festival"
Join Christ Lutheran Church for the 2017 Harvest Festival - this free event features a petting zoo, pony rides, facepainting, crafts, a chili cookoff, surfboard simulator, dj and more! Non-scary costumes are welcome, however not necessary.
www.clcscv.org

Saturday | October 28
Valencia United Methodist Church Presents "VUMC Trunk Or Treat"
This free event features safe family fun for kids through sixth grade including crafts, music, candy and a maze! Non-scary costumes only, please. Held at Valencia United
Methodist Church.
www.umcv.org